By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Chief Chika Okpala popularly known as Chief Zeburudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo, alias 4:30, the lead Artist in the popular 1980s and 90s Television Comedy Series on Thursday called on government to establish Masquerade Institute in memory of all the casts that featured in the drama series.

Okpala in a phone interview urged the government to see the idea as a way of sensitizing the younger generation on the need to embrace societal moral values at a period when lots of younger generations are currently derailing.

Speaking shortly after the news broke about the death of his colleague, Mr Davies Offor aka Clarus Ngbeojirikwe, explained that the New Masquerade was created to fight the ills in society.

He said: "It is indeed sad that Clarus is gone after illness and I am the only one left while others have gone.

"It is not of my own making but God Almighty and it is not by my power but God has his reasons.

"As it stands now there is a need for the establishment of the Masquerade Institute by the government and with a museum as well as a cinema theater where all the video clips of the New Masquerade would be played for visitors, thereby teaching the younger generation who did not see the video as it were.

"There should also be a kind of gallery with pictures of the casts as well as an Annual Memorial lectures series on the New Masquerade to be held in our higher institutions across the country."

While urging major Television Stations to once in a while play the old videos of the New Masquerade for posterity and in memory of the casts, Zebrudaya noted that though the television stations may need sponsorship to run it, that they can also do it out of their support to the project.

He however expressed happiness and thanked God that he is still strong and is also still able to drive himself.

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