Igun street: Di place wia bronze art for Nigeria from come

'E dey come home.'

Afta over 100 years, British Museum don gree to borrow Nigeria some of di ogbonge bronzes/brass wey belong to Benin kingdom.

British soldiers bin pack more than 1,000 of Africa greatest art, wey no get price, go UK for 1897 from di palace of di Oba of Benin afta dem bin don conquer di kingdom.

One group of pipo wey dey jolli on top dis tori na di bronze/brass artists wey dey live and work for Igun street alias Igun Eronmwon Quarters wey dey for middle of Benin City.

Igun street no be just any ordinary street, e no get part two. Afta di Oba palace, na here tourists dey show wella to see wia dem dey do dis bronze/brass from scratch and sell to customers.

Dem don make Igun street Unesco cultural heritage site sake of wetin e dey represent for hundreds of years for bronze art including from wia di 16th century ivory mask of Queen Idia, wey be di official logo of di second black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (Festac) 1977 bin come from.

Eric Ogbemudia wey be secretary of Igun Bronze casters Guild, di join bodi of di artists say why Igun street bronze casting pass odas na say dia own method and style dey different, dia ingredient na traditional tins. Ogbemudia say e good as oyinbo for Europe wan return di property of Benin City wey dey for dia museums.

Oba of Benin, di general overseer of Igun street

Oba of Benin na di lord, master and comptroller general of Igun street guild and na im work di guild dey do before anytin else.

Na Oba dey give di original seven families for di guild license to work.

Apart from bronze wey Oba and im chiefs dey use decorate dia dress during special occasions wey include coronation of oba, before before, bronze na like video camera.

Sculptors dey cast bronze to record events wey dey happun for palace.

No bodi know di exact time wen bronze casting begin for Benin Kingdom but tori be say dis art wey dey pass from papa to son bin don dey since di 13th century.

Time dey wey nobodi fit own bronze before if dem no get permission from Oba, but today, anybodi fit buy any tin dem want for di street.

Tourists, art dealers and collectors from all over dey enta wella to come shop for bronze.

One tin wey never change for many centuries for Igun street be say woman till today no fit cast bronze.

Ogbemudia say dem fit sell am but because of di physical work wey dey involve to make bronze, e no proper make dem do dis kain work.

Ogbemudia dey pray say make dia own pikin learn from dem so dem fit continue dis tradition wey dem inherit from dia forefathers and so di fire go continue dey burn for very long time.

Story: Usifo Omozokpea, Busayo Iruemiobe & Dan Ikpoyi