I
joined the Nigerian Field Society last December, and on my first trip with the
group we explore historic Epe and the mysterious Sungbo Walls. Here’s my
account of the trip.
On December 31, about 20 of us met up at Lekki Conservation
Centre in Lagos between 8.00 – 8.30 AM and left for Epe at 8.40 AM. During the 80-minute
drive to Epe, Ed Keazor, brilliant historian, lawyer, author and filmmaker and our
guide for the trip, provided us with some background on the land development
around Lagos Island and extending all the way toward Epe, from colonial times
to present day. He talked about the intricate ties that Ancient Benin had (and
still has) with Lagos and a large part of Western Nigeria, highlighting some of
the influences of Bini culture and history in Lagos and Epe. Ed also answered
questions on land sale in Lagos, discussing its somewhat precarious nature and
some risks and pitfalls to avoid.
As we arrived Epe, Ed discussed the past economic and
religious tensions between the 'Eko Epe' – the settlers who arrived Epe with Oba
Kosoko in 1851 when he fled Lagos after being deposed by the British colonial
government – and the 'Ijebu Epe', the Epe locals. The Eko Epe were mostly traders
while the Ijebu Epe were largely fishermen. We learnt that Epe is about 80%
Muslim, and that the town got its name from the large number of soldier ants in
the area. Ed pointed out trademark Afro-Brazilian architecture, a lot of which
can also be found in parts of Lagos, as we drove through the town.
At 9.57 AM we reached the First Epe Central
Mosque, built in 1862 and rebuilt in 1930 to accommodate the expanding Muslim
population. We met the Chief Imam of the mosque and, with our feet bare and
heads covered (for females), were allowed to see the inside of the mosque. (Only
then did I realise, to my surprise, that this was my first time ever inside a
mosque.) We took in the ancient rafters in the building as the Chief Imam spoke
(in Yoruba, with Ed translating) about the significant role of the central
mosque in the community, for information dispersal, for guidance and
leadership; and also about the ways in which religion and tradition interface in
the community (for example, the traditional leader of Epe is turbaned in the
Central Mosque by the Chief Imam).
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| Chief Imam (centre) and Ed Keazor (right) |
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| Inside the First Epe Central Mosque |
We left the mosque at 10.40 AM and drove to the
Fish Market. There, we explored the market, buying fish, taking pictures and
watching the local fisherwomen work. As it was a Sunday the market wasn’t in
full swing, but we got a good enough sense of its scale and its economic
significance to the town.
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| Man on canoe |
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| Fish kept alive in water so it stays fresh for long |
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| More fish |
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| Baskets and berthed boats |
We left the Fish Market at 11.50 AM and arrived
Eredo at 12.25 PM, where we headed to the home of the Baale (community leader)
to make our presence known and pay our respects. Next, we visited the caretaker
of the Sungbo walls, Chief Sunny, whose dedication and personal devotion have
kept the Walls open and accessible. Chief Sunny has had virtually no support from
any quarters in maintaining the walls. Since he fell ill about a year ago the
Walls have deteriorated even further, and as we walked our guide had to clear a
path for us through the forest with a cutlass.
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| Walking the Walls |
As we walked, Ed told us about the history of
the Walls – which were commissioned by Bilikisu Sungbo – some of the myths and
speculation surrounding them, as well as some amazing facts: for example, sections of the
Walls can be seen from space, and about one million cubic feet of earth was
moved to create the Walls. Ed pointed out that there are still many unanswered
questions about the Walls: its purpose (it is thought to be protective or spiritual,
or both), its extent and its shape (circular or otherwise) are debated till
this day.
It was saddening to learn that there is very
little study being undertaken to uncover the mysteries behind the Walls. Some
of the most notable research on the Sungbo Walls was done by British archaeologist
Dr Partick Darling. According to our guide there is some talk about some government
involvement with the Walls in the near future, but only to the extent of building
(much-needed) staircases to allow for safer ascent and descent to and from the
trenches, and to build a gate at the Eredo entrance to control access. So
essentially, the government involvement will only be concerned with revenue
generation, and not research into or preservation of the Walls. The Eredo Walls
are on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
We emerged from the Eredo at 1.28 PM, and walked
about 20 minutes to a nearby spring where we had lunch. We left Eredo at 2.50
PM and arrived the lovely and serene Epe Resort and Spa at 3.10 PM. There, we
had drinks and admired the grounds of the resort. We left the resort at 4 PM
and arrived back at the Lekki Conservation Centre compound at about 5.20 PM.
The Nigerian Field Society is a national organisation founded in 1930 to:
- encourage interest in and knowledge of the
fauna, flora, history, legends and customs, arts and crafts, sciences, sports
and pastimes of West Africa in general and Nigeria in particular;
- support their conservation;
- co-operate with organizations with similar
interests.
NFS is active in a number of cities in Nigeria. For more information on the organisation, as well as how to join, please visit the NFS website.
