Ingenious housewives in Asaba and its environs in Delta State have resorted to dressing up their husbands in grass-like woven attire of masquerades to raise funds this Yuletide.

Investigation revealed that the dressed masquerade husbands are often accompanied by some young boys, who drum and dance with them while under the masquerade procession soliciting for funds.

Along the major roads in Asaba, such as Nnebisi, Okpanam, Summit, the young and middle-aged men go out in the morning appearing in masquerades outfits, dancing and begging for alms. At end of each dance, they are given some token between about N200 and N300.

One of them said: “You will not believe it, I have to go into this to enable me and my family survive and meet up with the Christmas demands.

“I started very early, all the way from Aku-Ofu across the express, now here I am in West-end. I set out about 6am before our neighbours start waking up, with my wife dressing me up.”

Asked how much he has been able to rake in since morning, he said from behind his masked face that he had on him about N1,700, still hopping to go round for more money.

Before he left, he collected N100 for time he spent talking with The Guardian.

Some of the younger boys clad in masquerades outfits said they had to look for money to meet up the Christmas and New Year demands.

“I am an SSS 1 student from Ohafia in Abia State, but born in Asaba. I brought this masquerade when I traveled to my village last year for Christmas, but right now, I will celebrate it here in Asaba and as you can see, I have started celebrating to enable me make more money before the Christmas with my friends with me here.

“Since last week that we started, we have made up to N6,000. We hope to go on Christmas break on December 27 to enable us enjoy our money,” he said on behalf of the other two boys beating the drum and gong.

The Guardian