How did ikenga figures represent achievement in Igbo society?

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In Igbo society, where there is significant social pressure toward individual distinction, the ikenga serves as a symbolic representation of the power within an individual that enables personal achievement.1

Because Igbo culture traditionally emphasizes the ability of men to advance through successive social grades by demonstrating both their achievements and their generosity, ikenga figures are used as cult objects to represent these specific attributes of distinction. By honoring the ikenga, individuals acknowledge the internal drive and personal agency required to succeed and rise within the community's social structure.1