Commuters plying Nyanya Mararaba road on Friday at the popular MOPOL Junction struggled to release a masquerade billed to perform at the installation ceremony of the Chief of Karu from the clutch of a drunken Policeman who serves with the Nyanya Police station.

According to eye witness account, the police had flagged down the bus conveying the masquerade and the dancing troupe, following suspicion that the vehicle was overloaded, but the Policeman's order was ignored by the driver of the vehicle.

When the vehicle was forced at gun point to stop, the Police ordered out all the occupants of the bus, including the masquerade.

But according to our source, no sooner had the masquerade alighted from the bus, than it started making incantations and in the process pouring insults on the police. At this point, it was gathered that the Police man quickly gulped a bottle of whisky and engaged the masquerade in a fight and in the process unmasked it (masquerade).

It was at this point that passers-by moved in to save the situation but it was late because the masquerade had been badly beaten with blood all over his body. The dumfounded members of the dancing troupe, who watched helplessly as their masquerade bled, said that the masquerade was demystified because it was not supposed to bleed as an immortal creature.

However, senior policeman intervened and took both the fighting cop and the masquerade to the station after which the masquerade was released on bail.

At the installation ceremony ground, it was observed that the masquerade with bloodied nose and head could not dance to the satisfaction of the audience. It was subsequently ordered out of the dancing ground by the turbaned chief.

The masquerade which is of the Alagon tribe has since returned to Doma, its traditional home town. But whether it joined a vehicle back to Doma town or vanished as expected by traditional beliefs, no one can tell.


SOURCE :Allafrica.com 18/09/10