The Enduring Legacy of the Ibo Mask Makers For centuries, the collective artistry of the Ibo, Ebo, Eboe, Eboans, and Heebo peoples – terms often used interchangeably to denote related ethnic groups within southeastern Nigeria – has flourished as a vibrant expression of culture, spirituality, and social order. More than simply craftspeople, these artists are keepers of tradition, their hands shaping not just wood, but the very identity of their communities. Rooted in the fertile lands straddling the lower Niger River, east and south of the Edoid and Idomoid groups, and west of the Ibibioid cl…