THE ART OF SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIAN MASQUERADES THE IMOLE MASQUERADES OF OSOORO KINGDOM OF ONDO STATE AS A CASE STUDY.

ABSTRACT

This project contains the art survey of south western Nigerian masquerades, focusing on Imole masquerades of Osooro kingdom in Ondo State. It is a common knowledge that the Yoruba of Nigeria are rich in cultural heritages, and are gifted in the use of their hands. With the great awareness of Ife, Oshogbo, Oyo art, there is still little or no awareness of the art of some minority ethnic group. In a bid to address the stated problem, lays the driving force to make this research. The research examines the functional relevance of their visual forms. This is a composition of information put together from available sources, as well as interviews conducted with respondents from Osooro kingdom. Observations made during the course of this study prove that culture is dynamic. However the upcoming generation of youths in Osooro kingdom are only aware of the amusing parts of Imole masquerades dance but never the significance. Furthermore, the researcher observed that there will be a great risk of abolishing Imole masquerade dance in the future, because of current religious beliefs that Imole masquerades are diabolic.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background to the study

Nigeria is one of the largest countries in Africa. It has a population of about 56 million made up of different ethnic groups. Some of the largest groups are the Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri, Tiv and Nupe in the North and Yoruba, Igbo, Ibibio and Edo in the South. Each ethnic group has her own language, customs, traditions and religion. It is estimated that there about 250 different language groups in Nigeria and this implies a large diversity in culture and tradition, language being the main medium for the spread and preservation of culture. Evidence of developed art has been discovered in Nigeria, starting with Nok culture around the 7th century BC. The Sokoto culture develo