History Behind Fallen, Rises Tree In Oyo By Alaafin of Oyo Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi

History Behind Fallen, Rises Tree In Oyo By Alaafin of Oyo Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi

SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT

We are in an era of social media and we cannot but have differing opinions on events or issues that trend. Some people have been writing different stories to try and explain on the social media about the fallen ancient tree in Oyo that rose up again a day after being knocked down and which unfortunate incident led to the deaths of some people.

Even though the tree branches were cut down the trunk remained giant and heavier than the roots. After the tree rose up by itself, it sat back in the same spot as if nothing happened. Gravity or no gravity, science or no scientific explanations, the truth of the matter is that this specific place and tree have a history behind it.

In the days of old, our forefathers used trees to demarcate families compounds, communities. territories, borders and used traditional rites and spiritual powers to protect them against any incursion or invasion and some serve as points of family deity.

The location of this tree is at a junction (orita) in Sabo Market, but before the area was filled with bush and it was an entering point to Oyo called Abata Emo. As is always the practice in ancient times, traditional rites and spiritual powers were put at the tree spot to prevent incursions into the town. The families of those late Sango priests, who did vigil in the area, have related the history of their forefathers and of the tree.

Presently, the family of the late Baba Sangoleke Ojelabi still lives there and they are the caretakers of the area.

Only our ancestors could have the answer! Today many of our youths and families have embraced the other religions and have abandoned our ancient practices hence there is dearth of knowledge of the significance of some trees. There are trees and there are trees, in Yorubaland, we all know every tree have its own story, historical significance as most tomes they are indicators of divinations but let us be guided, we must accept the facts that we cannot explain everything by science.

Every family have its own deity, we should not just allow modernisation and supposed civilization and their complications get the best of us, all the people who take roots and herbs understand the efficacy of those herbs irrespective of the facts that we have many hospitals which only can treat things that they perceive they can see, when it comes to spirituality, we all know that the drugs prescribed by doctors and scientific knowledge have its limits. We should not because of our new religious ideologies belittle our own culture and tradition when in other climes they are preserving theirs.