By Larry SUN
(larrysundynasty@gmail.com)
The events of the first Mmanwu I witnessed as a child would forever remain stamped on my consciousness. Among the thirteen masqueraders that entertained the crowd that hot afternoon, the acrobatic displays of the Agaba were nonpareil; even the other twelve seemed to be mere followers of Agaba. The crown of its head – like that of a peacock, or the tail of a thoroughbred – swung majestically as it danced and we cheered.
Unlike the others that would occasionally take some few steps towards terror-stricken children and cause them to dash off like major Temple Run characters, the Agaba’s interest was to impress the crowd with its warrior-like prowess and magical manifestations.
The most amazing feat Agaba performed was its demonstration of the impossible; it crossed the river to the other side and back absent canoe. Agaba walked on water before our very eyes! This was something no other masquerader had ever done in the history of our village.
The crowd roared with surprise and admiration as they clapped their hands. I remember the chief priests nodding proudly as if they were the ones who performed the miracle.
Agaba returned just as dry as it was before making the sensational display. As if that was not enough to scare the broad daylight out of us children – out of me particularly, something else we didn’t see coming sufficed. Just out of nowhere, fire caught Agaba’s clothing made chiefly of bamboo rafters.
No one knew how it happened but later rumours revealed that one jealous masquerader from the other twelve had betrayed Agaba by setting fire on him through sorcery.
Agaba’s power was probably not strong enough to douse the fire; and so there before the hundreds of people watching, the masquerader pulled off its coat.
Behold, Agaba was the village’s Catholic priest!
*Larry Sun (+2349061754872) writes from Ikorodu, Lagos
