National Monument at Ijebu Ode – New Telegraph

Nov 2022 09

The word culture is derived from a French term which in turn derives from the Latin word “Colere” which means to cultivate, generally refers to pattern of human activity and symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance. Culture has been severally defined by many scholars and researchers as people’s way of life which consists of their beliefs, norms and values.

The West African rain forests are hiding numerous cultural and natural wonders that are waiting for curious researchers. The indigenous people and their cultures still represent a living link to many of the cultural and natural heritage which are often surrounded by mysterious traditions and beliefs. Across the length and breadth of this country Nigeria lie a good number of heritage properties. They include rivers, forests, shrines, monuments, caves, temples, palaces. These cultural resources defined the beliefs and traditions of a people.

This paper focuses on one of such unique tangible cultural heritage of our time “Sungbo Eredo”. Sungbo Eredo lies in Oke-Eri, South-west of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State Nigeria. The region covers an area over 72km square kilometers (Olonade 2005). The land of Ijebu is located between latitude 6o44N and 6o48N and latitude 3o58E and 3o59E. Ijebuland is bounded in the south by Lagos and Atlantic Ocean, in the west by Sagamu in Ogun State, in the North by Osun and Oyo States and in the East by Ondo State (Aremu and Olukole 2002). The Sungbo Eredo is a scheduled National Monument and well recognised despite the influence of civilization and religion. It has a unique belief and history.

Sungbo Eredo is classified under cultural monument as its existences is as a result of human action or function. Cultural monuments are valuables only to the extent to which they are preserved, managed and protected. Sungbo Eredo was declared a scheduled monument on the 15th December, 1964. This fortified cultural patrimony consists of two parts, the Grave of Sungbo and Shrine.

The Ijebus have a strong attachment to this monument because of its relevance in their belief system and history. The History of Sungbo Ereo can be traced from two schools of thoughts. The first school of thought believes that Sungbo Eredo served as a defensive purpose, that is for fortification purpose when it was built in 800-1000A.D a period of political confrontation and consolidation in the southern Nigerian rainforest.

It was likely to have been inspired by the same process that led to the construction of similar walls and ditches like Kano city wall, Benin Moat throughout Western Nigeria.

The second school of thought believes that Sungbo Eredo is connected with the legend of Queen of Sheba which is recounted in both the Bible and Koran. In the Old Testament, she was said to have sent a caravan of gold, ivory and other goods from her kingdom to king Solomon.

However, in the Koran she is believed to be an Ethiopian Sun Worshipper named Biliqis, involved in the incense trade who converted to Islam. In addition to the above, Legends of the contemporary Ijebu clan link the Eredo to a noble wealthy and childless widow whom they know as Bilikisu Sungbo. According to them, the monument was built as her personal memorial. Her grave is believed to be located in Oke-Eri. Annually, pilgrims of Christians, Muslims and traditional African religion trek to this holy site in tribute of her. Also, an annual sacrifice of two cows are performed at the site. However, there are some scholars who claimed that women and dogs are not allowed to visit the site for the fear of death. Sungbo Eredo is a rampant or system of ditches that is located to the South-west of the Yoruba town of Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, Nigeria.

It was hand built in hon-our of the Ijebu noble woman Oloye Bilikisi Sungbo as far back as 800-1000AD. It is more than 160km long, 40km wide and 20 metres deep. It is reddish, wall glistering with patches of moss. Sungbo Eredo was built with natural laterite Soil; mixture of clay and iron-Oxides. There are trees above this gigantic ditch which helps protect its sides from the forces of nature.

It is also suggested that the wall system not only served as a defence mechanism, but was built as a way to unify an area of diverse communities into a single kingdom. It is recognized to be the largest earthwork construction in the world containing about 3.5 million cubic metres of earth. Religion and Worship are a very important aspect of Arts, culture and tradition in the continent of Africa.

That is why our Arts, cultural Arts forms are not for Art sake rather they have spiritual connections. The Ijebu people and Yoruba at large carry out spiritual and ritual rite at Sungbo reasons or purpose and it is their strong belief that whatever they seek for will be answered. Despite civilization, Christianity and islam, the belief attached to the spirituality of sungbo is upheld. Some of the traditional beliefs forbid any woman to go close to the grave for the fear of death. Sungbo Grave is covered by branches of trees that gives the grave a shade, it has never being swept but always clean and popularly referred to as a miraculous place hung with cobwebs where no grass ever grows.

The Sungbo ground has also become a festival ground to all religious tourists who go there to pray and also seek the favour of the spirit of the deceased. Annual sacrifices take place there which are made to Sungbo. The shrine and monument are believed by the indigines to be the Ancestral home of the Biblical Queen of Sheba. In addition, the Sungbo well makes the shrine outstanding.

The well provides drinking water to the residents of Oke-Eri and the water also serves medicinal purposes for various illness. It has been claimed that the well is always full, even during the dry season. Moreover, the Sungbo Shrine in Oke-Eri is blessed with a lot of tourism potentials to behold. These include Sungbo grave, Sungbo well, prayer ground, others. The grave, in the past attracted the attention of the European tourists and researchers.

This has resulted in the recognition of the shrine as a tourist area, the grave became a cultural and religious site. It has the potential where people will visit from all over the world if well preserved, managed and protected. The value Oke-Eri people have on Sungbo Shrine cannot be overemphasized. It draws the home and abroad indigenes both Christians and traditionalists to their homeland during the annual festivals. In conclusion, The Sungbo Eredo cultural and traditional benefits cannot be over emphasized. I wish to advocate for a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) to be carried out because of the benefits to humanity.

Such assessment will help to guide against human activities and natural factors that are threatening the continued existence of this cultural property these include encroachment, urbanization, deforestation etc. There should also be provision of infrastructural facilities and more awareness should be created.

Ogbueliaku is Principal Heritage Officer, Monument, Heritage and Sites Department, National Museum, Lagos.