By Bassey Nkponam
ITU
Unlike the 2023 edition of the Christmas Unplugged in the State which featured traditional display including masquerades by the 31 local government areas, the Akwa Ibom governor has banned masquerades and other weird displays at the event at the Christmas Village.
Pastor Umo Eno, who announced the prohibition on Wednesday, at the official launch of newly-acquired equipment for the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA) in Itu Local Government Area, directed the commissioner for culture and tourism, Sir Charles Udoh, to enforce the order.
Eno said as a pastor who does not promote masquerades, he will not accept any traditional mystical masquerade this year, saying, anyone who desires to do that should take it to his village.
He warned chairmen of councils against including any barbaric masquerade tradition in their activities when packaging their people for the event.
Eno observed with dismay, the illegal sale of kiosks at prices above the N100,000 pegged by the state government at the soon-to-be-opened Christmas Village, and warned those involved in the sharp practices to refrain from it, as law enforcement agents have been alerted on their mission following intelligence report indicting the perpetrators.
The governor warned people against paying above government price and urged them to report whoever demands N300,000 from them.
“Let me use this opportunity to make a remark about the Christmas Unplugged that will start from the 1st of December.Number one, we gave out shops at a reduced rate of N100,000. Now I have credible intelligence that some people went and bought some shops at the Christmas village and are now reselling it foras much asN300,000.
“If anybody tells you to pay N300,000, please report the person immediately and we will just arrest the person.Anybody who is selling the shop at that amount, please just take the shop and pay him the hundred thousand naira. When he asks you, tell him to get the balance from Umo Eno.
“People must stop profiteering from government intension, and I am asking the commissioner for tourism to correct that immediately.Let these people also have an opportunity to come out and share in the joy of the season. It is always a time of joy and people bring their wealth of enterprises and had a good time.
“Secondly, I will not accept any traditional mystical masquerade this year. I am a pastor, and I don’t promote masquerades. If you want to do that, take it to your village. I have warned and the commissioner for internal security is hearing me, chairmen of local government councils are hearing me. When you are packaging your people, avoid every barbaric tradition”.
The governor assured the people of uninterrupted job execution at various project sites and urged the youths to embrace the trend by availing themselves of various jobs that will be executed during and after the festive season.
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