Hajiya Ladi Kwali, OON, MBE is a great pot maker whose works have sat beautifully in some of the world's renowned museums.
She has been honoured by the Nigerian government with the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) award and the British government with the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) award. She is no doubt honoured in numerous way.
A street, a very big conference hall, and a pottery centre were named after her. One honour that is hard to ignore is her image at the back of the 20 Naira note.
Ladi Kwali was not born in Suleja but has stayed most of her life in Suleja. Most of her family still live happily in Suleja. She was born in Kwali which at the time was under the Abuja Emirate (present-day Suleja).
It was reported that the-then Emir of Abuja, HRH, Sulaiman Barau bought most of her work which caught the attention of a renowned British potter by the name of Micheal Cardew. That incident led her to the fame she garnered today.
Ladi Kwali never obtain formal education but she was awarded with a Honorary doctorate degree by the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1977.
She died in 1984.
May the soul of Ladi Kwali and HRH Sulaiman Barau continue to Rest in Peace....
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