DOHA FOR the Igbo inhabitants of southeastern Nigeria, masquerades have been a major form of entertainment since long.A glimpse of why it has been so was available recently in Doha when Moi Cultural Entertainment, a troupe whose members hail from the West African country, wowed the audience with their performance of ‘mmanwu’.
In this form of entertainment, a visible masquerade dressed in traditional Nigerian costume performs on the stage to the accompaniment of other members of the troupe engaged in Igbo dance, drama and music. The composite show makes for a delightful stage spectacle.
The Moi Cultural Entertainment, which has seven members including the masquerade, is, as a group, dedicated to showcasing the art to locals and expatriates in Doha.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune, the group founder Marshal Okonkwo, who is also a stand-up comedian, said that he felt there was a need to showcase this age-old form of Igbo entertainment in Doha.
“This kind of entertainment existed even during the time of our forefathers.
We thought it was nice to share it with people of Qatar. The culture of Igbo people revolves around work and entertainment.
We decided to form the group so that we could entertain people in this country,” he said.
Though old, this form of entertainment is still the staple on occasions like school functions, weddings, conferences and the like, Okokwo further said. “This was a form of entertainment in the olden days.
Whenever there was an occasion, a masquerade would be performed and people would dance around it,” he said.
“Continuing the tradition, we perform at school events, entertaining the students by offering them a glimpse of African culture.
We also have Igba drums, which when beaten, help create an authentic Igbo atmosphere,” he said, explaining the group’s activities in Doha.
“Basically, we want to make people happy,” he said, adding, “it is not all easy work though. In order to perform in this show, one has to be steeped in Igbo tradition.
We rehearse every Wednesday and Friday to perfect our skills.” Okonkwo said that the Moi Cultural Entertainment group has a presence in several other countries including the United States of America, Canada, Spain and Germany and pointed out that he was a co-founder of the original troupe.
Asked what drove him to establish the group in Qatar, he said, “I love Qatar. I wanted to make people here happy and show them a slice of the culture they have not experienced yet.” Pointing out that the African Festival acted as a stepping stone for the group, he said that they will be performing in Dubai by the end of May. “The African Festival was a stepping stone for us. The response was amazing and everyone who saw us wanted to pose for a photo with us. We were able to make new contacts as well,” he said.
Besides masquerades, the group also entertains people with their rendering of folk tales, African comic shows and drama among other things. They have performed at events like the October 1 Nigerian national day celebration function. A standup comedian, Okonkwo has also participated in school events in South Africa besides other functions in Qatar. You could reach Okonkwo on 70133437.
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