Male figure, Bateba, Lobi people, Burkina Faso Wood Height with stand 32 cm The Lobi are an agrarian people residing in southwest Burkina Faso, northern Ivory Coast, and northwest Ghana. The current population ranges between three and six hundred thousand, depending on sources. Men in the community engage in wood carving, iron forging, and copper smelting, while the women specialize in pottery. Lobi society is subservient to the thila (singular thil), invisible guardian genies who convey their demands through diviners and sorcerers. The thil dictate prohibitions and require the carving of bateba, wooden figures, for the village or household sanctuary. Failure to comply with these orders may lead to calamities such as epidemics or drought affecting the village, and an individual's fault can impact the entire community. In divination, bateba play a crucial role by conveying answers from the thila to the diviner. They not only reveal the reasons why the individual sought consultation but also provide prescriptions for resolving the identified problem. The carving of a bateba may be one of these prescriptions. The form and expression of Lobi statues are not arbitrary decisions made by the sculptor; rather, they are manifestations of the will of the thila. These beings, sent to earth by the gods to protect humanity from hunger, disease, and suffering, determine the statue's form. Through the diviner, they specify the shape, size, gender, and attitude of the statue to be sculpted. These 'objects' serve as 'receptacles' for forces intended to release their energy on behalf of humanity. This sculpture portrays a standing figure in a hieratic pose, characterized by a Cubist head with almond-shaped eyes. The arms are sculpted in high relief, positioned flat on each side of the belly button. The feet are missing and the legs are together. The chest is marked with detail. Evidence of its age is apparent through pronounced erosion and the development of a rich patina, which contribute to its enduring presence and beauty. For display purposes, the figure is mounted on a metal stand.