The ceremonial sword is an important symbol of power and authority. High ranking individuals wear the udamalore, (a small, ornate ceremonial sword), during festivals to distinguish themselves as someone of importance. At Ilesha, (central Yorubaland), the chief strikes the blade of his sword on the earth three times when he greets Ogun, god of iron. Swords are not only emblems of wealth, but also of the power latent within the metal itself to cause either destruction, or to be used for protection. Just as an individual possessing power, both earthly and spiritual, may use the weapon for aggressive or passive purposes depending upon his judgment and wisdom.
A large lizard-like creature covers slightly more than half of the blade's surface. Facing down towards the hilt, the bulbous body is textured with diagonal lines. A long tail filled with concentric circles is enlarged by the addition of striated semi-circles on either side. The double-banded head by comparison with the body is quite small. The animal is surrounded by concentric circles of varying sizes. Below the lizard is an intricate network of semi-circles, ellipses, and bands with diagonal lines, combining to give the effect of dense undergrowth towards which the lizard appears to be crawling.