Nigerian Ports Authority

Heraldry in Africa
Marcus Karlsson
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Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 18 Oct 2013, 17:33

Some years ago I came across the Journal West Africa at the library where I was working at the time. The I found a Picture of the Arms of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

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Chris Green
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Re: Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Chris Green » 19 Oct 2013, 06:55

Unfortunately the NPA web-site's image of their CoA is very small and googling reveals no other illustrations.

http://www.nigerianports.org/

The principal charge is three "things" intertwined. They vaguely resemble horse-shoes but clearly are not. Nor can I see any obvious link with ports and harbours. My best bet is that they are some traditional local artefact connected with trading by sea - a weight used for weighing merchandise perhaps?

I served in Lagos for over three years but don't remember having seen such things. If no-one has the answer I might give their UK office a call and ask.
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Marcus Karlsson
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Re: Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 19 Oct 2013, 08:22

On the site http://www.hubert-herald.nl/NigeriaE.htm I found the Former Arms of Northern Region in Nigeria. It include a charge similar to the one used in the NPA Arms. The Shield of the Northern region is balsoned:

Parted by a fess Or, the first Sable, a rising sun radiant Or, the second tierced in pall Vert, Gules and Sable, three manillas entwined Or, surmounting. A Picture albeit small of the Full Arms is seen below.

Image

The charge appears to be Manillas, which was bronze bands semicircular in shape like a bracelet. They where used as a form of curreceny and Raw material in West Africa. So my guess it they are included as a symbol of Commerce.
Last edited by Marcus Karlsson on 20 Oct 2013, 17:24, edited 1 time in total.

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Chris Green
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Re: Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Chris Green » 19 Oct 2013, 08:59

While in the shower I had the thought that they might be currency rather than weights. But your research was more rapid than mine! Here is the Wiki entry for the manilla:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manillas
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Ryan Shuflin
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Re: Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Ryan Shuflin » 19 Oct 2013, 11:02

Nigeria has some nice heraldry.

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Chas Charles-Dunne
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Re: Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Chas Charles-Dunne » 19 Oct 2013, 16:32

As soon as I saw them, I thought that they might be torcs -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torc
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Chris Green
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Re: Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Chris Green » 19 Oct 2013, 17:31

Nigeria has some nice heraldry.

Nearly all dates from colonial times. The NPA CoA would have been a College of Arms job.

I thought that they might be torcs

You torc the torc but do you work the work? Drat that doesn't rhyme correctly in English English! Strangely though it would in Nigerian English where they make w o r k (labour) rhyme with talk.
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Re: Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 20 Oct 2013, 17:28

Chris Green wrote:While in the shower I had the thought that they might be currency rather than weights. But your research was more rapid than mine! Here is the Wiki entry for the manilla:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manillas


Yes it occured to me that I had seen something like that before in a Nigerian Regional Arms. They are by the way not used anymore. Nowadays Nigerian Regions should use only the State Arms.

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Chris Green
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Re: Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Chris Green » 20 Oct 2013, 17:38

Nigeria's regional states fluctuate in number. There are far more now than when I served there in the 1980s. As Nigeria has no heraldic authority I imagine that the state authorities gave up on heraldry long since. I am sure they wouldn't dream of going back to the College of Arms for new grants.
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Re: Nigerian Ports Authority

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 20 Oct 2013, 18:01

Chris Green wrote:Nigeria's regional states fluctuate in number. There are far more now than when I served there in the 1980s. As Nigeria has no heraldic authority I imagine that the state authorities gave up on heraldry long since. I am sure they wouldn't dream of going back to the College of Arms for new grants.


There acctualy was a try to give the new States created during the 1960ies Arms but in 1970 according to the Flags of the World Site all of this was abolished (along with the State Flags - The Nigerian one iwth the State Arms on the White Stripe).


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