As the Giant of Africa, Nigeria bears enormous responsibility for culture and tradition on the African continent. In a world where civilization and modernization are taking over everything else, Africa has remained a bastion of culture and tradition. But as piercing as the realization that Africa offers the last opportunity to save and preserve what is left of culture and tradition is also the unmistakable discovery that some things done in the name of culture and tradition have become clearly harmful and antithetical to the dreams and aspirations of any serious-minded society.
In a disturbing incident in Enugu State, some masquerades supposedly celebrating the Oriokpa masquerade inflicted bodily harm on some members of the public. Also, a couple of weeks ago, some masquerade traditionalists invaded the home of an Imam and a mosque in Oke Agbe, Akoko North Local Government Area of Edo State. They beat up his wives and children.
The government must move in to stop a repeat, as such unsightly incidents cannot be allowed to reoccur in the name of adherence to culture. Those who hide under dirty masks and costumes to perpetrate terror are not representative of any culture. They are criminals. It is as simple as that. Those who hide behind dirty disguises to terrorize other citizens do not stand for what culture and tradition mean.
They are criminals and must be stopped. It is people like them who give culture and tradition a bad name, hastening in the process the loss of what is otherwise invaluable to society.
The government must step in and firm up the regulations. There should be control and most importantly, there should be accountability from those who wear the regalia of culture. It is unfortunate that these days, culture, and tradition have become synonymous with criminality, no, thanks to the activities of some unscrupulous individuals. Ritual killers now hang on to the coattails of culture to take life in incredibly cruel ways.
Those who mint and print blood money somehow draw their paint from culture. Kidnappers and bandits also appear to have found some justification and fortification in culture and tradition, forcing the government in a state like Anambra to take charge and clamp down, further giving culture a bad name. The move has not been very popular, but many consider it necessary, even inevitable.
Culture is not bad in itself. There is nothing shameful or abhorrent in upholding culture. A people’s way of life is often among their most prized assets because in it is ingrained their identity and the very sense of history and prosperity. It is worth preserving. But not at the expense of peace, tolerance, law, and order which foreground every civilized society.
It is important that Nigerians cling to their culture. But it is even more important that the rights of others are respected while doing so. Respect for culture and tradition must exist alongside the overwhelming realization and recognition that culture can only thrive in a society where there is law and order
Nigerians must also endeavor to do away with those cultures of death that diminish life, oppress women and leave behind the ugly marks of marginalization and brutalization.
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