The Masquerade Encounter That Changed My Life

That particular December, the Christmas festivities coincided with the annual masquerade festival of my village, Ara, in Osun State of Nigeria, but it did not seem like a problem to anyone. Instead, everyone felt it would only add more color and flair to the season. Some of my cousins, siblings and I decided to go visiting some big uncles and aunties around the town. It was real fun all the way until we got close to the village square market, and suddenly we heard the drumming that normally accompany the masquerade, and the cane-waving followers of the masquerade surfaced from only-God-knows-where. Commotion erupted and everybody started running helter-skelter! 

I was terrified. And so were my cousins and brothers who all took to their heels, fleeing in different directions. I tried to run too, limping and hopping on my right leg since the left leg was totally lifeless. I did ‘run’ but not fast enough to prevent the highly feared masquerade from catching up with me. 

As the sound of the drumming drew nearer and nearer, I broke down in tears, crying and screaming for anyone to help me escape from the masquerade. No one stopped! None came to my rescue! Everyone was after their own safety! Something gave way inside me that day as it dawned on me that my destiny in life would not be dependent on anyone else but me - not even in my very close family members or friends. I cried bitterly, not because of the masquerade anymore, but because of the sense of betrayal that I felt. 

This singular event marked a turning point in my life. I made up my mind never to show signs of weaknesses again; never to pity myself or to trust anyone again -no matter who it was. 

One of gang members, realizing that I was far behind the rest, halted, turned back and ran towards me. He bent low and ordered me to mount on his back, which I did and he sped off with me. 

But it was too late! The damage had already been done and some very profound decisions had taken place somewhere within my young 10 year old heart. The people close to me now know where my “Trust No Man” philosophy came from. 

Extract from my book "Through It All: Memoir of My Many Trials & Triumphs"

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