Alagba, the ancient tortoise – Catholic Herald
Catholic Herald
  • Home
  • Cover Story
  • Editorial
  • Archbishopric
  • News
    • Vatican News
  • Homily
  • Kids &Teens
  • Gallery
No Result
View All Result
Catholic Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Matters of the Moment

Alagba, the ancient tortoise

by admin
October 13, 2019
in Matters of the Moment
0
494
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

S
hockingly, ancient Alagba

passed away last week in Og-
bomoso! He was more than

a turtle in status. The gen-
erational occupant of Soun’s

palace departed without premonition,
throwing the royal dynasty into deep
mourning. The Kabiyesi lost a dear

friend in Alagba, an agelong compan-
ion whose revered abode suddenly

became vacant in the exalted prime-
val castle. It was a queer tale in Og-
bomoso. The Yoruba race lost a leg of

their prized oral history. Scholars and
custodians of the Yoruba culture and

tradition missed a singular histori-
cal opportunity for documentation.

They procrastinated, failing to run a
documentary on the antique symbol

of longevity while he lived. They as-
sumed that Alagba was crafted in an

immortal carapace, having existed for
an incredibly long period of 344 years.
They took him for a god. Justifiably so,
perhaps! But they committed a faux
pas. Alagba must die like every living
creature.
Alagba was not a myth or fiction. He
was real, sick for a few days, we were
told, and then the end came. Only God

is immortal. Alagba was the oldest
living being in Africa, nay the world.

Some sceptics in Nigeria are ques-
tioning his acclaimed old age. They

should tarry awhile to first investigate

the authority and validity of oral Af-
rican history and literature. Our oral

history is remarkably impeccable. The
whites can say whatever they like. The

real concern is why some of us Nige-
rians could be discrediting an integral

part of our own history! Such hard-
liners should prove oral tradition’s

disapproval anywhere. They trust the
whites but distrust themselves. They

believe European history but discred-
it their own African history rooted in

oral tradition.
That was what spurred Duro Ladipo’s
research on Oba Koso. Though a good
Christian, believer and choirmaster,

born in the church and sired by a pop-
ular Reverend in Osogbo, south-west

Nigeria, Duro Ladipo thirsted to find

out if truly Africans lacked the knowl-
edge of God before the whites came

with their tragic colonialism. Using

his exalted position as director, play-
wright and principal actor in his Duro

Ladipo National Theatre Group, Lad-
ipo decided to investigate the reasons

some people worshipped ‘orisa’ in
Yorubaland. He examined the lives of
great Yoruba leaders who died before
the advent of Christianity and chose
Sango as the focus of his research.
He wrote “Oba Koso” which told
Sango’s story succinctly. He travelled
widely to collect facts on the story,

visiting the Alaafin of Oyo whose pro-
genitor Sango was. He interviewed the

Timi of Ede, interviewed the Ooni of
Ife, the Alake of Egbaland, the Olowo
of Owo, the Osemawe of Ondo and
other people of importance that could
assist him with a flawless Sango story

in Oyo. On completion of the assign-
ment, he staged the preview edition of

the play in Alaafin’s palace in Oyo, un-
der a charged atmosphere. The perfor-
mance turned out to be a great revela-
tion. “Oba Koso’s performance in Oyo

marked a new era in the theatre in-
dustry in Nigeria”, Duro Ladipo said.

“It was when the history of a town
was put on stage in the presence of
the personalities on trade in the play,
exactly on the spot of happening”, he
further asserted. All the characters
featured in Oba Koso appeared live

as spectators in the palace during the
preview. The Timi was in attendance,
the Alaafin was there, the Oyomesis
were there, Gbonka was there, as well
as other warriors who featured in the
play. Watch the documentary!

Sango was a very good and pow-
erful king in Oyo. Rather than allow

his forefathers’ legacies to be corrupt-
ed, he decided to abdicate the throne

and embrace suicide by hanging. For
such selflessness and forthrightness,
those who believed in his philosophy
started worshipping him. But to avoid
derision from outsiders, the people
quickly turned the bad news of his
suicide around and claimed that their

king did not hang, “Oba ko so”. That

is one major Yoruba history, our her-
itage. We don’t have to worship San-
go to keep the history. What is ours

is ours. And the whites don’t have to
like it.
They may even want to rubbish our
Alagba story. It doesn’t matter. But we
know that we had Alagba in Soun of
Ogbomoso’s palace for donkey’s years.
That is the story for the world, bigger

than that of Jonathan, the Giant Tor-
toise at St Helena on the British Island.

O digbose, Alagba. Kabiyesi Soun, e

ku ara fera ku. But remember Kabiye-
si, to keep Alagba’s body for posterity

as you promised.

Share198Tweet124Share49
admin

admin

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

The 12 Articles of the Creed

June 14, 2021

Examination malpractices: Who is to blame?

July 10, 2021

Keep it short and simple

July 10, 2021

Agenda for in-coming Lagos State Governor

0

Fathers And The Omugwo Train

0

Married Pentecostal Pastor Set To Become Catholic Priest

0

UNACCEPTABLE! Archbishop Martins kicks against ethnic profiling, sues for peace, tolerance

March 27, 2023

Aguleri: New Diocese, new Bishop

March 27, 2023

Archdiocese of Onitsha gives birth to the Diocese of Aguleri

March 27, 2023
Catholic Herald

© 2023 | Xebrian

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • Mixed Grill
  • Interview Section
  • Spirituality
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Technology
  • Gallery
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Cover Story
  • Editorial
  • Archbishopric
  • News
    • Vatican News
  • Homily
    • Spirituality
  • Mixed Grill
  • Interview Section
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Health
  • Kids &Teens
  • Gallery
  • Contact

© 2023 | Xebrian