The Nigerian Nostalgia Project

See the full ItanWa initiative deck here:

ItanWa Initiative | Etim Eyo Introducing the ItanWa Audio initiative, a collaboration between the Nigerian Nostalgia Project & NNP Studios

NNP Studios

Seeking Experienced Producer/ Showrunner - (2 yrs Exp)
Rodecaster Pro II Expertise
You Tube
Flexible schedule
DMV Area
Call +1 240 548 0022

https://youtu.be/TRvvUbmklhQ?feature=shared

Igbo Ukwu - Advanced Techniques in Ancient Times The story of the discovery of the Igbo Ukwu Bronzes - Evidence of advanced techniques from the 9th Century in West Africa.

READ MY FACE

Before selfies and surnames, your face was your ID card. In Nigeria, facial scarification was more than cultural art—it was ancestry, allegiance, and autobiography carved into skin. You could find it in the Kanuri, Igala, Yoruba, Idoma, Igbo, Hausa, Urhobo, Fulani and others.
Let’s take a walk through some ethnic groups whose cheeks told stories louder than words:
Yoruba
Known for their intricate “Ila” marks, Yoruba scarification was like a badge of origin!
- Pele: Three vertical lines on each cheek—common in Ijebu and Ife.
- Abaja: Horizontal lines, sometimes up to six per cheek, often seen in Oyo.
- Gombo: Curved lines like waves, popular in Ogbomosho.
Each pattern whispered your town, your lineage, even your royal status.
Idoma
In Benue, Idoma people wore deep vertical cuts on both cheeks.
These marks weren’t just tribal—they were rites of passage, symbols of strength, and sometimes tied to spiritual beliefs.
Hausa
Among the Hausa of northern Nigeria, facial marks were minimal but meaningful.
- Often small lines near the mouth or forehead.
- Used for clan identification, especially during wartime or migration.
Fulani
Elegant and subtle, Fulani marks often included:
- A central line from forehead to nose.
- Two cheek lines, sometimes curved.
They were symbols of beauty and pride, especially among women.
Igbo
Though less common, Igbo scarification included:
- Ogbanje marks: To ward off spirits believed to cause repeated child deaths.
- Ichi: Sacred marks worn by titled men, often sun-like patterns across the face.
These marks weren’t random. They could be read—like a map of your heritage.
Some told of reincarnation. Others marked you as a hunter, a royal, or a healer.
And yes, some were just for beauty. Because why not?
Today, the practice is fading—banned by law, softened by modernity. But the stories remain.
So next time you see those lines, remember: they’re not scars. They’re scripts.
Would you wear your story on your skin?

Anyanwu is a bronze sculpture by Ben Enwonwu, whose graceful form rises with elegance and power—arms lifted, body arched, adorned in coral regalia.

Created in 1954 and gifted to the United Nations in 1966, Anyanwu—meaning “sun” or “the awakening” in Igbo—was envisioned as a symbol of Nigeria’s emergence from colonial rule. Inspired by the Igbo earth goddess Ani, she embodies the generative force of womanhood and the spiritual energy of a people reclaiming their narrative.

This sculpture isn’t just art—it’s a tool of cultural diplomacy. It stood for a new nation asserting its place on the world stage. Enwonwu, a pioneering Nigerian modernist sculptor, fused indigenous aesthetics with modernist form, creating a visual language that honored ancestral memory while engaging global audiences. According to him, he received the inspiration for the piece in a dream. It’s “supple, graceful female form arising out of the sun in a brilliant shower of light.”

The first piece remains at the National Museum in Lagos. Another full-size version stands at the National Museum in Harare, Zimbabwe. In March 1981, a small edition of Anyanwu was presented to Queen Elizabeth II by Nigerian President Shehu Shagari during his state visit to the United Kingdom. That piece now resides in the Royal Collection of the British royal family. Several other smaller editions exist in private collections worldwide.

Video: United Nations.

A*o Asiko

The Nigerian Nostalgia Project is seeking to collaborate with both menswear and womenswear fashion designers on a design project.

If you are a Nigerian designer with a flair for contemporary style, a portfolio or experience that you can demonstrate and would like more details, please contact NNP via WhatsApp on +1 301 526 8790 no later than July 6, 2025.

Thank you.

THE RISE OF OPOBO

Kings come and go in history, but they leave their marks on the sands of time. Opobo rose from the rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean as a trading port and marketplace built by an individual who refused to submit to the dictates of colonialists who partitioned Africa without the consent of Africans.

The 19th century saw an explosion of commerce in what is today Rivers state, Nigeria. The world was experiencing an industrial revolution, and Africa had the resources to prop up the global economy. One such resource was palm oil, a commodity that made people refer to the area as the Oil Rivers. As with all essential international commodities, there was a move to control the market by producers and buyers. This quest for control inevitably led to clashes between all those involved in the trade.

In 1869, a trader with roots in Igboland led his followers to a spot close to the shores of the Atlantic and named the place Opobo. His name was Jubo Jubogha, and he was a former steward of the Anna Pepple trading house in Bonny. The colonialists called him Jaja, and he had just fought a war with another trading house (Manilla Pepple).

In a short time, Opobo (named after Amanyanabo Opubo “Pepple” Perekule the Great of Bonny) was exporting over five thousand tons of palm oil to Europe. Jubo Jubogha barred African producers from trading with the British and also barred the British from going into the hinterland to buy directly from the producers.

On Christmas Day, 1870, he was crowned as Amanayambo (King) Jaja I of Opobo, thus birthing a dynasty that succeeds to this day. As a wealthy and successful merchant prince, he was envied by his fellow Africans and by the colonialists who refused to pay tax to his kingdom. He was deceived by the British in 1887 into attending a meeting on one of their warships and was sent into exile, never to return to his beloved kingdom.

Today, the beautiful coastal city of Opobo remains a tourist attraction, with numerous monuments attesting to Jubo Jubogha’s wealth and the power of the pre colonial city-state. His direct descendant reigns as King Dandeson Douglas Jaja V.

Photograph: globalpatriotnews

A son of Oduduwa.

Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba race, had sons who are today recognized as the founders of different kingdoms in Southwest Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo.

One of his sons founded Ijesa in present-day Osun state. The ancient kingdom of Ijesa emerged in the middle of the 13th century and was known as a place of worship for the Orisas (divine beings in Yoruba mythology). The people were renowned for their martial prowess and, as such, fought battles of supremacy with other Yoruba towns.

Their king bears the unique title of Owa Obokun Adimula. Owa is believed to be a descendant of Oduduwa who journeyed to the Atlantic Ocean to get water that cured his father’s blindness!

The throne of Ijesa has endured for centuries, and now a new era begins. The kingdom has a new king! His Imperial Majesty, Owa Obokun Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko III, has received the staff of office from His Excellency Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun state.

A direct descendant of Oduduwa, Ajimoko III becomes the 41st ruler of Ijesa, a land blessed with gold and other mineral resources. Long live the king. KABIYESI!

Photo:
thecrest.ng