The Oyo Kingdom has lost one of its most enduring historical relics after Baba, a 420-year-old tortoise kept at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, died following a brief illness.
Bode Durojaiye, Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, confirmed the death in a statement, saying the animal had become an inseparable part of the palace's identity and the oral history of the Yoruba people.
Baba's Place in Oyo's History
Durojaiye said oral history confirmed that Baba was originally brought from Oyo-Ile, the ancient seat of the old Oyo Empire, to the current palace in Oyo town. The tortoise outlived generation after generation of monarchs, with each successive Alaafin inheriting the animal as part of the palace's ancestral relics.
"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.
He added: "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."
The current Alaafin, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, met Baba upon his ascension to the throne. Two palace officials had been responsible for the tortoise's care over the years, and its remarkable size and age had made it a draw for visitors who travelled specifically to the palace to see it.
Baba was fed watermelon, corn pap wrapped in leaves, and grass.
Death and What Comes Next
According to Durojaiye, the tortoise fell ill on Monday, stopped eating, and died shortly after. Baba has since been buried.
The passing has stirred reflection on Yoruba beliefs about the connections between the living, the dead, and generations yet to come, themes that Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka explored in his 1975 play, Death and the King's Horseman.
Durojaiye said the current Alaafin was committed to preserving Baba's memory for future generations, ensuring the tortoise's place in the history of the Oyo Kingdom would not be forgotten.
