Tosan Ideh mentioned ITSK Gold, the company he co-started with his mate Tuoyo Dudu, was inspired by Nigerian cultural symbols and artefacts to make jewelry like rings and bracelets as well as dresses.

At his shop in Lagos, each individual piece of gold, silver and brass-coated jewellery represents Nigerian tradition and lifestyle.

Nigerian cultural gold artwork is viewed in the foreground as co-founder of ITSK Gold Tuoyo Dudu sits guiding a table in Lagos. (REUTERS/Nneka Chile)

“So individuals could definitely be in a position to communicate their languages but symbols constantly resonate and its something we felt individuals can usually resonate with like any place all over the world,” Ideh, who has lived in Canada, told Reuters.

“I feel that we want to create solutions that people today can have for a extensive time, they can go from a person generation to era and know that this is accurate African heritage which is timeless.”

Amid the jewelry are gold rings depicting the Queen Idia Mask, aspect of hundreds of Benin Bronzes looted by British troops from the Benin palace in 1897. Idia was a 16th century queen mother from the Kingdom of Benin.

Buyers try out things at the ITSK Gold in Lagos, Nigeria. (REUTERS/Nneka Chile)

Also on exhibit is a ring topped with a Jekri sword, a symbol of the Niger Delta’s Itsekiri men and women which is associated with courage and royalty and thought to have magical powers.

“It is not just putting on parts, it is donning items that imply a little something,” said shopper Abdulmalik Obaseki just after acquiring a lapel that represented his twin Hausa and Benin tribal roots.

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