1.

0 Background of the study

This study is on simple approach to glaze formulation and usage at studio level practice in Edo state.
Ceramic products when glazed remain impervious to water or water proof and also make the product
not to retain stains or dirt. Ceramics as practiced globally, renders glaze as an interface on ceramics
wares. Ceramics wares have been given facial qualities by the application of glazes on them. These are
evident on the numerous varieties of ceramic products for industrial and domestic uses- such as floor
tiles, wall tiles, table wares, the lists are endless. Glazes are taught in several intuitions were ceramics
are taught. The technology had reached an advanced stage in some developed Countries of the world.
However, there are ongoing studies by some isolated glaze experts in the area of glazing in Nigeria. The
study of glazing have root deep in science, this sometimes creates gap in the practice among local
potters who may wish to apply the technology of glazing due to the complex scientific calculations
involved. In the light of the above discuss, t h i s s t u d y a t t e m p t s t o r e s o l v e t h e a b o v e c r e a
tedgapbysimplifyingtheformulationofglazesthatworkwellbyusinglocal
rawmaterialsfoundwithintheresearcher senvironment.Themultiplying
e f f e c t o f t h i s e f f o r t w i l l i m p a c t o n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f l o c al technology on glazing
and encourage self reliance in this era of promoting made- in- Nigeria product.

Globally, ceramics products are incomplete if not well glazed with required glazes and fried to become
rock like, hard, dense glossy and permanent. In view of the above, Osariyekemwen (2015.1) described
finished ceramic works to the ceramist, scientist, technologist and artist, as the manipulation and
change of clay with suitable additives materials into aesthetic and functional items by subjecting them to
heat treatment in the

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kiln, thereby making the oxides reactions both in the body and glaze compositions to form an interface.

Against the above background, Speight and Joki (1997:1) presented finished ceramic products to mean a
household Pottery and in addition works that have contributed to human comfort or technology in form
of useful items such as water pipes, floor and wall tiles to decorate buildings, storage vessels, cooking
utensils and objects for display.

In line with the foregoing, Glenn, (1966) submitted that a ceramic glaze and its formation ought not to
be the greatest mystery that it appears to be for countless pottery students. Basically, a glaze is nothing
more than a thing glass like coating that is fused to clay surface of the pot by heat of the kiln. Igbinedion
(1995.71) on the other hand stated that ceramic glaze is made from different materials such as silicates
and borosilicate. He further stressed that compounding a glaze, its compatibility with the body is of
paramount importance.

Osariyekemwen (2015:155) concluded that transparent glaze is a base glaze which enables the eyes to
see the body of the ware through the glaze that is applied. That is, the transparent glaze materials when
constituted into glaze composition and melted on wares in the kiln, the finished products are capable of
transmitting light. In other words, the objects surfaces can be seen as there are no interfering materials.

1.1 Statement of the problem

There seems to be a continual over dependence on imported ceramic materials and products especially
glazes in spite of the available and abundant ceramic raw

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materials in Nigeria. This has thus created some gap in glazing of ceramic wares. In some centres and
institutions of higher learning where ceramics are taught such as ceramic section in the University of
Benin, all of which are located in Nigeria have the difficulties of glazing for a decade now. This
constitutes a major problem that makes students of the section to paint their beautiful products after
bisque firing because of their inability to use the locally sourced raw materials in their immediate
environment to formulate glazes for use whenever they exhaust the imported glaze in their store.

From the above studies, is revealed that some of the materials oxides used to formulate quality glazes
were either scarce, fake or some when composed do not melt at a moderate temperature. This could
also be basically to lack of processing technology in the area of raw materials at the studio level. This
gives a great challenge to research, innovation and technological development of glazes in this
institution and the Nation at large.

In spite of the above statements, this study effort is geared towards the use of locally sourced available
ceramic raw materials to compound quality glazes that will melt at moderate temperature of 1150oC.
The incessant research, innovation and technological neglect to locally produce glazes in this part of the
Nation will steadily amount to student s l a c k o f k n o w l e d g e i n t h i s a r e a o f c e r a m i c s p e c i
alization;hencethisresearchbecamecompulsoryatthispointofquestfor
technologicaladvancement,innovation,researchbreakthroughinallwor
ksoflifeinNigeria.

1.2Conceptual/TechnicalFrameWork

Theconceptual/Technicalframeworkofthisstudyishingedon -made–in–
Nigeriagoods concepts.OkwoandSaibu(2013)mentionedthat,conceptu
alframework

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examinesthemajorconceptsintheresearchandalsoholisticallydiscusses
t h e m , u s i n g p r e vious related study by experts. Base on the above submission on conceptual frame
work, it therefore means that the major objective of this research will be discussed which is possibility of
using the available raw material to formulate quality glazes for use at studio level.

Thus concept as it related to the object would means that the raw material used are locally sourced and
use within our immediate environment in order to promote and use our locally produced items in
ceramics and the like in Nigeria. For many years now in Nigeria, all tiers of government have encouraged
the use of locally available raw materials to produce products for use. This serves as a re- direction
towards building our economy instead of overdependence of imported raw materials and products for
use.

In line with above, recently in vanguard news paper of 16th march 2016 the federal government asked
its various arms to key into the made- in- Nigeria. Also on 27th March 2016 the central Bank of Nigeria,
Governor Godwin Emefiele had said that the restriction of importation of foreign products has inevitably
revived the “made-in-Nigeria” campaign. Olawole (2016) opined that the understanding of made- in-
Nigeria applied to all walks of life including ceramics. Made- in- Nigeria as it relates to the topic „simple
approach to glaze formulation in Edo States & m e a n s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f k e y i n g i n t o u s i n g
theavailablerawmaterialsinourimmediateenvironmentstolocallyprod
ucestandard,affordableandprofitableceramicproductsforuseinNigeri
a.