Comfort Yakubu
The art of pottery is an ancient craft that dates back to the 7th millennium, and its history is deeply interwoven with the cultural tapestry of Nigeria. For millennia, skilled artisans have been working clay by hand, shaping it into various forms, and turning it into functional and artistic pottery.
In some instances, women in particular would pour clay into molds made from pottery, wood, or calabash. These clay pots have remained a vital part of Nigerian daily life, serving as vessels for cooking and various other functions.
After shaping and drying the clay, the pots are subjected to a firing process. In some regions, these pots are baked outdoors using open fires, while in others, real kilns are employed. Once the pots are baked, they become a canvas for decoration, with artisans adding various materials for functionality and ornamental purposes.
One example of this artistic expression is the use of basket-work covers fitted over the pots, enhancing their functionality and visual appeal. The art of pottery has deep roots in African culture, and it continues to thrive in modern-day Nigeria, reflecting the country’s rich heritage.
The decoration of pottery varies across different ethnic groups, regions, and individual potters. Designs may range from simple circles and loops to intricate patterns of leaves, animals, and insects such as lizards, scorpions, and birds, which are popular motifs on Gbagyi water pots. The art of pottery isn’t confined to the surface of the vessels; even the insides of lids can be beautifully adorned.
Interestingly, pottery-making is predominantly an art practiced by women and the skills are traditionally passed down from mother to daughter through apprenticeship. This tradition has preserved the art form for generations.
Nigeria boasts a rich artistic tradition that spans thousands of years, encompassing a wide array of crafts and arts. While many early artworks held religious or spiritual significance, these traditional crafts evolved over time to include both practical and decorative items.
Today, Suleja, Abuja, and Ilorin are recognized as significant centers for traditional pottery in Nigeria. One such community is Ushafa, situated in the Bwari area council of Nigeria’s Federal Capital City. This picturesque settlement, surrounded by hills and streams, remains rooted in agriculture, despite the encroachment of modernisation. The people of Ushafa cultivate a variety of crops and engage in livestock farming.
Ushafa’s pottery center has a unique story. Established in 1991 by former First Lady Dr. Mrs. Maryam Babangida, it was created to empower Gbagyi women potters and provide them with a platform to enhance and market their craft. As a result, women from various parts of the village relocated to the center, bringing their traditional expertise with them.
The Gbagyi people are known for their craftsmanship, excelling not only in pottery but also in mat weaving, tie and dye, and other creative arts. Ushafa Pottery Center, which operates under the FCT Social Development Secretariat, produces a diverse range of products, including Gbagyi pots, tea pots, beads, candle stands, burnt bricks, interlocking bricks, and ceramic items for home and kitchen use. The center also serves as a training ground for students pursuing industrial training.
However, it is regrettable to note that the Ushafa Pottery Center, once a thriving hub of activity, is gradually becoming a shadow of its former self. Upon a recent visit, it was observed that although some Gbagyi women were still diligently crafting pots, the overall demand for their products has dwindled. Mrs. Dorcas Titus, one of the veteran Gbagyi women potters, revealed that the production process can be physically demanding, involving laborious tasks like burning and casting designer pots. Despite her deep love for the art, she lamented that people no longer frequent their stores, except for a few who occasionally purchase smaller pots for decoration and planting flowers.
These women find themselves at a crossroads as they solely depend on this craft for their livelihood. Their limited economic returns, coupled with changing times, have made it a challenging profession. In the past, pottery was a thriving business, but now they are struggling to keep the tradition alive. When asked if they are passing on their skills to the younger generation, the women expressed their concern that modern children seem more inclined toward white-collar jobs and less interested in preserving these ancient crafts.
The Ushafa Pottery Center, which was once a magnet for visitors and a testament to the artistry of Gbagyi women, has lost some of its former luster. Despite its decline, it remains a symbol of tradition and heritage, offering a glimpse into the rich history of pottery in Nigeria.
visitors to Usafa pottery center incudes world leaders and other prominent personalities like, US President Bill Clinton who visited in the year
2000, and was given the traditional chieftaincy title of ‘Dan Masanin Ushafa’ meaning ‘the most educated man of Ushafa’ and citizenship of
the village ,his visit drew local and global attention to Ushafa village and its rich pottery works. The village came to be known as
Bill Clinton village. Other world notable visitors to the center are . Egypt President Hosni Mubarak , Swiss Vice President Ruth Metzier among many others
We met Abubakar at the center he explained that when it was set up.
We met Abubakar at the center he explained that when it was set up,
it was initially a traditional pottery center but today it has two sections traditional and modern center, in making a pottery work,
there are different stages he explained the first thing is Pounding the clay, after that it becomes tender and ready for use the next
stage is molding process, after molding process the women design the used incised wood to make designs. The allow it to go hard a little,
then smoothing after that, it is allowed to dry and the it undergoes firing (Open Firing).
In modern signature they do enclosed firing. Potter’s wheel electric and manual spinning is also used in the modern section , and the turntable goes round instead of you ,in this case you spin with your leg unlike in the traditional where you go round . After the design you take to the kling for firing.
Vessels were displayed and they sell in different prices for Abubakar, Arts generally is lucrative specially the area of
ceramics ,people love it. It is part of our everyday life. Pottery is going to the extreme its used for so many things interior and exterior
part is use for drug production and insulator materials. Here we make use of clay, 2 types to work primary and secondary clay. Primary is
popular called china or proclaim, / kaolin the primary clay is referred to as in purest form it has not been mixed with particles
natural. Secondary store ware clay and earthen ware clay , it is secondary because it moved from place to place mixed leaves plastic and
elastic. But for the women at the traditional center, they said people come once in a while, people come to buy
we don’t have another job that is why we are still here, business is slow and we have families, we learnt the art from our mothers, in the
past it was a booming business, we don’t do any other job, it is the men who farm, we solely depend on this, , it’s not easy when we ask
if the skills are being transferred to their upspring just as they learned from their mothers they said children these days are not
interested their focus is on white colar jobs.
The art of pottery in Nigeria, with its deep cultural and historical significance, stands as a testament to the resilience of tradition in the face of modernization. While challenges persist, the enduring spirit of the Gbagyi women potters continues to shape these clay vessels, preserving an ancient craft for future generations to appreciate and cherish.
