Ijele, a genus of masks from the Igbo areas of Nigeria, are the largest masks in Africa. They can be up to 5 metres high. They appear at important festivals and are a highlight of the festivities. The pictorial programme of Ijele masks represents the diversity of beauty and life. The first Ijele masks were designed in the Igbo communities of Umueri and Aguleri in Anhambra State, Nigeria. The dancers of the masks were probably intended to intimidate missionaries. This Ijele mask was commissioned by the Igbo community Ikuku Cultural Group in Berlin in 2008. It was designed by Anayo Nwobodo.