![22012025.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPKxav7zijsZzYk7MgRpKSpAhAC1b9xUqqDqzVtv6D8aW/22012025.png)

Good morning my fellow steemians @steem4nigeria today I'll be participating on a contest by @xkool24 themed **"MY NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH"** Guys my today's neighborhood report will be based on a yearly carnival at my village which was hosted 22nd of January 2025. Carnival is something that's celebrated during some festive period of a particular locality , sometimes it's celebrated to bring peace 🕊️ to communities , and sometimes most areas celebrate carnivals to give thanks to their gods ,and more ever sometimes it's celebrated for fun 😊 We all know that carnival in african especially in Nigeria is celebrated with the use of traditions costumes and display like masquerade display, performance of magics to make it more fun and lit, traditional dance etc The carnival ceremony is the first carnival of the year in my village, it's celebrated for peace and harmony in the village . In the carnival there's alot of drama that was done that will amaze y'all especially, the way male genders appeared like females, making it clear of no doubt , a traditional display by the masquerade know as **Nsekidi**. The Nsekidi is done by masquerade with machete to test their ability and strength, it can also be refers to as the way of testing fellow masquerade if they're capable of their positions

![IMG_20250122_103626_520.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQEHDAssbAEUdv2m57g3yQqsKjc54cWB3AziUsJcjxpy2/IMG_20241230_103626_520.jpg)

A man beside me appearing like a female gender

In the carnival ceremony,the was different groups and different types of masquerade, the drummers group were present, the Apang masquerades were present, Ekpo nfang Ukom was present, Ekpo Ayara were present , Abon were present

![IMG_20250122_103717_806.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbjaaEZNd5PdgWMCqLgjmuxeDCw4JQrtkTCCkDfj3Ans8/IMG_20250122_103717_806.jpg)	Abon masquerade
![IMG_20250122_103803_261.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTwQbLv7K53U3jJ1EEiVAYBFwAsWdxnqis7fjrN81K8DR/IMG_20250122_103803_261.jpg)	Ekpo nfang Ukom at my back
![IMG_20250122_104149_987.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXAhfhGM8izLyFQ7yt9h1Kz9s67F8pZDdjjVwmDJVAvAd/IMG_20250122_104149_987.jpg)	Apang masquerades
![20250122-065714~2.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfYXV2F1QXkJvGRaTPjFU6RG4xoGi2AcqBhiAYG5pmbB5/20250122-065714~2.png)	Ekpo nkang ( very dangerous and scary)
![20250122-045522.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfPBC7nwd7ca9ad9UZdfyENeQtmRTthrm5NR98r4WqDdM/20250123-045522.png)	The drummers

Guys the above masquerade have their influence especially the Ekpo nkang , The Ekpo Nkang is always initiated by carrying out some traditional rituals but since it was a carnival there was no harms to persons that were initiated unlike me that don't live in the village but just come to visit. There was so much joy and excitement from the villagers because the carnivals mark alot of good virtues to the villagers.

![20250122-045217.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQZbS7Bh57gtXk3W4gGBGUC3PfCiwjCmu9xQ7dVqfpiCW/20250122-045217.png)	Dance display from the masquerade
![20250122-045249.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmS1Up9uktuw12hNY4BYwRWhFHnbC8cEfDzYosZV5cszjt/20250122-045249.png)	The villagers
![IMG_20250122_104045_279.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWEnzdiJB1KHkGgdg9SLvE9oaxE8SsCXBVNr94KbQ3Tpp/IMG_20250122_104045_279.jpg)	Myself with the villagers
![IMG_20250122_104011_167.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdivfkfTXEZscBentS2HS32D8dKjY6ncZrVnbsSFe5NoJ/IMG_20250122_104011_167.jpg)	Myself with the Ekpo nfang ukom

Guys the carnival was really a memorable one that I'll never forget and I'm so happy there was any harm to villagers. So as to say the **Neighbourhood Watch** contest is to share events around us, so that's why i decided to share this amazing cultural event with y'all . I'll be inviting some of my steemit friends to participate on this contest, @alli001,@kidi40,@basil20

My regards to:

| |- @goodybest @xkool24 @nyoenyi @bossj24 ![20250121_120854.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZRE3SRxc9cZJxHbPRQmGh1iHZmDLvo5Ck6mktL8PjXYz/20250121_120854.png)