Iya Abikun (FESTAC 77)

Abikun, also spelt "Abiku" in Yoruba, simply means "Predestined to die". In Yoruba mythology, it refers to a child who dies before puberty, normally before or around the age of 12. Iya Abikun is the mother of such a child. The expression of frailty, sadness and pain is written all over the face of the mother who is a victim of this spiritual misfortune. The heart is full of anxiety about the future of her child as every minute of his/her existence is unpredictable.