Thirteen intricate and separately carved figures mounted on a U-shaped bar give form to the Ijebu belief in the omnipresence of the Oro association in communal life. The mask is peopled with a nursing mother, accordion player, and farmer, among others. At its summit is a crowned warrior on horseback, wearing headgear surmounted by an imposing bird. The secret Oro association of community leaders metes out justice in society by acknowledging deeds good and bad, enforcing death penalties and other punishments, and presiding over the burial ceremonies of people of all walks of life.
While attributions are rare for much collected African art, scholars believe this mask to be the work of the master carver Onabanjo of the town of Itu Meko. He used nails to ax the different parts, an unusual practice, since most African carvings are made from a single piece of wood. The ornamental elements of the mask—the floral clusters and garland crowns, and the two scroll-shaped forms above the main face—represent Brazilian influences brought back to the Yoruba by former slaves returning home. After 1850, Brazilian decorative motifs appear often in Ijebu art and architecture, adding more complexity to an already sophisticated sculptural tradition.
Community members depicted in this mask, from preacher to prisoner, soldier to musician, are equal under the Oro justice system.
