Category: Art
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From Ile-Ife to Benin: The Story of Two Bronze Legacies
For centuries, the kingdoms of Ife and Benin produced some of the most extraordinary bronze artworks the world has ever seen—masterpieces of power, ritual, and identity. While Benin Bronzes are now at the center of global repatriation efforts, the equally magnificent Ife Bronzes remain largely absent from the conversation. This…
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Beyond the Binary: Soyinka’s Nobel and Achebe’s Legacy
In the story of African literature, Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe are often spoken of together—two giants who reshaped global perceptions of the continent through their words. Yet, the narrative that pits Soyinka’s Nobel Prize against Achebe’s absence from it misses the point entirely. This piece unpacks why such comparisons…
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Yoruba Resilience: Story of Cultural Continuity in Americas
Millions of Yoruba people were enslaved and transported to the Americas from Nigeria and West Africa. Despite harsh treatment, they maintained their language, religion, and customs. They merged Yoruba religion with Catholicism, preserving their culture and subtly resisting slavery. Their story inspires the importance of community support, religious faith, cultural…
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Afrobeat: Rising Sound of a Rhythmic Revolution
Afrobeat, a genre born in Nigeria during the 1970s, stands as a testament to the power of music to transcend borders, time, and culture. This unique musical style, pioneered by legends Fela Kuti and Tony Allen, is a brilliant fusion of traditional Nigerian rhythms, jazz, funk, and various international influences.…
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Lobola: Tradition, Challenges, and Solutions in South Africa
Lobola, also known as bride price or bridewealth, is a time-honored cultural practice in South Africa and various other parts of Africa. This tradition involves the groom’s family paying a dowry to the bride’s family as a symbolic gesture of respect and recognition of the value of their daughter. Beyond…
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Enigma of Oduduwa’s Origins: Historical Puzzle
The question of Oduduwa’s origins has long intrigued scholars and enthusiasts of African history and mythology. Oduduwa holds a prominent place in Yoruba mythology as the founder of the Yoruba people and the Ife Empire, situated in present-day Nigeria. However, a complex web of traditions and claims surrounds the possibility…
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