ient ▁of ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁Niger ian ▁woman ▁to ▁cast ▁bronze . In ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁she ▁received ▁the ▁B end el ▁State ▁Award ▁for ▁Art ▁and ▁Culture ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁Young ▁Women ’ s ▁Catholic ▁Association ▁for ▁her ▁contribution ▁to ▁u pl ifting ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁women ▁in ▁her ▁country . ▁She ▁now ▁continues ▁to ▁work ▁at ▁the ▁Ben in ▁University ▁where ▁she ▁takes ▁care ▁of ▁her ▁own ▁bronze ▁found ry . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁female ▁artist , ▁Elizabeth ▁O low u ' s ▁main ▁desire ▁is ▁to ▁" li ber ate ▁women folk ▁from ▁the ▁sh ack les ▁of ▁men , ▁dep riv ation ▁and ▁tab o os ". In ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁she ▁sculpt ed ▁an ▁aut obi ographical ▁sculpt ure ▁of ▁a ▁young ▁girl ▁sitting ▁at ▁a ▁des k ▁while ▁eng ross ed ▁in ▁a ▁book . ▁This ▁sculpt ure ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁from ▁her ▁culture ▁that ▁dep icted ▁an ▁individual ▁female ▁figure . ▁The ▁year ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁important ▁year ▁of ▁her ▁life . ▁She ▁expl ored , ▁in ▁depth , ▁the ▁them es ▁of ▁power ▁from ▁an ▁em otion ally ▁diverse ▁perspective . ▁Some ▁distinguished ▁sculpt ures ▁from ▁this ▁year ▁include ▁The ▁O ba ▁and ▁Christ ▁Bear ing ▁the ▁S ins ▁of ▁Human ity . ▁The ▁O ba ▁dep ict s ▁her ▁father , ▁who ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁facil it ating ▁her ▁career ▁and ▁her