Afikpo Masks: Crafts, Cults and Cultures

Afikpo (aka The Ehugbo) is a predominantly agrarian society located south of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State’s capital in Nigeria. It is the second largest town in Ebonyi, with a population of nearly 160,000 people. The Afikpos are an Igbo group with a rich cultural heritage that holds strong influences from the Efik and Ibibio people, their neighbours from the other side of Cross River State.

Afikpo masks are an aesthetic fusion of spirituality, patriarchy, and community life. The elaborate masks and masquerading tradition of Afikpo is a treasured part of Igbo art and has long been considered as a model of African theatre.

The wooden masks are typically carved from a single piece of wood, and feature eyebrows, foreheads, and eye holes for facial distinction.

In Afikpo, as with many Nigerian cultures, masks are the shroud of secrecy that enable incarnated spirits to walk among mortals. The four villages of Afikpo – Itim, Nkpoghoro, Oha Isu and Oziza – are home to secret societies and 29 communities. 

Aside from the initiation festival, the public manifestation of these societies is tied to two other masquerading parades. The Iri Iko and Okumkpo parades are an essential aspect of the various rites and celebrations that occur during the harvest period of the year.

Afikpo masks are made of three materials: wood, calabash, and net. The most popular of these is the wooden mask. Calabash masks are the rarest of the three and are only guaranteed an appearance during the initiation rites for the Omume. The net masks reveal the influence of Cross River ethnic groups which are known for their strong fishing culture. They are seen in full glory at Oje Ogwu.

There are 12 kinds of wooden masks: Bekee, Ibibio, Igri, Mba, Mkpe, Mmaji, Nnade Okumkpa, Nne mgbo, Okpesu umuruma, Opa nwa, Otogho, and Acali. Some of them are related in cultural connotation, but each has a distinct conceptual background and signature appearance.

In Igbo folktales, the tortoise (mbe) and lizard (ngwere) are often portrayed as cunning, self-aware characters who may stray but always have their errors corrected by life events.

This piece is a union of 11 individual wooden masks in the mba style. All mba masks have a flat rectangular board as an inseparable part of the ‘head’ of the mask. The face of an mba mask traditionally incorporates other styles like bekee, but some variants incorporate features from other mask styles like acali.

Three of the eleven masks are from the mkpere variant of mba masks. These have prominent tear streaks that are connected to the eyes and are typical of an acali mask. Although the faces are not the traditional nzu (native chalk) white, the hair and tears are dark blue, reminiscent of the traditional black.

Mba masks such as these are typically found during the elaborate Okumkpo ritual. This is a public festival that involves several skits, songs, and dances presented by masked society members. It began in the 1940s as a form of ritual cleansing.

The Ehugbo masks and masked rituals demonstrate how art has long been used to restore social order. The ideals and spirits embodied by mask wearers, especially at the Okumkpo, are not specifically a means of exclusion of females, but rather serve to unite people.