Queen Mother Idia of the Benin Empire

The Benin ivory mask is a portrait of the Queen Mother Idia of the Benin Empire in the 16th century, made like an African traditional mask.

This miniature sculpture was worn as a pendant by the queen’s son Oba (which means King) Esigie. There are two almost identical pendant masks today, one of them is in the British Museum in London, and the other one is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The bought masks are portraits of the queen and symbolize the legacy of the Benin dynasty that continues to the present day.

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@ The Vintage News 

@ The Met Museum

@ Wikipedia

@ Edo Nation Alive

@ Google Arts & Culture

Hunger Fuels Child Marriage

From PM News Nigeria:

In Hawkantaki, it is the rhythm of the land that shapes the cycle of life, including the time of marriage.  The size of the harvest determines not only if a father can feed his family, but also if he can afford to  keep his daughter under his roof.

Even at the best of times, one out of every three girls in Niger marries before her 15th birthday, a rate of  child marriage among the highest in the world, according to a UNICEF survey.

Now this custom is being layered on top of a crisis. At times of severe drought, parents pushed to the wall  by poverty and hunger are marrying their daughters at even younger ages.

A girl married off is one less mouth to feed, and the dowry money she brings in goes to feed others.

Nigeria: Women Seek Relevance

From The Tribune:

The journey so far marks 51 years of Nigeria's independence. Looking at the prospects available to the society, men glaringly appear to be privileged and advantaged. And the women? Their song has been that of marginalisation in all spheres.

As Nigeria celebrates its 51st Independence Day, the cry of women, most especially professionals, is that of equal opportunities with men. 'We want not only to be seen, but to be heard,' they sing.

The Politicisation of the Female Breasts

From the Sunday Tribune:

The employment of the female breasts and sexuality in Nigerian politics has shown that nothing is too sacred to be involved. The erstwhile cultural implication of the female anatomy is beginning to lose its relevance as it has been railroaded into the mainstream of Nigerian politics.

Nigeria: Women Protest at Chevron Pipeline

From Bloomberg:

Nigerian women protesters have besieged the site of a Chevron Corp. natural gas pipeline project in the Niger River delta, halting construction work for the second time in two months.

The women, who are demanding electricity for their community and action against environmental damage due to oil activities, turned up in the hundreds at the Chevron pipeline building site on the Escravos River yesterday, Isaac Botosan, a spokesman of the Ugborodo community, where the women come from, said today by phone from the southern city of Warri.

The protesters, who had occupied the same site for several days in July, are angry that the government and the oil company have yet to address their demands, he said.

Nigeria: Women Given Pride of Place

From the Nigerian Compass:

GOVERNOR Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State said that apart from appointing women to key government positions, his administration also offered free medical services to pregnant women and children below the age of five.

The governor spoke when the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman, paid him a courtesy call at the Government House, Damaturu.

Geidam said that a VVF unit would be established at the Mariam Sani Abacha Maternal and Child Health Clinic, Damaturu.

The governor restated the commitment of his administration to continue to empower women, children and vulnerable groups in the state.

The governor appealed to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), well-meaning individuals and other stakeholders to join hand with government in its effect to improve the general wellbeing of women and other vulnerable groups by establishing orphanages, daycare centres and motherless babies homes.

The minister, who called for more effort by the government for maximum result, disclosed that her ministry had mapped out strategies that would be better the lives of women and children.