Nigeria, the land of plenty

Dancing away at Iya Osun's birthday Green, yellow, beige were the official colours of Iya Osun’s birthday celebrations at the Oba’s palace. Green oval patterns, that reminded one of the skeleton of a sphere, were printed on the cloth that was used for dresses and the hair gear, the gele. As we entered the Oba’s compound, a hundred meters away from the junction of Osogbo’s central mosque, talking drums were happily providing a swinging call for dances and occasionally a welcome call to newcomers, that could involve the spelling out of the guests' names, in the hope that money would be sprayed on the drummers: blessings are always meant to be rewarded. The celebration took place in the lower courtyard of the palace, next to the red walls of a shrine decorated with white, black and orange designs. the colourful shrine at the palace of the Oba of Osogbo As usual, marquees had been erected, in a corner, for people to seat and have food and dri...

Osogbo, headgear of an Egungun Black shiny skulls top the colourful red-caped outfit of a human powered costume, the one of an Egungun which embodies the ancestral spirit of a family. The person in charge of giving life to the Egungun under that costume is at some point possessed by the spirit and fall into a trance while dancing at the beat of the drums. Egunguns are said to be unpredictable during their trance and possibly wild. However, in normal times, I have seen some keen to accept cash that they collect with their gloved hands. the guardian of the Egungun dancing at the palace of the Oba in Osogbo The costume is kept in a room and can have some additions or repairs over time but it is mostly a relic with some extremely old parts. Some charms are sewn over it and the face is replaced by a tightly woven net for the Egungun to see without being seen. Egunguns are always accompanied by a guardian who will follow them and dance with them. n...