Josh Egesi of Ike Lagos presents the Ayo Bench, a functional product combining modern design with a beloved cultural activity. Drawing inspiration from Ayo, one of Africa's oldest and most cherished board games. It reflects African resourcefulness, tradition, and the enduring legacy of African diaspora communities. Josh’s reimagination of this game in the form of a functional bench is a brilliant homage to this heritage while redefining sustainable design and usability.

“The Ayo Bench offers a playful twist on a centuries-old game of strategy, indigenous to Africa. Regarded as the world's oldest board game, archeological evidence traces the earliest version to 6th century Ethiopia. Naturally the game is favoured across Africa and the Caribbean (brought and preserved by enslaved Africans and their descendants) among other regions for its ability to sharpen the arithmetic skills of its players. There are several names variations but the most common are: Tegre, Bao, Ayo Olopon, Ncho, Ókwè, Dara, Mancala, Kalah, Omweso, Endodoi Oware, Awele, and Warri. Played by two players the aim of the game is to count and capture as many seeds as players move around the wooden board of carved holes. - Ebere Anosike”