Icon of Heritage

Our Icon of Heritage
An icon is a famous person, thing or a place.
You can be sure which part of the world you are, if you unknowingly find yourself within the vicinity of places such as Olumo rocks, the old Kano city wall, the Eiffel Tower, the Basilica, the Red Square, the Big Ben, the Taj Mahal and the rest.
They are unmistakable and recognizable landmarks that shout the ‘sense of a place’.

By the way, what do we make of an icon?
Icons become classic, standing the test of time. Can icons be infamous? Some people even become emotionally attached to them. Some icons are even idolized! Some are regarded as a collective cultural symbol. (Can we remember the ‘Twin Towers’ buildings in the United States, which sadly are no longer there?)

Bringing you back to Lagos, Nigeria in Africa, there is the white robed masquerade, the Adamu Orisa, popularly known as the Eyo.

The picture of Eyo is the most popular symbol of Eko, as the indigenes of Lagos would call their city. Lagos is the commercial nerve center of West Africa, a former federal capital of Nigeria. The procession of the Eyo festival is a tourist’s delight during an important cultural event.

Several areas of human endeavor have depicted this icon, which includes the various departments of the arts, architecture, literature and the rest.

Furthermore, Lagos going by the epithet ‘center of excellence’ as inscribed on vehicle number plates - registered in Lagos; can we make the city as clean as the flowing white robes of the Eyo? The last word: wherever we come from, are we preserving our icons for the generations yet unborn?

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

Muyiwa Osifuye is a photographer based in Africa. He works within the thematic, documentary and commercial modes. (catch a glimpse of his limited edition works at www.pictures-of-nigeria.com) His documentary works explore the rich cultural heritage of his country, Nigeria. Major international exhibitions and events continually show his thematic works which address cogent issues that he feels are necessary for a global understanding. He is a regular columnist in a prominent Nigerian newspaper and a budding writer; sharing his thoughts and perception about humanity as a whole.

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