A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FESTAC 77 QUEEN IDIA'S MASK AND THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING IT.

                                                                   The picture above,is the original mask of Queen Idia,displayed at the British Museum.The popular pendant ivory mask is an art creation of Queen Idia known as the Iyoba ne Esigie ie.The Queen mother of Oba Esigie.The mask is the most famous of Benin art works looted by the British invaders of the Benin kingdom in 1897.The artifact became popular and named FESTAC mask after the much publicised 1977 second Festival of Black and African Arts and Culture {FESTAC 77},hosted and funded in Nigeria where it became the logo of the festival.The first festac was hosted by Senegal in Dakar in 1966.According to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Culture,states that ''The mask cast in bronze,represents the esoteric beauty of the Queen underlined by royal solemnity.It serves as constant reminder of the richness of the past,the quest for excellence of the present and the vision of the future of Nigerian people''.The original mask is still withheld despite several attempts by Nigeria to recover it from the British museum.The art work was recarved by Joseph Igbinovia Alufa,following the refusal of the British in 1976 to release the original in its possession at London Museum,even with Nigeria agreeing to pay 2 million pounds as rental fee for the duration of the festival,the then Federal military government under General Olusegun Obasanjo was in a state of confusion on what to do on the subject of the mask {emblem} of the festival.The original carving was part of the more than 5,000 works of art plundered from the treasury of Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi,the then Oba of Benin during the rampaging exploit of the British Punitive Expendition to the Benin Kingdom in 1897.It was then that the reigning Oba of Benin,Akenzua II brought the idea of having a replica carved by Ancient Carvers guild,the Igbinsemwen,in Benin city.They there after searched out five members of the guild,judging their skills on the jobs that they undertook earlier.In search of the replica,that was when the Olokun wood carving by Joseph Igbinovia Alufa came to the notice of the Federal Arts council.They were so taken in by this master pice that they took it down to Lagos to exhibit in the then newly built National Arts Theatre,along with other works by Nigerian artists during the festival.Meanwhile,Joseph Alufa went on with his commission to faithfully reproduce the Queen Idia's mask.Joseph Alufa did more than 70 piece of the carving which the Federal Government used as souvenir for the visiting heads of state and other dignitaries for the period of the festival.Joseph Alufa was informed that his work,then valued at N10,000 {When naira was almost at per withthe British pound  sterling} was not sold but rather,the Federal Arts Council was interested in it and would buy it.Joseph Alufa was told to await payment,but according to some sources,Alufa has not been paid since then,that is not fair at all.More photos below.