UNN students Calls Out Ori Okpa Masquerade Over Violent Acts

Students of the University of Nigeria calls out Oriokpa masquerade for barbaric act and violent tendency. Following recent happenings where the Oriokpa masquerade waylaid a nurse on her way to emergency calls.

The lady, Ogbonna Blessing was riding on a motorcycle when the Orí Okpa Nsukka flogged her down from her motorcycle despite her not wearing trousers as custom demands. She was constantly beaten till she fell into a ditch. This is really awful and an eyesore , this is a Nurse , she could be going for an emergency, she isn't wearing trousers and for the fact that they continued to flog her even after falling down”, @Dovepurity33 expressed on X. Supporting her views, they lamented that exemption could have been made for Miss Blessing as she was on her uniform.

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Reacting to this, students took to social media to express their grievances against the Oriokpa masquerade pointing out that the Oriokpa masquerade formerly was not associated with violence yet their acts in the last few years have proved otherwise. “Orí okpa nsukka must commit one atrocity or the other, I could still remember how this people beat my friend up like a thief”, another student added.

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They called for abolishment of the Oriokpa masquerade festival, expressing that it has become an avenue to enact violence and harass students. “Oriokpa masquerade festival is one stupid barbaric tradition that needs to end in Nsukka. This is more than a tradition and it's now a cult, they beat, torment, fight and harass individuals irrespective of age or Gender even on working days”, another student @pizzy_funds added.

They expressed the need for action, advocating for a moderation of the oriokpa masquerade acts or total ban of the tradition.