Photos: 131-Year-Old Iya Orisa Living Under Olumo Rock

Forum 8 years ago

Photos: 131-Year-Old Iya Orisa Living Under Olumo Rock

Olumo Rock is one of the tourist destinations in the West African country where some indigenes of Egbaland hid during a civil war which broke out in the 19th century. The rock served as a shelter for many of the survivors, who were said to have hidden in specific areas inside the caves located inside the rocks to evade attacks from enemies.

Some of these people eventually built small apartments inside the rocks and created places where they carried out their daily activities for about three years without getting into town. It was not until after the war that most of these people started coming out of their hiding to see the other people who survived the brutality of that period. In a chat with Vivian Plus+ , an elderly woman said she was the 'Iya Orisa' of Olumo (meaning the mother goddess) of the rock.

Chief Mrs Sinatu Aduke Sanni explained how she grew up under the rock and witnessed the coronation of about four Alake of Egbaland, as well as her strong belief in the god of the rock which has been protecting her. She claimed she was 131 years of age.

"The rock is the protector of every Egba indigene till date and we are proud of what we have," , see photos beneath.