ejiri

The term "ejiri" refers to figures used by the western Ijo people, who inhabit the Niger delta. These figures represent the head of a household and are depicted upon a schematic quadruped, believed to be the family's guardian spirit. Similar objects are created by the Urhobo people, north of the Ijo, and are used in a cult of aggressiveness by warriors. These sculptures are part of a broader tradition of African art, which utilizes various media such as wood, clay, metal, ivory, and stone. While wood is well-known, unfired clay is the most widely used medium across the continent, though often overlooked due to its fragility.12