1.1 Introduction
Mmanwu is a traditional masquerade of the Igbo people of Southeastern Nigeria. They are performed only by males in exclusive secret societies and involve the use of elaborate, colorful costumes that are meant to invoke ancestral spirits (Anuka, 2019). Masquerade traditions have a varied range of purposes that span from performing elements of epic drama derived from community cosmology and lore, ushering in new months and seasons, honoring totems and ancestral spirits, enactments of parables or myths, with entertainment and community building serving as a consistent commonality. In the past masquerades also bore judicial, social regulatory, and even policing powers, however though these functions have decreased in modern times (Wikipedia, 2021).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The Igbos appears to be people perpetually celebrating. Every month, some community somewhere is celebrating the Igbo year, “aro”, is a round of festivals and ceremonies, which vibrate with life, collier, sounds and meaning” (Okafor 1989: 133).
Festivals are an integral part of Igbo traditional culture and system. It is a period of celebration when series of performance of music, drama, film etc, given regularly, especially once a year.
In Igbo land, every town, kindred, village have festivals they celebrates, like wise in Ihiala, Ihiala is a village that situated at southern part of Anambra State. It's people have a rather intricate origin, as handed down by the predecessors.
Also considering the fact that most so this information is based on oral traditions, we are presented with so many faces of the story making it difficult to identify the true origin.
Despite of its intricate origin, Ihiala is in existence till date. They have their festivals they celebrates Viz: Igu aro, Igba Ofala, Afiolu, Iriji, Ikwu aro, ETC. Above all mentioned Afiolu Festival happens to be the greatest festival that Ihiala people respect and being practicing to date.
Since festival is a public celebration of very important event with different remarkable happenings in live. Afiolu festival in Ihiala happens to be outstanding festivity that remarks when long toil of cultivation is over every year. Also it was done to offer thanksgiving to the gods of crop and farming called Ufejioke which they believe that it makes their land to be fertile so that on harvesting period the plants will produce richly.
During this festival, there are so many activities that Ihiala people engage themselves into, like, people in their various homes cook different types of foods and drinks for enjoyment. People that are abroad visit their various homes. Friends visit their friends but the most important aspect of it is masquerading by the youths at ama. Afiolu masquerade, this masquerades wipe themselves with a particular cane called anasi on their heads to display power and entertainment. Women, girls and little children ran for them for fun.
Masquerading in afiolu festival has some important roles it plays during that great festival.
- It acts as homage to Ufejioke god of Crop and farming.
- It act as refreshing of spirit/human relationship
- It helps in sustaining of tradition
- It serves as an entertainment to people
- It also serves as a display of traditional wealth of creativity to Ihiala.
Afiolu festival is free for everyone to participate, women and children are allowed because is a festival that brings sharing of love, happiness and unity. It is one of their traditional heritages that is not against Christianity no performance of rituals in this festival.
Finally, Afiolu festival in Ihiala has been started for some years back till date, it is still this same. It is a time of grand merriment for everybody in Ihiala be it indigenes or foreigners.
Therefore, in Ihiala, Anambra State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to discover the Oha Mmuo Masquerade Festival and Promotion of Peace and Unity.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed the problems of the Oha Mmuo Masquerade Festival and Promotion of Peace and Unity in Ihiala Anambra State reseearch work, which are as follows:
- The role of masquerading of afiolu festival
- Those activities that features in the festival
- The origin and concept of afiolu festival
- The advantage of afiolu festival to Ihiala people.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of the study is to assess the Oha Mmuo Masquerade Festival and Promotion of Peace and Unity in Ihiala Anambra State. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To identify to what extent the role of masquerade in afiolu festival influence Ihiala people.
- To find out the extent those activities that feature in the festival affect Ihiala people.
- To identify the origin are concept of afiolu festival in Ihiala
- To find out to what extent the advantage of afiolu festival affect Ihiala people.
1.5 Significance of Study
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This work does not exceed the bounding of Ihiala community. It's emphasis, however, is on the art of masquerading in a specific occasion i.e. The Afiolu festival.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
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