“The people living on the banks of the Niger and Benue Rivers share many social and artistic traditions. They are thought to have common ancestors known as the Akpoko people. Traditionally, they principally make their money by acting as trade intermediaries between the inland people and the people who inhabit the Niger River Delta.

Living at the confluence of the Benue and Niger Rivers, the 500,000 Idoma people are predominantly farmers and traders. Artistically, they have achieved a reputation for their female fecundity figures showing an open mouth with carved teeth and vertical keloids on the temples. The face is usually painted with white pigments – a stylistic characteristic also shared with the Igbo people.

Source:
Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. 1998. Print.