S/S: People of the Rock

A·be·o·ku·ta (under the rock) could pass for the birthplace of an epic tale.

There would be stories of valor, romance, betrayal, sacrifice and blah-blah.
Unfortunately, our beloved Nollywood citizens are busy waiting for the next American blockbuster to *9jarise so this is just me thinking wistfully.


Towering 137meters above sea level the resplendent OLUWA MǪ (God molded) aka Olumo rock stands till this day.
Brief history...

In the 19th Century, about the time tribal wars ravaged the Yoruba kingdom.
A great hunter (sadly not Chris Hemsworth from Snow White and the huntsman) by the name of Adagba discovered the rock.
The people were directed by the Ifa oracle to take refuge underneath the rock.

While the able bodied men went to battle, the women and children remained safely hidden beneath the rock.
This continued for about 3 years.

(I do not think they smiled much while at it though)

Traditionally, when a man dies, he is buried behind his house.

Here lies the body of a man, buried behind his house.
Legend has it that in honor of the dead, he was responsible for the cleaning and care of the area's surrounding the Egba war time hideout

Olumo rock is believed to have magical powers; healing and otherwise.
When it rains, water gathers at the peak of the rock.
After 7 days, traditional healers gather this water and use it in the treatment of various ailments.
The Iroko tree at the peak of the rock has stood for over 200 years

There is a story of how 3 White men attempted to blow up a part of the rock while prospecting for minerals.
After the explosion, a crack appeared on the face of the rock with blood and pus oozing out...
The White men were sacrificed to the rock.

There are 5 kings in Abeokuta
Alake of Egbaland
Olowu of Owu
Agura of Gbagura
Oshile of Oke Ona and
Olubare of Ibara

Once a year, the door to the shrine is opened and Oba Alake and the chief priest go within to offer sacrifice and prayers for peace, harmony in the land and safety of climbing tourist (no casualty has ever been recorded).
In the past, humans were sacrificed (this was before the missionaries brought Christian religion educating them on how wrong it is to use people for "parts").
It was and still is a taboo to use indigenes for sacrifice so, charms were made to lure foreigners to be used.

The use of people has been replaced with the use of cattle, poultry and crops.


Olumo rock houses people of the land to this day mainly the priests and priestesses who monitor and perform traditional rites on shrines under the rock.
Some of the deities are Obalu Aye deity, ‘Orisa Igun’ meaning the deity for longevity, Akoko Tree for Alake’s coronation, among others.
Relics of their ancestors and hero's past are preserved in symbols and objects

Below is a picture of goat. The goat is not a relic (I named it Kanayo)

Notable Egba people include:
Madam Efunroye Tinubu, the 1st Iyalode of Egba clan (is she related to Tinubu of lagos state?)

Fela Kuti, now deceased a talented out spoken man

Olusegun Obasanjo, he has a very big farm and did something with the price of petrol while he was president of Nigeria.

Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola

Wole Soyinka (cool guy)

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S/S: Sights and Sounds
9jarise: take a popular and/or known thing and attempt to make it proudly 9jan.


- O