THE ART OF SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIAN MASQUERADES: THE IMOLE MASQUERADES OF OSOORO KINGDOM OF ONDO STATE AS A CASE STUDY
ABSTRACT
This project contains the art survey of south western Nigerian masquerades, focusing on Imole masquerades of Osooro kingdom in Ondo State. It is a common knowledge that the Yoruba of Nigeria are rich in cultural heritages, and are gifted in the use of their hands. With the great awareness of Ife, Oshogbo, Oyo art, there is still little or no awareness of the art of some minority ethnic group. In a bid to address the stated problem, lays the driving force to make this research. The research examines the functional relevance of their visual forms. This is a composition of information put together from available sources, as well as interviews conducted with respondents from Osooro kingdom. Observations made during the course of this study prove that culture is dynamic. However the upcoming generation of youths in Osooro kingdom are only aware of the amusing parts of Imole masquerades dance but never the significance. Furthermore, the researcher observed that there will be a great risk of abolishing Imole masquerade dance in the future, because of current religious beliefs that Imole masquerades are diabolic.