Queen Idia and Oba Esigie

2025

This creation of the replica of the 19th century looted artifact is embedded in my continued study of the Benin Kingdom’s artistic and political history, particularly the legacies of Queen Idia and Oba Esigie, figures whose stories are inseparable from the 19th-century artefacts taken during the 1897 British invasion. Their narratives embody not only the cultural brilliance of the Benin Empire but also the resilience, strategy, and spiritual strength that shaped its identity.

Queen Idia, the mother of Oba Esigie, is celebrated as one of the most powerful women in West African history. Her image is immortalised in iconic ivory and bronze works which symbolises wisdom, political diplomacy, and mystical protection. Queen Idia played a pivotal role during the Benin Idah war in the 16th century, using both intellect and spiritual authority to secure the kingdom’s stability. Many of the most recognisable Benin Bronzes depicting her face, adorned with intricate coral beading and headdresses, were among the objects forcibly removed and dispersed across Western museums during the colonial period. These objects, while often admired purely for their craftsmanship, lose their true power when detached from Idia’s story: a story of leadership, sovereignty, and maternal influence that shaped an empire.

Oba Esigie, one of the most influential monarchs in Benin’s history, ushered in an era of political reform, artistic expansion, and strengthened diplomacy. Under his reign, the bronze guilds flourished, producing works whose complexity and symbolism illustrate the spiritual and political architecture of the Benin court. Many artefacts linked to his reign including royal plaques, ceremonial regalia, and palace objects are today found in institutions far from their place of origin. These pieces are not mere decorations; they are evidence of advanced artistic traditions, historical record-keeping, and the sacred relationship between the Oba, his people, and the spiritual world. This work speaks on what we are doing today for reparation.

My practice seeks to reconnect and educate my audience about these displaced objects and speaks on their origins contextual, cultural, and spiritual. Too often, museum labels reduce them to technical descriptions or catalogue numbers, erasing the systems of knowledge, ritual, and symbolism embedded within them. By sculpting, researching, and narrating from an Edo perspective, I aim to restore the depth these objects once carried.

The return of these artefacts is not simply an act of restitution; it is a restoration of voice. It is about returning Queen Idia’s gaze to her people, restoring Oba Esigie’s legacy to its rightful narrative, and reaffirming the cultural identity severed by colonial violence. My work with institutions and museums forms part of an ongoing commitment to ensure these objects find their way home to the Edo Museum of West African Art, where they will once again exist within a living cultural ecosystem.

Through art and research, I strive to challenge how institutions categorise African objects as static, “tribal,” or detached from their original meaning. These works are living histories. They carry lineages, spiritual authority, and memories that continue to shape contemporary Edo identity. By creating new sculptures in conversation with these historic pieces, I aim to bridge past and present, to honour my heritage while contributing to an evolving artistic legacy.

My goal is not only to illuminate the richness of African history, but to reclaim its narrative, restore its dignity, and assert the cultural sovereignty that has long been overlooked in Western spaces. The stories of Queen Idia, Oba Esigie, and the looted Benin Bronzes are not solely historical accounts but they are living testimonies of resilience, artistry, and identity that continue to inspire my work.

Favour Jonathan

Info