By Ekemini James.
“We have seen how they operate. It could cause accidents, sometimes it brings cars to an abrupt halt. Last two weeks, we had a scene where a young woman was literally stripped naked and flogged by these masquerades.
Yes, it is culture, but everyone has a right. No culture should dominate the other or cause harm to others.”“I am not saying don’t play masquerade, but don’t use masquerade to disturb public peace. Restrict it to your village square.”“We have visitors coming as we are trying to make our State a tourist destination. Let’s not scare people. Don’t make them feel that chaos is tolerated.
It is on the strength of that that we sign this to bring public peace and order.” – Gov Umo Eno These excerpts captures the Governor’s intent in signing the Executive Order banning masquerade activities on streets and highways across the State.
The Governor’s tone reveals a leadership style that prioritizes the safety, dignity and overall well-being of residents without undermining cultural heritage.T
he signing of the executive order is part of the Governor’s efforts to ensure a peaceful atmosphere devoid of harassments and molestation for residents of Akwa Ibom State especially during the yuletide.
His argument rests on a simple principle: culture must flourish, but not at the expense of public peace like the recent incidents, particularly the harassment and assault of an innocent woman and several other criminal activities hiding under the cloak of cultural expression.
For the Governor, the ban is a necessary intervention to prevent the misuse of masquerade practices as a cover for intimidation of innocent citizens and obstruction of lawful activities, as well as a necessary step towards a more orderly, investor-friendly, and visitor-friendly environment in line with tourism vision of the ARISE Agenda.
Truth is, while culture remains a vital part of Akwa Ibom’s identity, cultural expression should not override our modern economic aspirations.
Ultimately, this Executive Order further shows the Governor’s recurring pattern of intentional leadership. His message is very clear: masquerades can not continue in a manner that endangers lives, disrupts public order, or sends the wrong signal to visitors and investors looking toward Akwa Ibom.
