The Princess Who Broke Benin Traditions

Posted on February 8, 2022
Elizabeth Olowu: Nigeria's First Female Bronze Caster | The Republic

This is Princess Elizabeth Olowu nee Akẹnzua, the Benin princess who broke with Benin tradition to become the first female bronze caster in Nigeria. Okhuo-isẹ-ẹrọnmwọn, meaning “a woman does not cast bronze” was a long-standing tradition in the ancient kingdom of Benin until the princess decided to take her interest in art serious, challenging her father, the king, to prove that culture is indeed dynamic. 


Born 8 August 1945, daughter of Ọba Akẹnzua II, grandfather of the current king who reigned from 1933 till 1978 and an aunt of Ọba Ẹwuare II who ascended the ancient throne in 2016, Princess Elizabeth is also the first female to major in sculpture at the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Benin, and the first female recipient of the university’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA).


The Benin People hold very strongly to their customs and traditions which are empowered by the words of the Ọba. One of such traditions was the one which forbade women from the great art of bronze casting for which the people of Benin have gained renown world-wide. It was believed that a woman would become barren if she went into the foundry or handled the bellows.


As a child Princess Elizabeth developed interest in the arts especially sculpture which was encouraged by her father. When she shared her desire to add bronze casting to her art, her father, a progressive king, decided to put traditions aside, entrusting the princess to the tutelage of the Igun Ẹrọnmwọn bronze casting guild who would teach her the noble art.

Princess Elisabeth Olawu | Art And About Africa

Princess Elizabeth continued her formal art education at the University of Benin where she graduated with a BA in Fine Arts in 1979, going further to earn a master’s degree in sculpture in 1984 after completing a thesis on “An Investigation into Benin Cire Perdue Casting Technique” and becoming the University of Benin’s first female recipient of a Master of Fine Arts (MFA).

Source: Benin Cosmology group

Source: Benin Cosmology group

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

OMOGBOLAHAN BABAWALE       Again, arguably in the history of the agency, no... Continue
MICHAEL AKINOLA    A 67-year old man, Azeez Babatunde, has landed in trouble in... Continue
CHRISTIAN ABURIME Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo made a significant stride towards transforming the urban... Continue
BY EMMANUEL EZE “I pray Allah not to give me what would not benefit... Continue
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Monday, inaugurated an 11-man Governing... Continue
To further demonstrate the unwavering commitment to bring relief to residents, motorists, and to... Continue
The excitement is reaching a fever pitch as Nigerian Idol Season 10 draws closer to its... Continue
With assurance of steady supply of petroleum products, more independent marketers have joined the growing list of distributors... Continue
History, heritage, and artistry were relived on stage as The Okeho Exodus, a compelling... Continue
BY EMMANUEL AKANNI  There are lives, and then there are legacies. For Dr. Bolanle Olawale... Continue

UBA


Access Bank

Twitter

Sponsored