An instantly recognizable piece of African culture, the agbada is the Yoruba name for the wide-shouldered flowing gown that is mostly worn by men in West Africa. It is also the generic term for this exquisite piece of clothing, though different communities have different names for it; riga among the Hausa, gandorra among the Tuareg, and boubou in Senegal.
Among the Yoruba, three clothing materials are often used for making elegant agbadas; sanyan (anaphe silk), etu (material with shades of blue and indigo) and alaari (a reddish cloth). Traditional, hand woven agbadas required at least 10 meters of material and can take up to a year to make, but embroidering machines have significantly cut down that time, and the cost of an agbada.
When completed, the agbada can have 6 pieces, though it normally has 4 pieces, and these are:
- Dashiki– a sleeveless shirt
- Sokoto ehumula- the trousers, usually draw string pants
- Ikori/fila- a hat
- Agbada- the flowing robe that covers everything
- Gbariye-a short sleeved flared tunic
- Dandogo- similar to the agbada but with a flared body
Most agbada designs often feature an aujufun, an embroidered chest pocket made of anaphe silk.
The agbada is often used to signify power, wealth and authority, but its usage and designs vary from one community to another. Among the Hausa of Northern Nigeria for example, a white riga can be worn as a funeral shroud.
The agbada came to Nigeria during the 18th and 19th centuries, following conquests by Usman dan Fodio from Senegal. The clothes were adapted for horse riding and were worn only by the high and mighty, a trend that was adopted by the conquered communities.
The agbada is not as hot as it might appear; its openwork patterns and looseness ensures the body is properly ventilated.
By Matengo Chwanya
Sources: Adire African textiles
Africa Global News Publication
