Staff Pair (edan ogboni)

Repetition of paired imagery, as seen on this pair of staffs, emphasizes the wise male and female elders who make up the Oshugbo society, also known as Ogboni. This group of initiated members serves political, judicial, and religious functions, including the appointment of kings. These alternating, distinctively gendered figures suggest the importance of cooperation between men and women to sustain society—a principal Oshugbo tenet. Each elder would receive an edan, or pair of staffs, such as this, upon initiation into the society. Here, the male figures hold figurative and non-figurative edan. The female figures pose using the society’s hand gesture, left fist over right with thumbs concealed. Although proceedings of the Oshugbo society are largely secret, members could wear or employ edan for symbolic purposes in public settings.