Masquerades in court
In an extraordinary twist straight out of a village folktale, a High Court in Uyo has ruled in favour of a masquerade who was arrested by police for performing traditional rites during the festive season.
The masquerade, identified as Mr. Effiong, found himself on the wrong side of an executive order said to have been issued by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno.
The directive instructed the Commissioner of Police to detain any masquerade spotted performing during the Yuletide — a season when masquerades traditionally take centre stage.
Acting on the order, police apprehended Mr. Effiong in full costume and dragged him before the court on allegations of disturbing public peace.
But the dramatic scene took a legal turn when the court made its pronouncement.
In a ruling that has already sparked conversations across the state, the judge declared that Ekpo — the traditional masquerade practice — is a recognised religious and cultural expression in Akwa Ibom, and therefore enjoys constitutional protection.
The court held that the arrest and detention of Mr. Effiong violated his rights to personal liberty and freedom of religion, stressing that no executive order can override constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.
With the stroke of a gavel, the court ordered his immediate and unconditional release and directed the Akwa Ibom State Government to pay damages for infringing on his fundamental rights.
For Mr. Effiong, the judgment means one thing: you can try to stop a masquerade mid-performance — but the law might just be waiting behind the mask.
