PHASES OF NWAOTAM CULTURAL CARNIVAL IN ABA, ABIA STATE (3)

By Mr. Amadi Gabriel A., Mr. Kamndu Ibrahim B., Institute of Archaeology and Museum Studies, Jos, and, Mr. Ozueigbo, Chinedu I., National Museum of Colonial history, Aba.

For the first report on this click this link: http://www.belfordscorelines.com/2017/02/culture-and-people-phases-of-nwaotam.html

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PREPARATION AND FEATURE OF THE CARNIVAL

Preparation

Preparations for “Nwaotam” carnival are elaborate and start almost immediately after each year’s celebration. Members of Nwaotam carnival are divided into age-grades. Meetings are held by representation of those age-grades from January to December. The president of the oldest age grade presides over such meetings. Those meetings hold every third (3^rd) Sunday of the month and this is where decisions are taken concerning the next Nwaotam celebration. Changes in date, procession, costume, and venues are decided in such meetings. This means that preparation started as early as January.

Ofo na Ogu age-grade displaying their costume in the arena

However, these preparations are heightened from the first week of December.  During this time, many houses belonging to members are given a facelift by repainting or re-decoration. Members also clear their surroundings of any kind of rubbish. Family members are informed in good time.

Each age grade goes into the bush to cut Indian bamboo and palm fronds. These are used for building booths for their relaxation. These booths are called “Mgbala”. This is where members of the age grade put on the costume for the day, keep their charms and other sacred materials and entertain their visitors. They also hang their chosen color by the side of their “mgbala”.

Youths are mobilized for general clean-up of the Ubani quarters. Roads are leveled up and pools of water are drained off the roads. The community begins to wear an entirely new look. Path- ways are straightened up with different colours for the celebration.

Every woman prepares her family in as special way. Food items are purchased and prepared in advance for the numerous visitors who will come to grace the occasion. Many women and girls prepare special attires and hairstyles for the occasion.

The shrine from which the Nwaotam will emerge is specially decorated with a mixture of colours and set apart with fresh palm frond. From the 10^th of December, it is out of bounds to non-members especially women. It is said that the person that will carry the mask will not appear in public from the 10^th to the end of the carnival on the 26^th of December. On the 16^th of December, all members will gather to review the state of their presentation. On the 18^th they go out in group from 10:00pm till dawn singing and dancing. This is to remind people that the carnival is at hand.

Features

No celebration is as colorful as Nwaotam as far as Aba is concerned. It is an occasion which people look up to. People of Aba do not travel for Christmas celebrations until they have witnessed Nwaotam carnival of that year. As early as 6:00am the sweet melody of Nwaotam music begins to rend the air. The sonorous rhythm of the flute (Oja) charges the air and puts everybody in festive mood. The drum, the metal and wooden gongs join in the music. Different age grades emerge from their different “mgbala” and proceed to the shrine in the order of age. They display for some time before the Nwaotam emerges.  The Nwaotam itself is anachronistic to the sweet melody of its music. It is completely ugly in nature, with a small head, big eyes, out-sized nostrils and big lips. It is a cloth mask with super–structure. It is indeed an ugly site to behold. It is a taboo for a pregnant woman to set eyes on Nwaotam. It carries no weapon except the broom. This broom has few sticks bound together by strip of red cloth. It is said that anybody struck with this broom develops leprosy which can never be healed. By the two sides of Nwaotam are two assistants who clear the way for him and press back the surging crowd from reaching Nwaotam or being hurt by the broom. The procession visits one or two prominent people in Ubani quarters and goes into town to visit other prominent people.

Nwaotam Masquerade in procession holding a broom in his right hand

However, the main celebration takes place at the Etche Road primary school ground as mentioned earlier. The Nwaotam arrives here around 2:00pm having visited people in the town. Before its arrival the different age grades have already arranged themselves and started dancing. Crowd of different kind of people have also gathered watching them and waiting for the arrival of Nwaotam. Its arrival electrifies the atmosphere. People try to position themselves close enough to have a view of the masquerade. This is almost impossible because it is always turning from one side to the rhythm of the music provided by the age grades.

Music, dance, and merriment are permanent features of the carnival. The teeming crowd always joins in dancing. One negative feature of this carnival is the explosion of fireworks-knockouts. It is unbelievable but true. The air of Etche road primary school is always filled with carbide. This is unwholesome. Hoodlums have also started using this carnival as a means of harassing innocent citizens. From the beginning to end of the carnival, people lose their phones and other valuable items as many girls are harassed. It is however, evil-minded people whose nature is criminal that use this carnival as a cover to perpetuate these atrocities.

Challenges

Nwaotam carnival is facing a lot of challenges. First among these is Christianity. Over the years, Nwaotam has co-habited with Christianity as most members are of the Christian faith. Presently, Pentecostal churches have descended on Nwaotam carnival and have condemned it as a secret cult whose agenda are unchristian. Members of these churches are not only barred from membership of Nwaotam but also warned not to watch any of the proceedings or show interest in anything they are doing. This is a very big challenge because membership of Nwaotam is declining by the day. The elders who are supposed to transmit this idea to the young ones are now members of these Pentecostal churches. Many young ones have also become adherent of the Pentecostal churches. The reality is that today, very few people want to identify with Nwaotam.

Another challenge starring Nwaotam in the face is the unruly behavior of hoodlums mentioned earlier. Because of them, People have become afraid of the carnival. These are people who have lost valued items and girls who have been harassed during the carnival. As the carnival approaches people begin to fear for their lives. Police and other security agencies are now combat-ready and feature permanently in the carnival. This does not augur well for the carnival because it places restriction on people’s freedom.

The unnecessary changes discussed inter-alia are also part of the challenges facing the carnival. The excessive use of explosives, cigarettes and Indian hemp do not mean well for anybody, rather it corrupts and demeans what our culture stands for. The old men who knew Nwaotam in the 60s, 70s and 80s have condemned these recent trends.

Conclusion

The problems mentioned above are enormous but not insurmountable. Members and heads of age-grades have already started finding solutions to these problems. They have decided that each member must carry an identity card. Anybody without one found in their mist must be handed over to the police. Any member found misbehaving-stealing, raping, taking Indian hemp will be expelled and handed over to the police. These measures, if implemented, will go a long way in restoring the image of Nwaotam.

Governments at all levels are seriously considering a diversion of the economy since the price of oil has plummeted. Tourism provides a ready and in fact, a more sustainable alternative.

The Nwaotam carnival is a ready-potential asset for Abia State and Nigeria in general. One can only estimate how much income the state will realize from this cultural carnival if it is properly packaged.

References

Afigbo, A.E (1981). Ropes of Sand, : Studies in Igbo History and Culture. Ibadan;    Ibadan University Press, 1981.

Ekpo, B. (2006). “The idea of an International Ekpo carnival” opening address at               the 2006 International Ekpo carnival, Big Owa town.

Nwagun, J.N (1980). Aba and British, Enugu, Star Press rule.

Ukpong, E. (2011). Potentials of Tourism. The Nation, October, 24.

LIST OF INFORMANTS

S/N	Name	Sex	Age	Education	Occupation
1	Pa Mike Ogolo	M	80yrs	Formal	Retiree
2	Elder Mingi G.	M	75yrs	University	Civil Servant
3	Elder Prince Woko	M	83yrs	Informal	Trader
4	Mr. Jaja Pepple	M	78yrs	University	Civil Servant
5	Elder David Jaja	M	91yrs	Informal	Businessman
6	Ma Georgina Wite	F	Adult	University	Civil Servant
7	Pa Clarke Ubani	M	73yrs	Informal	Businessman
8	Pa Green Epele	M	78yrs	Informal	Trader
9	Mr. Wokoma Briggs	M	86yrs	Informal	Trader