In Akure, A Bicycle Like No Other

 In Akure, the Oba has a bicycle which is not like any other. Perhaps, he is the only monarch along the West African Coast to own such a bicycle. Once a year he rides round the ancient city in an unforgettable convoy. This is how it was in the past for things have changed a […]

 In Akure, the Oba has a bicycle which is not like any other. Perhaps, he is the only monarch along the West African Coast to own such a bicycle. Once a year he rides round the ancient city in an unforgettable convoy. This is how it was in the past for things have changed a bit today. Or better said, he is carried around the city, for the bicycle, also known as ‘Keke Oba’, has two long handles at its front, which two sturdy men hold firmly as the entourage moves through the city.

Keke Oba or royal bicycle

According to Amos Olorunnipa, the curator of the National Museum Akure ‘The Keke Oba is a royal bicycle used to transport the Oba on special occasions.In the past he used to come out once a year in the royal bicycle. It is piloted by royal attendants and it is pushed along. Also, the Oba will sit within the bicycle on such occasions, and a large royal Umbrella will be spread over him. The bicycle is a carryover from colonial times, and it echoes those moments when the Colonial Governors ruled. They were actually carried from location to location, especially when they went on tours of colonial Nigeria. The bicycle can be seen at the palace of the Deji of Akure which this reporter visited recently. This palace was built in the year 1150 AD   by Oba Asodeboyede, the first Oba of Akure, and grandchild of Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba race. 45 Oba’s have ruled so far at Akure and the palace   was declared a National Monument in 1990. This is because as a document from the Akure Museum indicates. ‘The Deji’s palace as a living monument still retains its traditional uses and values.For instance all the courtyards  are still being used for their traditional rites ,rituals, festivals and other ceremonies such as the coronation of a new Oba… The building represents a masterpiece of human creative genius based on the level of indigenous technology at that period (1150AD)’. So far the palace of the Deji of Akure is the only palace in south western Nigeria as well as in Ondo state to have been declared a National Monument.

A gate for women

There are three main entrances to the palace, Ohiosimuan Anthony and Mrs Makanjuola, of the National Museum Akure, tell me. There is a gate through which females alone have access to the palace. Another gate is for the sole use of the Oba, while the third gate is for the use of men alone. It is said that if a woman tries to enter through the male gate, she risks becoming infertile. So a guard sits by the gate with an ever-present whip to ward off any woman  who dares to approach But this reporter gathered that a man can safely pass through the gate designated for women without fear of any taboos or penalties. Mr Anthony states ‘It is felt that when a woman is observing her monthly cycle, they tend to be impure. If a woman then goes through the male entrance she may not give birth. Taboos are still very strong here’. These gates and the stories around them give an idea of the structure and organisation of the society. Interestingly, the society which has a number of strong taboos against women also has a place for female regents when this is necessary.

Palace with 22 courtyards

There are 18-22 courtyards in the 700 year old palace. The palace has an impressive low zinc ceiling and this feature is seen throughout the palace. Then there are massive pillars which support the palace as well. There are many small corridors which lead to large courtyards or even to smaller rooms. It is possible to get lost in this large palace, and some of the rooms are very dark. Each courtyard has a certain ritual significance which has implications for the wider society.In this sense the palace is a living heritage and is a cultural and spiritual magnet which attracts the people. They go there to make oaths,to appease the ancestors, to attend the traditional courts, as well as to hold or mark Festivals and make sacrifices. The numerous courtyards are very central to all these processes. Ua Lila is the largest of the courtyards where the Oba entertains his people and receives his guests.Ua Iburu is the oath taking courtyard. Ua Oriole is the courtyard where the herbalists meet. Ua Agbeto is a remarkable courtyard for no matter how often people urinate there, it will never give off an odour. This is something which people cannot easily explain, but it has been established as being true.

This courtyard is the place where people wait for the Oba if they are about to be given a Chieftaincy title. I am also told that whenever it rains no water will be found in the palace just five minutes after the rain ceases. This is despite the fact that there is no proper drainage system at the palace. This is another remarkable point about the palace. Ua Ameshe is the courtyard where the traditional court is located. I am told that ‘if the Oba wants to perform any rite he goes to Ua Ameshe’.The nearby new palace of the Deji is essentially for the accommodation of the Oba.

All rites and ceremonies still take place at the old palace which is therefore ritually significant. Ua Ojukoto is another courtyard whose meaning translates as ‘Where eyes cannot really reach’.Ua Ikunle is the courtyard where the Oba meets his chiefs. This courtyard is in the very centre of the palace. Here cows are killed and the number of cows killed by each Oba in the total period of his reign, are used to count the number of years he ruled. This is the method used to count the length of the Oba’s reign, rather than the use of a calendar. Ua Jemifonu is a Festival marked by the Oba every year. He goes away from his people for seven days and roads adjacent to the palace are then closed for the period.Ua Umorun is the courtyard where the King’s wives reside.

A little renovation

Amos Olorunnipa tells me that the palace needs regular fumigation to protect the wood and other properties from the ravaging impact of insects. It also needs monument assistants who should be indigenes of Akure, and who should therefore be familiar with the history and folklore of the city.
His words ‘Some areas need to be renovated because of ageing, and these should be redone in the traditional form. This needs financial support. Also restoration needs to be done around the parts made of mud which need regular scrubbing. So fumigation, restoration and rehabilitation need to be done in several parts of the museum.’ He added that there is need to reinforce some traditional sites in order to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the place.
‘This is the only palace in the South West that has been declared a National Monument, and government should provide an annual subvention towards its maintenance. Also some of the museum assistants to be recruited should be male, since there are parts of the palace which women cannot access.’
A document prepared by NCMM Akure argues that there is a need for adequate signposts at Adesida road junction directing people to the location of the Deji’s palace, as well as in the front of the palace to draw people’s attention to the palace. ‘The various courtyards should be identified with bold labels in the 3 major Nigerian languages, stating briefly their various functions. Indicative arrows should be put in place to show the flow of movement from one courtyard to another.
A management plan has been proposed for the Deji’s palace and it is supposed to last from 2009 to 2014 after which it will be reviewed based on the situation that manifests. It was because of some undesirable external influences that were gradually making inroads into this cultural property, especially its physical attributes, that the idea of a management plan was suggested.

Yusuf Abdallah Usman, Director, Monuments Heritage and Sites of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, (NCMM) says that the Conservation Management plan which will run for five years will address very key issues relating to the conservation of the outstanding features of the palace of the Deji of Akure. This is for purposes of sustainable tourism, as well as to preserve it as evidence of the past glory and technical skills of the people of Ondo.
It will also showcase their building and engineering skills. He says that the management plan addresses a number of critical concerns such as presentation of the unique features, as well as accessibility to the site by the people. He added that managing the site would not be a duty of the NCMM alone.
It also involves the Deji of Akure, the Ondo state government as well as the local government council. His words ‘In view o the general lack of resources for heritage management, we cannot manage the site alone without involving the people concerned. The involvement is also related to the government at the grassoots level. The owner of the property is involved, the local government as well as the state government.’ He also comments on the anticipated benefits of the entire management plan ‘How will the community benefit if the site is prepared and preserved and people visit? How will people benefit? The answer lies in he fact that visitors will spend money and the economy of the   community will improve. The preservation of the site evokes the sense of pride of the people too.’
Two Queens

Finally, women tend to be prominent in quite a number of the cults. It is mentioned to this reporter that women are very visible in cults that have to do with the earth. They are quite prominent among the group of herbalists too. It is significant that inspite of the taboos against women, out of the 45 Oba’s that have ruled over Akureland, at least two have been women.