About four decades ago, the environment or the vicinity of one of the foremost tourist attraction centres in Nigeria, the Olumo Rock at Ikija Abeokuta was very filthy. At its base was a stinking dump. Residents of Ikija, my homestead in Oke-Ona Egba, often used the cover of the night to dispose waste, including faeces at its base. Children of my age then found the rocky outcrops around Olumo suitable to defecate. We attached little importance to this historical but natural monument of cultural significance and heritage.
Occasionally, foreigners visited as tourists with their goggles and binoculars to view spread of Abeokuta far among rocks. We did not see any big deal about the fun they come for at Olumo. But at every festive period, our Olumo, not so much adored by we natives, received huge crowd of visitors and fun seekers.
Unfortunately, many of such festivities usually ended with casualties as ruffians used the period to test their might and vengeance for previous wrongs done against one another or a simple error while struggling to gain entrance or climb the igneous rock formation.
This is a rock formation that is so much revered by the Egba of the old for providing them refuge during the internecine wars in Yorubaland. That was where my home city derived its name, Abeokuta. Olumo also signified the end of the search of our forefathers for a city of refuge, an abode of peace, a Darussalam. But Olumo Rock as a tourist centre in later years lacked security. It lacked order. It lacked finesse. It was even very pejorative to be branded omo ese Olumo. It was like being called a garage boy. Then, our parents, conscious of the peer influence that is associated with spending time with friends around Olumo Rock, would usually caution us, ‘’I don’t send you to go and watch any scene at Olumo.’’
In those childhood years at Ikija, ‘area boys’ were the lords of the rock. That was also the era of Polaroid photo in the 70s. From taking polaroid ‘wait and get’ pictures of visitors at Olumo Rock, to assisting them to climb or lift them up on boulders or manoeuvring the intricate and dark passages under the rock formation, they made money for themselves to survive. Olumo became a means of sustenance for many omo adugbo.
But those inclined towards serious academics in Ikija, the bookish types, never wanted to be associated with the Olumo subculture, a subculture of neighbourhood tough guys.
I attended Egba High School Asero, between the late 70s and the early 80s. It was quite a distance from Ikija. Whenever I wanted to save cost of getting to Asero from Ikija, I always followed the trail and stairs at the side of Olumo Rock leading to Itoko to link Adatan and make the long stretch of trekking to Asero.
In those years, there was an utter government neglect or disinterest in Olumo as a tourist centre. Neither the local nor the state government showed any sense of ownership. No meaningful infrastructure was there. Relaxation spots were rare. The outcrops under the trees were the nestling places. Olumo was an orphan everybody loved to visit to travel into history, the history of my home city, Abeokuta. Later, the government, especially since the early or mid-80s began with a token recognition of the historical site but not beyond some drab fencing and clearing of the dump, and hanging an ordinary gate. That may be a bit commendable. It was no longer an eyesore. But it still lacked international appeal. It was still disappointing.
A concerned son of the soil with prolific artistic inclination voluntarily decided to add some colour or graffiti on the bare fence of Olumo Rock. Kola Anidugbe is that one man that should not be easily forgotten about the metamorphosis of Olumo Rock Tourist Centre.
He was fired by zeal to make a mark that Olumo could become a money spinner for the government and provide meaningful jobs.
The transformation of Olumo began in the days of Gbenga Daniel whose government brought some innovations with electronically powered lifts, to ease the strenuous climbing of Olumo heights apart from building some structures for conferences, conveniences and art galleries with offices.
This story became even more colourful under Ibikunle Amosun who rolled in bulldozers and caterpillars to tear down houses to widen the narrow lane that snakes from Itoku to Ikija and beyond. To fully transform our native Olumo to a world class tourist centre.
To achieve this monumental transformation, awa omo Ikija have to make a lot of sacrifices.
For this new look of our native town, the price we are paying is heavy. Today, our ancestral homesteads have been bulldozed to give way to multiple lanes road that will give visitors smooth ride from the popular but old adire market in Itoku to Ikija and beyond. That market has also been brought down for a modern trading centre.
What has happened to us in Ikija Oke Ona Egba is not different from what is being witnessed in many parts of Ogun State: changing the rural faces and backward features of many of our native towns and villages to liveable cities with modern amenities and infrastructure, making them more accessible, opening them up for businesses and industry, making them more welcoming to outsiders and investors.
Amosun’s courage, bulldozers and caterpillars including his massive urban renewal projects have changed our landscape to an admirable phenomenon in transformation.
This is the price we have paid for the transformation of the native towns.
Whenever you travel on leisure or tour to the historic city of Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State, in South-West Nigeria, a city of brilliant stars, remember it is the home of scions like Simeon Adebo, Kuforiji Olubi, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Adeoye Lambo, Prince Bola Ajibola, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ernest Sonekan and the late Bashorun MKO Abiola among others.
Also, if you find yourself in a smooth ride on a six or eight lane road leading to the captivating Olumo Rock Tourist Centre with many world class amenities, remember to have some thoughts for we sons and daughters of the soil the natives of Itoku, Isale Ijeun, Sodeke, Ikija, Ilawo, Ikereku Idomapa and Ajitaadun and other native towns that make up Oke Ona Egba whose ancestral homes were sacrificed to give way for you to have wonderful view and unforgettable memories of Olumo Rock.
Solanke writes via korewarith@yahoo.com
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