Veranda Post

The warrior-hunter, recognizable by his gun and long-tailed headdress, appears twice on this veranda post, standing atop a ram’s head above, and with his feline prey below. The sculpture communicated that its owner was a cosmopolitan individual who honored Ogun, the Yoruba god of warriors and chiefs, observed Islamic teachings, and maintained political ties with the British colonial administration. A Muslim teacher below is identifiable by the turban he wears and the Koranic writing board and prayer beads he holds. Above him, carved in relief, is a seated European colonial official, recognizable by his pith helmet, pipe, and book. Thus, leadership, in the forms of warriorhood, education, and politics, represents the values of the owner whose residence this post once adorned.