Oyo Kingdom has lost one of its longstanding symbols of history and tradition following the death of a 420-year-old tortoise popularly known as Baba at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo.
Gatekeepers News reports that Baba was regarded by residents as the oldest indigene of Oyo and had remained a treasured palace animal through generations of monarchs.
The Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, said in a statement that Baba was more than a tortoise, having become part of the oral history of the Yoruba people and a major attraction at the ancient palace.
According to Durojaiye, the incumbent Alaafin, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, met Baba at the palace after ascending the throne.
He said successive Alaafins had cared for the tortoise and inherited it as part of the historical relics associated with the palace.
“In Oyo, Baba was regarded as the oldest indigene. It was the Alaafin’s most besotted pet. The incumbent Paramount Ruler met it in the Palace, as Baba was nourished by a succession of Kings, who inherited him as part of the relics of their ancestors,” Durojaiye said.
“Baba was more than a turtle in status. He represented a part of the oral history of the Yoruba race. Now, the Alaafin has lost an ageless companion.”
Durojaiye said oral accounts indicated that Baba was brought from Oyo-Ile, the seat of the old Oyo Empire, to the present palace in Oyo town.
He added that two palace officials had been responsible for the tortoise’s welfare over the years, while its unusual size and longevity made it a major attraction for visitors.
According to him, some visitors specifically came to the palace to see Baba, making the animal part of the tourism experience in Oyo.
The tortoise was reportedly fed with watermelon, corn pap wrapped in leaves and grass.
Durojaiye said Baba fell ill on Monday and stopped eating before eventually dying.
He added that the tortoise had since been buried.
Baba’s death has also revived memories of Yoruba beliefs surrounding the relationship between the living, the dead and the unborn, a theme explored by Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka in his 1975 play, Death and the King’s Horseman.
Durojaiye noted that Baba’s unusually long existence enabled it to witness the reigns of several Alaafins and become a living link to the kingdom’s history.
He said the current Alaafin intends to preserve Baba’s memory for future generations and ensure that the tortoise’s place in the history of Oyo Kingdom endures.
