Mazi Iyk Okafor:
This is indeed a very nice and authentic piece of history that Vin Fashionable A1 Photos told here. All the names mentioned were real and authentic. I grew up at Moorhouse Street in the early 1970s and was privileged to witness the Ogui Boys perform during those memorable Easter seasons.
They normally came around Easter every year, and their masquerade was something to behold. It was graceful, majestic and capable of commanding awe. For those of us who witnessed it as children, the appearance of the masquerade was not something one easily forgot.
There was also a remarkable order and discipline surrounding its movement.
The masquerade was protected by two young men carrying a long bamboo stick in front and another two carrying a similar long bamboo stick at the back. The masquerade never stepped outside the space defined by those two bamboo poles. It was almost as if an invisible boundary had been created around it, and everyone understood that boundary.
How I wish some of you were around in those days to witness this spectacle!
The masquerade did not simply wander aimlessly along the streets. Its appearances were usually planned and hosted by wealthy men in their homes. These visits were often prearranged, making the arrival of the masquerade a special event for the host, his family and the surrounding community.
On a typical day, before the group left Ogui, they would first touch base at the homes of Mr. Okam at 34 Moorhouse Street and Mr. Ume at 47 Moorhouse Street.
Those details may appear insignificant today, but they are precisely the little details that bring the history of old Ogui Boys in Enugu alive. They tell us that this was not merely entertainment; it was an organised social and cultural tradition woven into the fabric of the community.
At that time, the only masquerade I can recall that could compare with the Ogui Boys was the famous Emesibe Masquerade from Coal Camp. Both were spectacles that commanded attention and respect.
The Ogui Boys remained a remarkably cohesive unit for quite some time. Eventually, however, some of the younger men who wanted to see a little more action decided to form a splinter group known as Chinedu Social.
Chinedu Social brought a different kind of energy to the masquerade tradition. It was characterised by its vibrancy and, particularly, Ipia Agba, which was a spectacle in its own right.
And Ipia Agba was certainly not for everybody.
Only the brave and perhaps the hard-hearted dared to participate in it.
Looking back now, those were more than just masquerade performances. They were living expressions of community, culture, courage, entertainment and youthful energy. They were part of the character of old Ogui Township and Enugu, a time when Easter meant much more than church services and family gatherings. It was also a season when communities came alive, streets became theatres, and masquerades became the centre of attraction.
Sadly, many of the people who witnessed these things firsthand are gradually leaving us, and with them go memories that may never be fully recovered.
That is why stories such as this matter.
We owe it to the younger generation to preserve these memories of old Ogui Township, not merely as stories of masquerades, but as fragments of a rich cultural history that helped shape the city we know today.
Those of us who witnessed them should continue to tell the stories while we still can. I have done my bit
[18:40, 11/09/2026] Iyk Okafor: Before the 1960 war, Mr Victor and Paul Edo,Mr Amechi Okam and Mr Godwin Onoh and others Mr Eliza Ume and Ayaya formed Ogui Boys Masquerade which was called Ogui Boys.The Masquerade group was formed at ño 22 Ogumbiyi Lane,where Chief Adimkpaya(Adise of Asaba)lived before relocating to Shawer Close GRA.The group later break up after the war in(seventies and eighties).Late Chief GC Etolue(Onyezobaonweya of Agulu) and Chief Onwudinjo of Nibo sponsored and formed Chinedu Masquerade with other people like Danfo, Uncle,Barr.Gab Ezekwe,Mr Chinweze(Papa Uwa)Mr Ibekaku(Acha Fotos),their masquerade mother was Mrs Cecelia Eze(Nne Muowu).The patron of the masquerade is Barr.Emmanuel Okwuosa(Obiajie) and Chief Adimkpaya(Adise of Asaba),all these people are late except Ba
The above was shared on “Ogui Anaghị Agba Boy” platform. Above is my rejoinder to the above article. Many on this platform can easily relate as eye witnesses.
[18:41, 11/09/2026]
