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PHOTOS: Dakakari Terracotta Sculptures: Guardians of Memory and Prestige

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The Dakakari terracotta sculptures of northwestern Nigeria—dating roughly from the 18th to the 20th century CE—are striking testaments to the way art, memory, and social hierarchy intersect in the region’s traditional culture. These hand-modelled clay figures are more than decorative pieces: they are enduring symbols of honor, remembrance, and spiritual continuity.

Funerary Art with Deep Social Roots

Central to Dakakari mortuary practice, these sculptures were traditionally placed atop the sealed stone-lined shaft tombs of the deceased, particularly individuals of high rank such as chiefs or elite hunters. Their presence transformed burial sites into communal shrines, where art served both as a memorial and a bridge to the spirit world.

Commemoration through Annual Rituals

Each year, families would return to the tombs to pour libations of maize flour or beer over the figures. This recurring rite reinforced family lineage and collective memory, ensuring that the achievements of the deceased remained present in the community’s consciousness.

Powerful Symbols in Clay

The forms of these sculptures vary: some are anthropomorphic, representing human figures, while others are zoomorphic, depicting animals. Certain animals—especially elephants, a symbol of strength and prestige—were typically reserved for the graves of influential leaders or accomplished hunters. In this way, the imagery of each sculpture communicated the status and virtues of the person it honored.

Skilled Hands and Generational Legacy

The sculptures were often created by highly skilled potters, typically post-menopausal women, whose artistry and social standing granted them the authority to craft such sacred works. Over generations, multiple figures could be added to a single site, creating an evolving clay record of a family’s history and growth.

Material and Craftsmanship

Made from terracotta—fired clay—the sculptures embody both durability and expressive freedom. Their weather-resistant material allowed them to survive decades of exposure, while their hand-modelled details reflect the unique signature of each artisan.

These Dakakari terracotta sculptures are more than relics of the past; they are living markers of prestige, ancestral reverence, and cultural memory. Through their presence, the Dakakari people honored their dead and affirmed the enduring bonds between the living and the ancestral world.

Sources: Dakakari terracotta, Nigerian funerary art, ancestral rituals, African heritage

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Lifestyle

Genevieve Nnaji slams viral tweet urging Igbo men to marry non-Igbo women

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Nollywood icon Genevieve Nnaji has fired off a sharp response after a man on X (formerly Twitter) advised Igbo men to stop marrying Igbo women and instead seek wives from other African countries.

The controversy began after a photo of a Rwandan woman said to be engaged to an Anambra man went viral.

Resharing the image, the user wrote, “Dear Igbo men, instead of marrying an Igbo woman who’ll falsely accuse you of r4ping your daughter, better look outside for a wife.

“Go to East Africa, especially Rwanda, and pick a damsel. They’re all over social media, and you can link up with them.”

Genevieve, who rarely comments on online drama, responded, “In other words, instead of checking yourself and taking accountability, go for the unsuspecting and carry on with your evil. Got it.”

Another user attempted to challenge her, claiming the original tweet was aimed at “false rape accusers” and that Genevieve was avoiding the real issue.

“His tweet was clearly against false rape accusers, but instead of holding the evil women accountable and demanding change, you chose to tweet this?”

But the actress hit back with equal clarity: “The same way a woman can’t tell an abusive man apart from a good one is the same way you shouldn’t say avoid all Igbo women. ‘Not all women’.”

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Don’t handle your family feud like I did, Phyna advises Imisi

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Reality TV star Phyna has offered words of encouragement to fellow Big Brother Naija winner Imisi amid a family feud between the latter and her mother.

In an X post on Monday, Phyna wrote,”To Imisi, @imisiofficial and to anyone walking through the same fire… I’m praying for your strength.

“My own experience broke me, but I’m slowly rising.

“And I’m rooting for you with everything in me, don’t handle it like I did, build strong and focus on you baby girl.”

The post comes against the backdrop of a family dispute in which Imisi’s mother accused her daughter of hatred and revealed the poor condition of the home where she currently lives, despite Imisi winning N150 million after her Big Brother victory.

Imisi replied in Yoruba,”This is why Aunty Debola said you should not show your face to the world. I can’t be saying all that now, you are in the midst of people. Just overlook everything and leave social media.

“Don’t worry, I will send you money to rent a new house. I am tired of all this drama. I am still recovering from the stress of Big Brother.

“Should I be facing another stress now? Please forgive me, I am your daughter.”

Recall Imisi’s mother has publicly expressed frustration on social media, saying she does not need her daughter’s money after being sidelined following the win.

She also blamed Imisi for recounting her childhood experiences, which she claims involve untrue allegations of parental neglect and sexual assault.

In a video, she showed the old house she currently resides in, saying she is content with her situation, a revelation that sparked online controversy.

In 2023, after Phyna’s BBNaija win, her father, Felix Otabor, revealed in an interview that he was distressed by his daughter’s actions following her BBNaija win.

Otabor said Phyna had asked him to stop working as a hearse driver and requested that he sell his cars, promising to improve the family’s life.

He said he later struggled financially after selling the vehicles, losing his business momentum and community position, and has not seen his daughter since her victory.

He described feeling sidelined while she enjoyed her wealth.

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Ned Never Slept Outside Because I Held Him Well In The Other Room – Regina Daniels

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Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels, has opened up about her marriage to her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko.

It was reports that the embattled wife revealed why their seven-year relationship remained faithful despite his polygamous lifestyle.

In a reply to a comment on her Instagram page, Daniels said that during their years together, Nwoko never slept with other women outside their home because she held him well in the other room.

She wrote: “Yes i think he loved me but a toxic one! Because tell me why a polygamous man forgot what it meant to be in polygamy, except for the media.

“Just because it boosted his ego of being seen with multiple women which is easy by me because anyone that sees a man as an odogwu sees the wife as what? He basically had to beg that he share days at ours and other days with his other wives because they begged for his attention.

“Y’all should pls forget this yeye social media comparison because my ex man never slept outside one day in our 7 years of marriage. You know why? Because as a delta babe, I hold am well for the other room ladies use your skills that’s all men want actually!”

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