A Ogboni bronze couple, Nigeria, knees bent inwards over a mount, genitals showing, feet to the ground, a columnar abdomen, with rings towards the waist, two arms crossing at the middle of the abdomen, the female has conical breasts pointing downwards, straight posture, rounded shoulders, a cylindric neck both wearing a necklace carrying a large oval shaped head, the face of which is composed with striking features:a horizontal half opened mouth, long pointed nose, two large vertically placed bulging eyes, the hair is pulled upwards and forms two horns, slightly curving inward; oxidation, some damages causing holes can be noticed on the upper part of the bodies.

According to Elsy Leuzinger, the cult objects of the Ogboni society occupy a special position. So far as one can find out about the secrets of the society, they are related to the cult of the earth spirit Onile. It is possible that the relief figure with the catfish-legs on the agba drums represents this Onile. When the agba drum sounds to call the members of the society, everyone is seized with terror, because the call always means that a death sentence is to be executed, usually as a punishment for the betrayal of the secrets of the society. The blood of the sacrificed used to be poured over the drum.

An Ogboni, bronze couple, former Wolfgang-Jaenicke
collection, last photo of this sequence

In the Ogboni sanctuary there is also a larger brass figure with protruding eyes and a horn-like hair-style. Its hands form the Ogboni greeting. Morton Williams investigated its secrets and learned that it was Ajagbo, a terrible Alafin of Oyo, who became a revenging spirit and is invoked by the Ogboni society when a divine sentence of death has to be passed. Ajagbo is identified with Onile, the earth spirit.

"The style of works in metal and ivory is very different from the style of carving in the Yoruba country. This phenomenon is no doubt to be explained by its completely different function." (The Art of Black Africa, translated by R.A. Wilson, the New York Graphic Society, New York, 1972, pp 174-176.)