The Disputed Story Behind FESTAC ’77’s Queen Idia Mask Design
Joseph Alufa Igbinovia Obayagbona, a Benin City carver, has been identified in a recent biography as one of the artists involved in recreating Queen Idia’s famous mask for FESTAC ’77. The original ivory mask had been taken from Benin during the 1897 British invasion and the British Museum declined Nigeria’s request to loan it for the festival. The biography argues that Obayagbona, rather than the late artist Erhabor Emokpae, was the principal carver behind the FESTAC mask. This account remains disputed. Emokpae is widely credited with the festival’s visual identity and the bronze adaptations that made the image a national cultural symbol. According to Obayagbona’s family, he received neither proper recognition nor payment for some work linked to the festival, including a separate Olokun piece. The dispute raises fresh questions about artistic credit, compensation and the continuing campaign for the return of Benin artworks held abroad.
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