A tortoise believed to have lived for about 420 years has died at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo in Oyo State.
Known as Baba, the ancient tortoise reportedly died on Monday after falling ill and refusing food. It was subsequently buried, according to the palace authorities.
The Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, disclosed the development in a statement issued in Ibadan on Thursday.
Durojaiye said Baba had remained at the palace for generations, with successive Alaafins taking responsibility for its care after inheriting it as part of the historical relics associated with the ancient Oyo Kingdom.
He explained that oral accounts traced the tortoise to Oyo-Ile, the former capital of the Oyo Empire, from where it was eventually brought to the present palace in Oyo town.
According to him, Baba became a notable attraction for visitors to the palace, with tourists and residents regularly visiting to see the unusually large tortoise reputed to be centuries old.
The palace said two officials were assigned to care for Baba, feeding it with items including watermelon, corn pap wrapped in leaves and grass.
Describing the death as a loss to the palace and the wider Yoruba heritage, Durojaiye said Baba had become more than a pet because of its connection with the history and traditions of the Oyo Kingdom.
“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.
The palace further linked Baba’s significance to the Yoruba understanding of the relationship between the living, the dead and the unborn, saying its long presence at the palace had made it part of the institution’s oral history.
“Baba fell ill on Monday, just a little sickness and couldn’t eat anymore. Then he died. Just like that. He had since been buried. Good night, Baba,” the statement added.
