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Nigerian Arts, Expression Of Diverse Culture, Tradition And Religion
Arts, according to Merriam Webster Dictionary, means “something that is created with imagination and skill that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings”. It could also mean methods and skills used for painting, sculpting, drawing etc.
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines arts as “The use of imagination to express idea or feelings particularly in drawing or sculpture”.
While Njoku Moses of Affinity Art Gallery notes that the story of Art could be simply put as the story of civilisation and evolution of man. Most of the materials and clues employed by ethnographers and anthropologists in constructing the story of the early man are largely based on the artistic objects and instruments left behind by the early man.
In the pre-colonial era almost all over the 250 ethnic groups and languages that make up the entity named Nigeria by the British colonial masters, practised one form of art or the other. Like in most African countries including Nigeria, arts is inseparable from their religion. Arts is seen as the agency through which their religion is given expression.
Prior to the coming of the colonial masters, Nigeria was a melting pot of artistic explorations, Nigerians used their art to interpret their world as they see it as well as concretise saw their cosmological views on life and esoteric ideas. They employed art in the various cultural celebrations and ceremonies because of the pantheist nature of the traditional religion.
The early Nigerian society, produced a large collection of ancestral images and gods, spirit entities, natural elements and, forces such as wind, fire and water and land were given recognition as possessing spiritual authority and required reverence. They therefore made art object to represent the essence and attributes of these supposed forces. This they did with the hope of subduing or at least appeasing them in some cases, harness this power and by so doing be able to bring them under some sort of control or form some kind of pact with them.
A close study of the traditional art in Nigeria shows that most of the artifacts and cultural pieces produced by the different cultural group are largely grouped within the boundaries of these mediums, stones, Terracotta, woods, Bronze, paintings and crafts.
These include: Esie And Ikom Stone Sculpture.
Though Esie is a predominantly Yoruba community, the origin and the identity of the makers of the stone sculptures have remained in obscurity, crystallising into different mythological stories by the community.
It has however been established that the Esie stone sculpture is a composition of about a thousand soup stone sculptures depicting both human and zoomorphic features. The human figures represent people engaged in various human daily activities. The stone sculptures represent a cosmopolitan collection of different cultures with features such as sophisticated hair styles dresses, tribal marks, necklaces and bracelets with multiple cultural traits that connect them with different ethic groups surrounding the area. The Esie stone works are also recognised as the largest collection of stone carving in Africa. The Ikom monoliths of Cross River State represent the second yet known largest collection of a handful stone sculptures the stone works are found in an area inhabited by the Ekoi people along the bank of Cross River. The Ikom figures are generally those of humans and are highly geometricalised measuring between 2 to 6ft. The appearance of beards in all figures clearly shows that most of them are males, scientific researches on this works dates them to around 200 AD
Terracotta Culture
In Nigeria, almost every cultural group possesses one form of terracotta art or the other. the Nok culture is dated to have flourished between the years 2000BC and 300AD making it the oldest form of traditional art not just in Nigeria, but West Africa. The following are the stylistic characters of Nok Art, complicated coiffure high geometricism with cylindrical heads, perforated eyes, nose, mouth and ears, semi circular and triangular eyes and lids etc.
Aside from the Nok culture, Ife Terracotta works are another notable ancient traditional art, emanating from south western Nigeria, dating as far back as 12-15 centuries AD. Ife Art is located at the heart of Yoruba ancestry
Wood Carvings
Scholars have also established that Nigeria possesses the largest collection of sculptural works in sub Saharan Africa; most of the artwork are on wood and are applied to different uses. This was possible due to the diversity in cultural abundance and most importantly as a result of the surplus abundance of timber made possible by the country’s location within the tropical rain forest region of Africa. Therefore almost all cultural groups in Nigeria possess one form of wood carving tradition with notable styles and characteristics to them
Ancestral Figures
Most ethnic groups in Nigeria have a tradition of carving ancestral figures. In Yoruba land, they have the Ibeji figures, these figures are done to celebrate the birth or death of twins in Yoruba tradition. It is backed by the people’s belief that twins are powerful spirits who are capable of bringing wealth to their families or misfortune to those who do not honour them.
In the Igbos of the South Eastern Nigeria, one of the most popular and ancestral figures come in the form of Ikenga wood carving. Ikenga is usually used to denote the power of a man’s right hand and his accomplishments, it is represented usually by a figure holding different things such as horns and swords. This practice of Ikenga carving has penetrated other cultures around the Igbo’s such as Edo who call it Ikengaobo and the Igala who call it Okega.
Doors And Wooden Posts
The Yorubas have a rich tradition of carved wooden posts and carved chip doors. This style of carving was so highly developed that guild of carvers and artists were developed around it. It was through this important system of traditional art society education that gave birth to 20th century artists like the famous Olowo of Ise, who many scholars have acclaimed as the most important Yoruba artists of the 20th century because of his virtuosity and dexterity in the niche of carved wooden doors and house posts.
Similarly, the Igbos also have a developed system of wood carving of doors and house posts. In the past, the houses of highly placed individuals and the affluent were embellished with these works. In fact, it was used to identify the extent of wealth and social importance of individuals. The Awka guild of carvers was found in Anambra State.
Igbo Ukwu, Ife And Benin Bronze Tradition
The Igbo Ukwu bronze tradition is unarguably one of the most celebrated contributions of the Igbo race to African artistic and technological heritage. The origins and the technology and knowledge as displayed by the complicated and intrinsic design employed by Igbo Ukwu bronze finding still baffle scholars till date. The Igbo Ukwu art heritage is reputed to be the oldest bronze sculpture tradition in sub-Saharan Africa, dated to about 9th century AD.
The ancient city of Ife is widely acclaimed by the Yoruba as the birthplace or the ancestral home of the Yoruba people. Many of the Ife ancient Ife artifacts today have been traced to the dynasty of the Ife King, Oba Obalufo 11, who is highly regarded as patron of the arts. One notable characteristics of the Ife art is the emphasises on the size of the head as being the centre of knowledge, symbol of Ego and destiny etc.
The Ife artists therefore do not observe the rules of proportion in producing their figures but rather usually are made a little larger than the rest of the body. Another notable characteristic of Ife art is in the use of small holes to indicate beards and hairline of masks and faces and the presence of prominent scarification lines running vertically across the whole face.
The Ife’s were also adept in their mastery of copper and its alloys and they produced a handful of works using the material. They also produced Terracotta works. They also produce art works that please the Oba. Great efforts were put into their production to achieve striking naturalism which is one of the most notable attributes of the Ife copper heads which have their facial features well articulated to true representation of the individuals depicted.
Of all the bronze casting traditions found in Nigeria, Benin ranks as the most famous for the great attention to details, mastery of craftsmanship and dexterity with which they were executed. The inventiveness of Benin civilisation and art were first brought to western public view through the infamous punitive British invasion of the kingdom in 1897 which saw a great number of Benin artifacts carried away by the British soldiers as booties.
The ancient Benin like their Yoruba counterpart placed great importance on the head as a chief part of the body. They therefore believe that the head is imbued with spiritual energy (Ehi) deposited by the creator, Osanobua and his eldest son, Olokun, this is probably the reason why the Benins have a massive repertoire of bronze heads of their Obas during their royal regalia.
Contemporary Nigerian Art
Following the dawn of independence in Nigeria, artistic foraging has continued to flourish, leading to the flowering of a multiplicity of the contemporary styles in art production. Though the acquisition of formal western education, Nigerian art scene has become individualised, detribalised and universal with little common traditional traits, still noticeable in the corpus of works addressed today as contemporary Nigerian Arts Globalisation influences and current sociocultural and political issues have contributed to a proliferation of styles and techniques.
The Federal Government is working on a system that will provide tax relief to 95 per cent of the informal sector of the economy in the country.
Mr Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, said this at the closing session of the committee on Sunday in Abuja.
He said this would be achieved through the exemption of businesses earning N25 million a year or less from the various taxes hindering their progress over time.
‘’So, we think that 95 per cent of the informal sector should be legally exempted from all taxes; withholding tax, company income tax, even payee on their staff.
‘’We’re using data to inform our decisions. Currently, if you earn N25 million a year or less, you don’t have to pay company income tax, you don’t have to worry about VAT.
‘’We think that the informal sector are people who are trying to earn legitimate living, we should allow them be and support them to grow to a point where they can then have the ability to pay taxes,” he said.
Oyedele said the new reforms being proposed would focus on the top 5 per cent of that sector, the middle class and the elite for taxes.
He said the committee was drafting the laws to effect the necessary changes in the fiscal policy and tax reform ecosystem of the country.
According to the chairman, the new laws will ensure that reviews become sustained by all governments coming in, adding that: “we don’t want this whole effort to go down the drain, after one or two years.”
On compliance, he urged all stakeholders to fully cooperate with the government in implementing a new fiscal and tax policy that would be used for the general good of the citizens.
‘’We think that the days of being above the law in paying taxes are over. The same thing we’re saying to our leaders, whether they are elected or appointed.
‘’We think they have to lead by example by showing that they have paid the taxes, not only on time, but correctly to the lawful authorities as contained in the various laws,” he said.
He said explained that some of the taxes complained about by Nigerians were those already in the constitution, which the committee had looked at and called for their review.
Oyedele said the committee report would be made to pass through the normal process of legislation in order to give it the full legal backing.
‘’So, our expectation is, as we progress now from ideation, proposal to implementation, you’ll see less and less of those issues and then you’ll see harmony in the direction of the fiscal system.
‘’Not only in the number of taxes we collect, you will also see an improvement in how those monies are being spent.
‘’In terms of priority of spending, in terms of the efficiency of spending and in terms of focusing on what impacts on the lives of majority of our population that live in multi-dimensional poverty,” he said.
Oyedele added that the committee had been working with the sub-nationals and the local government councils in its task of harmonising the taxes into a single digit in the country.
‘’So, we’re convinced, and that’s what the data tells us, that the right path we need to follow, is the path where we repeal many of these taxes, harmonise whatever is left.
‘’We think we can keep that within single digit across local government, state and federal government combined, and then improve the efficiency of collecting those taxes.
‘’We are also very convinced that we need to increase the threshold of exemption for small businesses, for low income earners because if you can’t make ends meet, the last thing you want is someone asking you to pay tax.
‘’We think in fact, when our nation gets to the level we need to be, we should be able to even add money to those who have very little or nothing,” said Oyedele.
At the ceremony, Vice-President Kashim Shettima restated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to revitalise revenue generation in the country.
“Our aim remains the revitalisation of revenue generation in Nigeria, while sustaining an investment-friendly and globally competitive business environment.
“Contrary to speculations in some quarters, we are not here to frustrate any sector of our economy but to create an administrative system that ensures the benefits of a thriving tax system for all our citizens,” he said.
He said the dynamics of the nation’s fiscal landscape prompted the Tinubu administration to pause and reconsider the direction it was going.
“I am confident that both the Federal and State Governments stand ready to ensure the effective implementation of your reform proposals.
“We shall provide the institutional framework to guarantee the adoption of the consensus of this committee, aligning them with our economic agenda,”said Shettima.
Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that 138.9 million Nigerians require interventions against Neglected Tropical Diseases.
This is according to the latest epidemiological and programmatic data for 2022, which were gathered, compiled, and analysed in 2023, and obtained from the WHO on Saturday.
The body also said NTDs are endemic in Nigeria as it ranks first in the African region and second globally after India.
WHO defined NTDs as a diverse group of conditions of parasitic, bacterial, viral, fungal, and non-communicable origin, noting that there are more than 15 NTDs in Nigeria.
The report stated, “They prevent children from going to school and adults from going to work, trapping communities in cycles of poverty and inequity. People affected by disabilities and impairments caused by NTDs often experience stigma within their communities, hindering their access to needed care and leading to social isolation.
“Nigeria is endemic for several NTDs. The only disease eliminated was dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease) in 2013. The population requiring interventions against NTDs was approximately 138.9 million in 2022, ranking first in the African region and second globally after India.
“This includes 138.9 million requiring treatment for lymphatic filariasis through mass drug administration; 48.7 million requiring treatment for soil-transmitted helminthiases through mass drug administration; and 43.5 million requiring treatment for onchocerciasis through mass drug administration.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government had in 2023 said it would eradicate NTDs in the country by 2027.
The Director of the WHO Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme, Dr Ibrahima Fall, said, “With a renewed focus on strategic priorities addressing advocacy for action, partnership, costing and accelerated implementation, technical gaps including research and development and leadership.
“We must intensify our collective action to address the deep-rooted inequalities that fuel the transmission of NTDs in the populations where they persist.”
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted three trailer loads of opioids, comprising 3,450,000 pills and 344,000 bottles of codeine syrup.
The agency said the illegal drugs at Abule Ado in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, last Thursday.
The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday, adding that three suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure.
The statement partly read, “The multi-billion naira consignments were loaded into two 40-ft container trucks and another 20-ft truck at the AML bonded terminal, Abule-Osun, near the International Trade Fair complex before heading to a large warehouse at Abule-Ado, where NDLEA officers eventually arrested the suspects and recovered the opioid consignments on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
“Those arrested include the warehouse agent, Cosmas Obiajulu, 51; Ridwan Balogun, 25, and Banjo Tayo, 30, both drivers of two of the trucks, while the third driver jumped off to escape arrest.”
The statement also revealed that in Ekiti State, a 75-year-old grandpa, Jibril Audu, was arrested on Friday with 7.5 kilogrammes of cannabis at Oke-asa village, Ijero-Ekiti, during a raid operation, while a 70-year-old grandma, Tikwase Nytor, was nabbed with 15.6 kilogrammes of the same substance on Thursday during a raid operation at Achusa and International Market Road, Makurdi, Benue State.
“It also stated that in a separate operation on Tuesday, NDLEA operatives arrested a suspect, Nwankwo Ejike, in the Coker area of Lagos, where 100 litres of codeine syrup were recovered from him, while 60 litres of the same substance were seized from one Clinton Akinye in the same area on the same day.
The statement added, “Not less than 37.5kg of cannabis sativa loaded in a Toyota Camry car was recovered from another suspect, Adegbola Segun, 47, when the car was intercepted at Mile 12 area of Lagos on Monday, May 6th.
“Another consignment of opioids consisting of 59,106 pills of tramadol and different quantities of codeine syrup and Rohypnol being taken across the border to Garua, Cameroon, was intercepted by NDLEA officers on Monday, May 6th, along Mubi-Yola Road, Adamawa State.
“Two suspects linked to the drugs: Abubakar Auwal, 39, and Adamu Abubakar, 25, (a.k.a. Bamanga), a trans-border trafficker who was to take the consignment from Mubi across to Cameroon, were promptly arrested.”
Similarly, NDLEA officers in Edo State were reported to have raided the Iguiye forest in Ovia North East LGA on Saturday, “where a total of 11, 636.185 kg of cannabis was destroyed on three farms measuring 4.654474 hectares, while an additional 188kg of the same psychoactive substance was recovered, and a suspect, Itah Nyong, was arrested during the overnight operation.”
In the statement, the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa commended the officers for their efforts and pledged continued collaboration with local and international partners to combat drug trade in Nigeria.
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