In every culture, there are central ideas that promote the interaction of people and guide their way of life. In the traditional African context, several beliefs and myths were considered to have both control and direction over how the community should live. Among these beliefs were those embedded in the complex structure of spirits and ancestors that society believed played an important role in the community. Spirits and ancestors served to define the complexity and totality of the universe by highlighting the usefulness of the living and the dead. However, the introduction of Islam and Christianity into African society introduced a new relationship between the living and the dead. This essay argues that African masquerades played an important role in determining and controlling society. To support this, he will draw attention to the Esan people of southern Nigeria, Senufo of Ivory Coast and Mende of Sierra Leone. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay African society is very rich in traditions whose expression highlights ideal beliefs about the living and the dead. Among the unique expressions of culture and beliefs is the use of masquerade. Masquerade is a cultural tradition involving dance in which dancers (mostly men) wear masks and perform on a community level. Such performances have cultural significance. The appearance of Masquerades is not an everyday occurrence, but rather their appearance signifies the return of the ancestor to human form or when society requires the use of the power of Masquerades to control an aspect of society. The concept of masquerade involves the use of masks in addition to holding objects, music and dance movements that signify a specific spirit. Masquerades show a range of behaviors; human, animal that can either stimulate the public or create fear in people. Masked spirits can display power to extreme ends; weak and very strong. In most cases, strong spirits were granted a place to live called a sanctuary. Masquerade performances are designed to call people to action, affect them, and provoke the need to change certain aspects of society. According to Okoye (2010), there is a different view of masquerades between Europeans and Africans. While Europeans view masquerades as something under the mask with an entertainment role, Africans view masquerade as part of their daily lives. The African context of masquerades is the embodiment of ancestors among the living with the belief that life does not end with physical death. In summary, the African view of masquerade is that at the moment of death, the spirit continues to live in an indescribable place and continues to commune with the living. From the African perspective, masquerades play different roles that support a healthier society by connecting the dead and the living. Among the Esan people of southern Nigeria, Elimin (spiritual masquerade) was difficult to understand because it was considered secret and even forbidden from discussion among women. These spirits are considered to belong to ancestors who controlled the destiny of the living and had the power to control events that might otherwise compromise people's safety. They were therefore called upon to exercise both legislative and executive functions. However, it is imperative to note that the spirits carried out their functions in..