Everybody wants to relate with Nigeria but unfortunately Nigeria is just too blind to see it..

America wants to romance with Nigeria
China wants to Romance with Nigeria
Britain wants to relate with Nigeria.
France wants to relate with Nigeria
EU wants to relate with Nigeria
India Wants to relate with Nigeria

Its so unfortunates Nigeria doesn't want to relate with herself..

See the French Ambassador openly and vividly toasting Nigeria as if to say, Pls don't buy from China, Pls Buy from France, we would give u discounts, see, we are generous enough to return your Art works, we won't cheat you like china would, we would help u, while we help ourselves too..

We must look beyond what the Ambassador is saying and look at what he is not saying.
Everything is about Diplomacy.
He is a Diplomat. He is only being Diplomatic.

Nigeria must get her Acts right and the world is hers..

ebamma 3: the same gods that were there watching your ancestors being colonised by the british abi na the same gods were been dey watch as whitemen take our people into slavery?

The Gods are not human toolz to meddle directly in our material affairs or take sides. The Gods only help those who help themselves.

Nigerian freedom resistance in our early years was very weak, poorly-coordinated and marred with tratitorous beings and those seeking personal gains. e.g., as happened with the Emperor of Benin.


BTW I detest this sentence and this poor excuse.

If you watch a relative die in a car accident or your money stolen, WILL YOU BLAME THE GODS FOR THAT?

will you then say,

the same gods that were there watching your relative being killed in the car acciedent abi na the same gods were been dey watch as our car crash into the river?


If that is so, then you better be an atheist.

This BBA eye below always scare me!!

Horus: [img]http://nationalmirroronline.net/thumbnail.php?file=/images_347058434.jpg&size=article_large[/img]

Who Carved the Esie Stone Statues?

Over 1,500 Esie Soapstone Statues were discovered in mysterious circumstances in the thick forest.

The over 1,500 Esie soapstone statues were discovered in mysterious circumstances in the thick forest in 1775. The site of the images was said to have been at a distance of about 300 metres from the inhabited parts of the town.


About 236 years after the historic event, which positively altered the fate and fame of the town and placed it on world’s map, Who carved that statues? remained the question by many. The ‘Esie Mysteries’, as they are most often referred to, have so far defied all previous efforts to unravel them.

Esie, about 53km from Ilorin, capital of Kwara State, is an ancient Igbomina Yoruba town that is rich, very rich, in unique historical monuments, including the 100 years old Cathedral Church of Saint Michael (Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion), the Elesie’s ancient palace, the burial place of past Esie monarchs at Agbo Ile Ooye, Baragbon’s final resting place at Oke-Sanlu on which stands today a distinct monument with a modest plaque that lists the names of all past Elesie, various historical tools and artefacts, but the Esie National Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of realistic human representations in African stone sculptures is the main attraction to the town.

According to oral historical sources, including the Elesie of Esieland, HRH Oba Yakubu Babalola Egunjobi II, and Chief Agbo Ooye, Baragbon was reputed for constantly embarking on hunting expeditions during which he usually spent many months in the bush. They attest to the fact that it was during one of such activities that the more than 1,500 statutes in soapstone were discovered together in the bush by the founder of Esie and renowned hunter in 1775.

After their initial fears of the mysterious images, the Elesie continued, the people consulted ‘Ifa’ and were given assurances that the Stone Images were harmless; rather, they would guard and protect the land and its people. They eventually appointed a Chief Priest (Aworo) called ‘Ayarun’ in the Igbomina variant of the Yoruba language to lead the regular worship of the stone statues. The statues were the most dominant Gods in Esie cosmology but with the advent of christianity and islam, Esie people have stopped worshiping the images.

Baragbon had found the statues neatly seated in a semi-circle formation under a palm tree with the ‘Oba Ere’ (King) of the images seated in the middle as if presiding over a community meeting. A tree known locally as ‘Peregun’ was planted to demarcate the site of discovery in 1775. Fresh excavations carried out in 2008 revealed that more of the statues are still buried in the ground.

Another important and interesting site within the Museum compound is the Shrine where the people of Esie used to worship the mysterious statues before the advent of western and other foreign lifestyles. The shrine is arranged in three layers with the King, the Queen and errand or slave boy in sitting positions. Some paraphernalia of office are also on display.

Precisely 170 years after Baragbon’s historic discovery of the Statues and about two years after the founding of the Nigeria Antiquity Service, now known as the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), the British Colonial Government had established the first ever Museum in Nigeria. The year was 1945. The place was Esie, in present day Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. And the main purpose was to preserve the unique Soapstone Statues, and terra cotta heads ‘reminiscent of Ife and Nok’ that were first discovered in 1775 by the people of Esie town.

Available information at the Esie National Museum indicates that the soapstone statues range in height from 14 to 120 centimetres and weigh between 0.55 and 104 kilograms. They are described as realistic representations of men and women mostly seated on stools and sometimes kneeling. Royalty and well being pervade this collection with many of the stone images adorned with beads and headgears. Some of the statues play musical instruments, hold machetes, arrows, and other objects. Others simply place their hands on their knees as if in deep contemplation.

Their various facial marks, diverse and rich paraphernalia, occupations and elaborate hair dos attest to the strong likelihood of earlier contacts between the people of the area and other major civilisations in parts of Africa South of the Sahara. In addition to the Yoruba culture, some sources have suggested links between many others as they depict styles identifiable in parts of Nupe land, Benin (Edo), South Sudan, Egypt, Ghana, among others.

Besides, the artistic sophistry and aesthetic values are further buttressed by the accuracy of rendition of the various highly elaborate hairstyles; the skills, technology and vision that could have produced the Esie masterpieces remain mysteries to be unravelled and that will never cease to awe those with creative inclinations.

According to the renowned historian, scholar and culture patriot, Prof. (Mrs) Bolanle Awe, "Apart from being the mother that gave birth to all other museums in Nigeria, the unresolved mysteries of the Esie soapstone statues reinforces the unique point that they represent an indispensable link to key epochs in the history of mankind."

She informed that the Esie Monuments Festival Committee, which she chairs, was established by concerned culture patriots of Esie origin to ensure the preservation, protection and projection of all Esie cultural heritages for the benefit of the people and community. It also aims to call attention to the plights of the museum. One of the platforms by which it seeks to carry out this task, she explained, is the annual festival which is premised on the first ever National Museum in the country.

While explaining that the history of the festival dates back to the year 1850, National Secretary of the Committee Mr Ololade Oyeyipo said the modernised, tourism-driven festival began in 2005, with the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the museum, which is said to be the first Museum in Nigeria. Oyeyipo urged the Federal, State and Local Governments to accord Esie National Museum and the host community the attention, assistance and respect they deserve.

The Esie Monuments Festival next edition will begin from February 16, 2012, with an international workshop/launch at Kwara Hotels, Ilorin. Events slated for the second day (February 17) including the flag-off of hunting expedition, food Fest/exhibition and traditional musical /cultural displays will hold at the Esie National Museum grounds. Apart from the hunting expedition final, cultural display and masquerade dances will feature at its grand finale on February 18.

If the Esie National Museum were a republic, the Oba Ere (King of the Images) and his subjects would have conferred the NCMM staff with various national honours and citizenship; but even after years of living, working, caring for and interacting with the Esie Stone Statues, the Curator, Mr. Stephen Ibecheozor and his colleagues still have no answer yet to the simple question on every visitor’s lips.



One can only hope, along with numerous others across the world who have encountered the mystery of the museum over the past 236 years, that one day in the future, providence will shed divine light on scholars’ and researchers’ paths to the right answer to that age-long question: ‘Who Carved the Esie Stone Statues?’

In my opinion, it might be the predecessor of the Yorubas, i.e., the Nok.

These are my reasons y I don't like someone mentioning westerners when we are talking about nigeria problem. They remains our problem expect they change from the they see us .Can france do that to germany?

exxell:

Have you ever wondered why China, with all its technology still maintained their tradition and artifacts? You guys dont know values anymore... I weep for this clueless generation. Education and Christianity have spoiled everything. I would have educated you on the value of that Esie statue but to what end? Coz am sure from your comment above that you fell on your head from the hospital bed when you were born!

OMG! WTF mehn!

People get bad mouth for nairaland mehn..

U sabi the guy B4?

The Guy offend you B4

Abi hin collect your wife..

What! He feel with his head from the hospital Bed.. !!! What!!!

Pls apologise to him that u said it in the heat of the moment, Pls tender an apology even tho I understand how you feel..

Pls and Pls apologise to him. Guuuussshh mehn!

youth must work: Mtcheeeew. Who cares kwanu. If they like let thry come and carry our national mace or d already destroyed rivers mace.

ALL I ASK FOR IS A REVOLUTION.

Youths need work.

Free speech or write up. Dts d benefit of 1st to comment. Since i cnt make front page for almost 7yrs on nairaland. I think ds is my time. I even abondoned my first nairaland account thinkn it was curse to make front page and 1st to comment.

Eyeing front page b4 3days.

Dont be too excited on my poo comment. Remember d state nigeria need a nationwide revolution.

jux send 20k into ma acc then l will tell you wat to do in other to make front page. Front page ko backyard ni

exxell:

Have you ever wondered why China, with all its technology still maintained their tradition and artifacts? You guys dont know values anymore... I weep for this clueless generation. Education and Christianity have spoiled everything. I would have educated you on the value of that Esie statue but to what end? Coz am sure from your comment above that you fell on your head from the hospital bed when you were born!

[size=20pt]no sir i didn't fall from a bed and wouldn't want any form of education from someone like you. learn to give constructive criticism not insults. maybe i would have appreciated what you wrote.[/size]

[img]http://icom.museum/typo3temp/pics/6a8590455b.jpg[/img]

Esie statue, soapstone
National Commission for Museums and Monuments (Nigeria)

[img]http://icom.museum/typo3temp/pics/1eeeb16e88.jpg[/img]

Esie statue, soapstone
National Commission for Museums and Monuments (Nigeria)

Make dem com pack evrifin wey dem nid jare....

emmysenior: Britain and US nko? They should return all the ones with them too...

Head, 12th–15th century
Nigeria, Esie
Soapstone
H. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm)

This stone head of a woman is part of a group of over a thousand known sculptures identified with a site in the Yoruba town of Esie in north central Nigeria. There, an assemblage of soapstone figures of women, men, and animals were found lying in a forest grove, most showing signs of deliberate damage from an apparent act of organized defacement. It is not known when the objects were created or vandalized, although it is estimated that they were carved between the twelfth and fifteenth century. The disarray of the site has limited attempts to provide dates and establish the cultural origins of these works, however, and even the best estimations remain informed speculation. This sculpted head possesses many traits common to Esie figures, including sharply defined almond eyes, ears set far back on the head, and three protruding scarification marks beside its left eye. While some statues from Esie have been described as solemn in expression, here the mouth seems to part in a slight but gentle smile. The sculptor has given particular attention to the woman's elaborate coiffure, which is almost as large as her head and provides a lively contrast to it. This fragmentary head was originally part of a full-sized figural sculpture. All Esie figures' heads are disproportionately large in relation to their bodies, a visual emphasis also common in the sculptural traditions of Ife, with which they have sometimes been compared. As in the arts of many African peoples, this visual accenting of the head was undoubtedly intended to reflect the importance accorded to it by the culture.

exxell: They should inspect it very well oo. I dont trust Oyibo man oo. That Esie status may have been cloned and the clone handed back to us while they keep the original. There is nothing technology cannot do these days.... Even some Juju dey bow to modern day technology!

MY TWO CENTS THOUGH!

his got me laughing....now am wondering how true it can be

chidindufrank: Lol, what did the Gods do on this matter?

cos the statue belongs to a deity

[img]http://2.bp..com/-QpP1ie4LH54/Tb4bvhKTdcI/AAAAAAAAAGM/PiGgZ1rH2x4/s1600/Esie+statutte.jpg[/img]

Esie Soapstone

[img]http://3.bp..com/-dxSTfGFFndc/Tb4b1gKrMJI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/8Nxjw7QLQ6s/s1600/Esie+soapstone+sculpture.jpg[/img]

Esie Soapstone

am from esie and if ancient history is any thing to go by,those effigy that were stolen from esie museum in the past miraculously return back to the museum,so i wounder why they are so sure this particular one is from esie

The gods must be crazy for allowing them to be stolen in the first place.

And does that change the economic value?

All we want is revolution.

youth must work: Mtcheeeew. Who cares kwanu. If they like let thry come and carry our national mace or d already destroyed rivers mace.

ALL I ASK FOR IS A REVOLUTION.

Youths need work.

Free speech or write up. Dts d benefit of 1st to comment. Since i cnt make front page for almost 7yrs on nairaland. I think ds is my time. I even abondoned my first nairaland account thinkn it was curse to make front page and 1st to comment.

Eyeing front page b4 3days.

Dont be too excited on my poo comment. Remember d state nigeria need a nationwide revolution.

Stu..pid mother4ka

braxjay: [size=20pt]with all the unrest happening in my dear country, where men maze men in rivers state and some calling the president's wife Jesus on earth and curfew in some states, and boko's more threats, kidnap, bribery and corruption, loss of real lives and so much more, why would bringing a lifeless image made of wood 900 years ago be of any relevance [/size]

Good one bro...but shey fake life dey ni?
btw they are stone images not wooden images as claimed in ur post...thanks

This is something Britain will never do.

Imanuelle: Thanks.

bros i don catch you today....so na here u dey? (stewpid question)

Horus: [img]http://nationalmirroronline.net/thumbnail.php?file=/images_347058434.jpg&size=article_large[/img]

Who Carved the Esie Stone Statues?

Over 1,500 Esie Soapstone Statues were discovered in mysterious circumstances in the thick forest.

*clears throat*. We use to hear while we were small that the gods/king were mad at the people of Esie, so one day, he made them liveless all in the position that they were caught!

Some were pounding yam sef .

PAGAN 9JA:
THE GODS BE PRAISED!

what is dis mugu say Since wen did we have many GOD? (abi na gods u mean?)

30card: after them don duplicate am finish come send the duplicate come back abi?

bros! you dey see my mind so...it sure for me say na cloned images dem return...it no fit be original lailai...

yame014:

bros i don catch you today....so na here u dey? (stewpid question)

na boredom oh.

why has it taken them this long time to figure out it is of anthropological value? Meaning that we have loose(lost) our cultures and values?

Besides,am guessing that this returned artifact is not entirely cloned?

This french people? They have been "among us for quite a while now".Anyone who has seen TRANSFORMERS trilogy will have an idea what am telling. They have always been among us. .

Horus: [img]http://nationalmirroronline.net/thumbnail.php?file=/images_347058434.jpg&size=article_large[/img]

Who Carved the Esie Stone Statues?

Over 1,500 Esie Soapstone Statues were discovered in mysterious circumstances in the thick forest.

strange enough, this is not the first time these statues are being stolen. They mysteriously always find their way back to the museum at Esie. Ask any Esie indigene, they'll confirm same.

yame014:

Good one bro...but shey fake life dey ni?
btw they are stone images not wooden images as claimed in ur post...thanks

lol i stand corrected. fake life dey o

joshua idibia: what is dis mugu say Since wen did we have many GOD? (abi na gods u mean?)

na mugu be your fada. This is Nigeria. we worship the infinite, never-ending, limitless GODS here.