420-Year-Old Alaafin’s Palace Tortoise, Baba, Dies
420-Year-Old Alaafin’s Palace Tortoise, Baba, Dies
Oyo Kingdom has lost one of its most enduring 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. Baba was regarded by residents as one of the oldest living links to Oyo’s past and had remained at the palace through the reigns of successive Alaafins. The tortoise was also a notable attraction for visitors to the historic palace. According to a statement by Bode Durojaiye, Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Baba was more than a palace pet and had become part of the oral history associated with the Yoruba people. Durojaiye said the current Alaafin, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, met Baba at the palace after ascending the throne. The tortoise was reportedly inherited and cared for by successive kings, with palace officials responsible for its welfare over the years. Durojaiye said oral history indicated that Baba was brought from Oyo-Ile, the former capital of the Oyo Empire, to the present-day palace in Oyo town. The tortoise’s unusual longevity and size made it a major attraction, with some visitors reportedly coming to the palace specifically to see it. Baba was traditionally fed with items including watermelon, corn pap wrapped in leaves and grass. According to the palace, Baba fell ill on Monday and stopped eating before eventually dying. The tortoise has since been buried. Its death has prompted reflections on its extraordinary longevity and the historical changes it would have witnessed across generations of the Oyo Kingdom. The palace said the Alaafin intends to preserve Baba’s memory for future generations and ensure that its place in the history of the kingdom is not forgotten. For many residents and visitors, Baba represented a living connection between contemporary Oyo and the kingdom’s long traditional history. The death therefore marks the end of an unusual chapter in the story of the Alaafin’s palace and one of its most recognisable historical attractions.
