Àrò Mẹ́ta – The Welcome to Lagos Statue
The Àrò Mẹ́ta, a white granite sculpture of three Lagos white-capped chiefs is not just a mere sculpture, it is rich in its meaning. Popularly called the “three wise men,” the Àrò Mẹ́ta statue is one of the most famous monuments in Lagos and it is meant to welcome people coming into the city.
The sculpture was created by Olugodun Shodeinde in 1991 and it was commissioned by the government of Raji Rasaki. The statues represent Idejo chiefs in traditional greeting mode are about 12 feet tall.
The Àrò Mẹ́ta depict the three kinds of traditional greetings on Lagos Island (Eko). All of them display clenched fists with the right hand always placed over the left.
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The person on the right extends his fist forward into the air, the middle figure holds his right fist forward with a tiny downward angle, and the figure on the left pulls his two fists together, touching softly in the air. This represents the highest honor possible in the Yorùbá greeting custom, and symbolizes a strong belief in the Supremacy of the right over the left (belief in God).
Also, the statues are robed in intricately tied wrappers with the ends flung across the right shoulder.
This is not a coincidence, because in the Yorùbá culture, the right hand signifies acceptance and respect, while the left hand is viewed with revulsion because it is often used to perform unsavory tasks and chores.
Initially, Àrò Mẹ́ta was located at the former Lagos-Ibadan toll gate, it was however moved permanently further to the bridge linking Ojodu and Alausa secretariat.
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