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The Dying Nyau Masquerades of Malawi

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Nyau is a secret society of the Chewa, an ethnic tribe of the Bantu.

The Nyau consist of initiates that are regarded as mature members of the society. The Nyau society is made up of people from the Chewa and Nyanja people.

Whenever the Nyau performs with the mask, women and children run away into their houses because they are considered fierce representing male knowledge.

There are men that wear the masks and are considered as the spirits of the dead. And understandably as spirits, the masquerades may act with impunity and allegedly there have been attacks and deaths during performances in the past. But due to westernization, the activities of the Nyau has reduced.

This Nyau tradition is very old and dates as far back as the 17th century and their belief includes communication with the dead. And they also believe that God is present in every life form. They believe that God is both male and female. The male god is in the sky and the female is on earth.

Read also: Ancient village that predates pharaohs discovered in Egypt

The initiation of men into the secret society starts with the men living in a wooded grove where dead people have been buried in the past. They scare people who try to interview them by saying in their native tongue ‘you are now playing with fire you will get burnt’.

Typically, the Nyau perform their masked dances during burial ceremonies, memorials or during their initiations.

Girls are also initiated into this society, for them, it is called Chinamwali.

During the dance, each person represents the mask of the animals which they wear. There is a hierarchy in the different forms of structures worn and the wilder the animal the fiercer their performance.

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Ghanaian TikToker’s longest eating marathon attempt blocked by GWR

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An attempt by a popular Ghanaian TikToker, Clementina Nkrumah, also known as Afua Nash, to break the record for the longest eating marathon has been rejected by the Guinness World Records (GWR).

Afua Nash, who is popular with her eating videos on TikTok, had planned to begin an “Eat-a-Thon” that was to last for four-day, seven-hour, and 20-minutes starting Monday, November 11, 2024.

But in a response to a post she made on social media promoting her intended record attempt, GWR clarified that it no longer recognises records based on extended eating durations.

The global record keeping platform added that under theiry updated guidelines, consumption records are now measured by the rate of eating within a short timeframe rather than over extended periods.

“We no longer monitor records for eating over a long period of time, though we did in the past. Nowadays, we still have consumption records, but they are based on the rate of consumption and are limited to a short time frame of up to three minutes, depending on the food,” GWR explained.

It added that the move is in line with GWR’s efforts to streamline and standardise consumption records based on speed rather than endurance.

Afua Nash, known for her edgy food-eating content on TikTok, had hoped to make history with her ambitious eating marathon.

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Ghanaians kick as President Akufo-Addo unveils ‘self-honouring’ statue

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A decision by outgoing Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, to unveil what has been described as a “self-honouring” statue outside a regional hospital in Sekondi, has been generating serious criticism from a horde of Ghanaians on social media.

President Akufo-Addo got into troubled waters when he unveiled a statue of himself at the entrance of Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi as part of his one-day “thank you” tour of the Western Region on Wednesday.

While justifying the action, Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, explained that the statue honors the president’s initiatives in the region, including the rehabilitation of Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, the construction of a 3-tier Sinohydro interchange, and the redevelopment of the Takoradi Market Circle.

Mensah added that the statue was meant to commemorate Akufo-Addo’s development projects during his two terms in office.

However, many Ghanaians do not reason in like manner as they see it as an act of self-promotion rather than public service.

Opposition Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah who condemned the statue in a post on X, said “the people of the Western Region deserve better than these self-serving displays.”

Others also echoed similar sentiments, questioning the statue’s relevance at a time when several of the president’s initiatives remain incomplete.

An X user said it would have been admirable if the president had left such recognitions to posterity.

But despite the controversy, some Ghanaians have defended the monument, praising Akufo-Addo’s contributions particularly his flagship policy of free secondary education, which he has highlighted as his most significant legacy.

One of such supporters hailed him as the architect of Ghana’s free education system.

“He is deserving of this monument – the greatest president I’ve ever had,” he wrote.

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