Oyo Kingdom has lost one of its most enduring symbols of history and tradition, a 420-year-old tortoise popularly known as Baba has died at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo.

Baba, regarded by residents as the oldest indigene of Oyo, was a treasured palace animal that had survived generations of monarchs and was cared for by successive Alaafins.

The Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, in a statement, described Baba as more than a tortoise, saying the animal had become a part of the oral history of the Yoruba people and a major attraction at the ancient palace.

According to him, the incumbent Alaafin, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, met Baba at the palace after his ascension to the throne.

He said Baba had been nourished by successive kings, who inherited the animal as part of the historical relics associated with the palace.

Durojaiye said: “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.

“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.”

He said confirmed oral history indicated that Baba was brought from Oyo-Ile, the seat of the old Oyo Empire, to the present palace in Oyo town.

Durojaiye said two palace officials had been responsible for the tortoise’s welfare over the years, while its longevity and unusual size made it a major attraction for visitors to the palace.

He said many people visited the palace specifically to see Baba, making the animal part of the tourist experience in Oyo.

Baba was reportedly fed with water melon, corn pap wrapped in leaves and grass.

According to Durojaiye, the tortoise fell ill on Monday and stopped eating before it eventually died.

He said Baba had been buried following its death.

The death of the tortoise has also evoked memories of Yoruba beliefs about the connection between the living, the dead and the unborn, a theme explored by Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka in his 1975 play, Death and the King’s Horseman.

Durojaiye noted that Baba’s unusually long existence had allowed it to witness the reigns of several Alaafins and become an enduring link to Oyo’s history.

He added that the current Alaafin planned to preserve Baba’s memory for future generations, saying the monarch was determined to ensure that the animal’s place in the history of the kingdom would endure. (The Guardian, excluding headline)