NIGERIA Day Republic of Benin) and Parts of Togo and the Present Day Ghana (Oguntomisin 2002)

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NIGERIA day Republic of Benin) and parts of Togo and the present day Ghana (Oguntomisin 2002). It is an im- The mysterious Ogunjokoro of the portant historic site pivotal to the history and migra- Old Oyo (Nigeria) and its tourism tions of the Yorubas (Olukole 2007). The Old Oyo potential archaeological site has contributed immensely to cultural tourism in Nigeria as its artifacts and ruins Titilayo O. Olukole have become objects of tourist attraction. Department of Transport and Tourism A number of archaeological investigations had Studies been carried out at the Old Oyo by various scholars: Redeemer’s University Clapperton (1929), Clarke (1938), Keay (1947), Walters Redemption City, Mowe (1954), Willet (1960), Sowunmi (1979), Soper and Dar- Ogun State, Nigeria ling (1980), Agbaje-Williams (1983), Aremu (2000) and E-mail: [email protected] Folorunso et al. (2006). However there is need to emphasize on the tourism potentials of the cultural materials of archaeological sites because they make for tourist attraction (Olukole and Aremu 2002; Abstract Olukole 2007).The empire had a stable economy from agriculture trade with the Sudan, and tax with trib- Archaeological surveys (surface, ethnographic utes from conquered provinces (Johnson 1921). There and reconnaissance) of the Old Oyo Archaeological are oral traditions that towns like Ilorin and Igboho site, an important heritage site pivotal to the history emerged from the Old Oyo Empire. This paper dis- of the Yoruba people of West Africa and an essential cusses an important archaeological find, the site of archaeological and anthropological researches Ogunjokoro, a mysterious metal object discovered at revealed the Ogunjokoro, a mysterious calabash- the Old Oyo archaeological site, and considers its shaped metallic object weighing about 50 kg. The role as a tourism resource. object measuring about 60 cm in height with a base diameter of about 20 cm was found at about 20 km from Igbeti, Old Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria. Ethno- Survey graphic studies as well as oral traditions pointed out that the object migrated from about 25 km southeast In order to have an idea of the extent of the Old of the heart of the Old Oyo. There is the unexplain- Oyo archaeological site, the site was exploited able story of the constant changing positions of the through a surface survey during which the cultural Ogunjokoro at the site where it is found. Moreover, it features of the area were identified and as well classi- was gathered that the object was incriminated in the fied. The unsystematic kind of surface survey was desolations and misfortunes of the inhabitants of used, the investigators walked across the area of the former place it occupied. It is being recommended study using a random sampling technique involving that the tourism potential of the Ogunjokoro be ex- the exploration of paths, collection and examination ploited by preserving it as much as possible as this of artifacts and the recording of their respective loca- would boost the cultural tourism of Nigeria along- tions. This method gave a panoramic view of the side promoting the unity of the Yoruba race. cultural features of the Old Oyo and paved way for the subsequent classification of the features. With the aim of updating the cultural history and other Introduction viable information of the Old Oyo, ethnographic studies involving the key informant approach were used. The Old Oyo (Oyo Ile) was the capital of Oyo The key informant method of ethnographic studies empire that was abandoned around 1837 as a result used involved the conduction of oral interviews on of Fulani-Jihad war of the 18th and 19th Century one-on-one basis to retrieve important information (Okpoko 1998). The Old Oyo empire was the largest about the archaeological sites of the Old Oyo. The and the most powerful of all the polities established informants for the study were mainly elderly persons by the Yoruba (one of the three main ethnic groups in who were not only indigenes but also residents of Nigeria). Its territory covered a substantial part of the area studied. Questions of archaeological inter- Yorubaland and extended to Dahomey (the present ests on the cultural features of the Old Oyo were

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Figure 1. The Mysterious Ogunjokoro of the Old Oyo.

asked while using a Samsung camcorder to cover the of the object, revealed that the object is mysterious, entire oral interview. Archaeological reconnaissance having migrated from about 25 km southeast of the survey, a systematic attempt to identify archaeologi- Old Oyo. Oral tradition has it that the name Ogunkoro cal sites, including their precise geographical loca- came into being out of a struggle between a black- tions was carried out to take an inventory of cultural smith and a powerful warrior known as Ogun who remains while noting their spatial distribution and wanted to elope into the world unknown with the attribute, observing their levels of preservation. object. Like the story of Jacob and the Angel in the Book of Genesis, after much struggle, the warrior left with the handle of the object while the blacksmith Results and discussion had the other portion of the heavy metal now known A mysterious metallic object with a rounded as Ogunjokoro. It was gathered that the object pos- base and pointed edge located outside Old Oyo walls. sesses some mystical power via which it moves itself Oral tradition has it that it migrated from Old Oyo to from place to place. Another mystery behind the its present location about 45 km south East of Old Ogunjokoro is that it is reported to have been in- Oyo. The object measured 60 cm in height with a criminated in the desolations of the settlement it once base diameter of 30 cm (Figure 1), comparable to the inhabited. An account has it that the object was wor- Yoruba traditional calabash in shape. The metal has a shipped by the followers of Ogun, who is generally rough appearance suggestive of the products of in- called the god of iron in the Yoruba Kingdom. Oral digenous blacksmiths. Personal communication with tradition has it that several abortive attempts had the residents of Igbeti, about 20 km from the location been made by some visitors/tourists to cart away the

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Ogunjokoro. Estimated to be about the average weight development of Nigeria’s cultural tourism so as to of a bag of cement (50 kg), the weight of the object as benefit on a long term scale from UNESCO’s mission well as the mystery behind the difficulty of lifting it of integrating cultural tourism in the general plans had prevented its theft. However, no one seems to for national development. This will in no doubt im- know how it changes its position within the site where prove the current state of social amenities like roads, it is located. A further investigation into the origin of railway connections, air ways and other public serv- the Ogunjokoro revealed that it was named after a ices/infrastructures. Nigeria’s cultural resources are renowned traditional warrior who according to oral unique among those of other African nations and tradition disappeared at the spot of the object. Nev- would reserve a booster if properly managed thereby ertheless the Ogunjokoro and the stories surround- developing the tourism Industry. In conclusion, there ing it make it a tourist attraction within Old Oyo. is the need to maximize the tourism potentials of the Ogunjokoro. This becomes necessary as the conser- Cultural resources are currently receiving a fair vation of such a resource would not only aid further share in the development efforts of most developing research in the mystery behind it but also attract tour- nations. In the tourism industry, this approach has ist from within and outside Nigeria. manifested itself in the large number of countries that have sought UNESCO’s aid in the development of cultural tourism (Okpoko and Okpoko 2002). Cultural References tourism projects have been embarked upon by UNESCO in Iran, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan and Agbaje-Williams, B. Brazil. Africa occupies a relatively small space in the 1983 A contribution to the Archaeology of Old domain since, according to UNESCO (1970), the coun- Oyo. PhD thesis, Department of tries in the region prefer to give priority to the devel- Archaeology, University of Ibadan. opment of education and science in their use of tech- nical aid. The cultural resources investigated in the course of this work could become important objects Aremu, D. A. of tourist attraction if properly managed. The history 2000 Preservation of Archaeological Resources of the role of the Old Oyo Kingdom in the Yoruba in Old Oyo National Park. Ibadan Journal race is of a keynote; hence, the preservation of the of Humanistic Studies 9 and 10: 110-120. ruins of the Old Oyo Empire would go a long way in keeping the history of the Yoruba race. This object, apart from serving as evidence of the existence of Atanda, J. A. settlements in the Old Oyo also reveals the way of 1980 An Introduction to Yoruba History. Ibadan: life of the early settlers. It also suggests that metal- Ibadan University Press. lurgy probably was part of Old Oyo’s subsistence. Historical sites like those of the Old Oyo could be archaeologically explored to bring out its tourism Ayodele I. A. potentials. 1988 An Ecological Basis for the Management of There is the need for improved preservative Old Oyo National Park. PhD thesis, measures geared towards cultural resources of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Old Oyo. This would help to preserve the cultural Management, University of Ibadan. identity of the Yoruba race and also serve as tourist 2001 Management of Tourism potentials in attraction sites. Important objects from the Old Oyo Nigerian National Parks: In D. Aremu, editor, could also be placed in museums with adequate pre- Cultural and Ecotourism Development in servative measures. All efforts must be made to har- Nigeria. Ibadan: Hope Publications. ness the wealth of previous archaeological investigations on the Old Oyo in a bid to preserve the tourism information of the historical site. Governments at Clapperton, H. both the state and federal levels would need to take 1929 Journal of a second expedition into the inte- the lead in improving on the state of cultural tourism rior of Africa from the Bight of Benin in Nigeria. There is the need to effectively plan the Soccatoo, London.

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Clarke, J. D. Olukole, T. O. 1938a Carved Posts at Old Oyo. Nigerian Maga- 2007 Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and zine 15: 248. Tourism: The Prediction of Archaeological Sites in Ijaiye-Orile, Southwestern, Nigeria. 1938b A visit to Old Oyo. Nigerian Field 7: 138- Nyame Akuma 67: 69-74. 143.

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Folorunso, C. A., P. A. Oyelaran, B. J. Tubosun and P. Soper, R. C. and P. Darling G. Ajekigbe 1980 The Walls of Oyo-Ile. West African Journal 2006 Revisiting Old Oyo: Report on an interdis- of Archaeology 10: 61-81. ciplinary field study. Society of Africanist Archaeologists conference proceedings 2006. Sowunmi, M. A. 1979 A vegetation of Old Oyo. In B. Agbaje- Oguntomisin, G. O. Williams (1983): A Contribution to the Ar- chaeology of Old Oyo. PhD dissertation, 2002 Power-Politics in Old Oyo Empire: In G. O. University of Ibadan, pp. 375-379. Oguntomisin and A. Ajayi, editors, Read- ings in Nigerian History and Culture, Es- says in Memory of Professor J. A. Atanda. UNESCO Ibadan: Hope Publications. 1970 Protection of Mankind’s Cultural Heritage: Site and Monuments. Paris: UNESCO. Okpoko, A. I. UNESCO online. Available at 1998 Archaeology and the Study of Early Urban http://www.whc.unesco.org/en/ Centres in Nigeria. African Study Mono- tentativelists/. graphs 19(1): 35-54.

Walters, R. G. Okpoko, A. I. and P. U. Okpoko 1954 A visit to Old Oyo. Nigerian Magazine 44: 2002 Tourism in Nigeria. Nsukka: Oafro-Orbis 346-349. Publications.

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