Photographs by Tony Guest.
This cast figure of an Ooni, or king of Ifé, was one of seven copper alloy pieces discovered at Ita Yemoo, on the outskirts of Ifé in 1957. The site was discovered by chance, by local workmen leveling the ground for a new construction project. This location was once home to a large compound and shrine, featuring potsherd pavements, which are pavements made from densely packed broken pieces of pottery (sherds), carefully laid on their edge, found in multiple locations across Ifé, traditionally attributed to the works of Queen Oluwo.
The kingly figure featured here is carrying symbols of authority, a horn in his left hand and a type of sceptre used by newly crowned Ooni's, in his right, and he is wearing a crown, elaborate beaded necklaces, armlets and anklets. There are traces of paint as well, including red and black that once colored the beads.
This is one of the very few surviving Ifé figures depicting its subject in full, from head to toe. Its head is deliberately exaggerated in size, in relation to the size of its body, to symbolize the importance of the “ori-inu” (the inner head), the spiritual seat in Yoruba culture. Also worth noting that its face has no vertical line striations, or facial scarifications, typically seen in many of the more famous Ifé heads, possibly indicating that the figure depicted here belonged to Ifé’s second royal line, the Odudua Dynasty.
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