Delve into Abeokuta's cultural history by visiting the Alake of Egba land's palace.

The Alake of Egbaland's palace is rich in art, culture, history and the tradition of the Egba dynasty. Everything about the Alake's palace boastfully displays the pride of the Egba people and it is worth exploring as a foreigner visiting Nigeria.

At the entrance of the palace is a gate between two magnificent pillars that have the king?s emblem. There is a bar connecting the pillar which has the inscription: ?Aafin Alake Ti Ile Egba,? translated as ?the palace of Alake of Egbaland.?

The first building you will see in the compound is the old palace which is still properly maintained. The present ruler, Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III (born 14 September 1943) built a new palace behind the old palace. The compound is adorned with statues, busts, and figurines of great historical values attached to them.

Beyond the palaces is an ICT centre, a squash court (the Kings Favorite game) and an office for the Egba traditional council. There are Palace guides readily available to take visitors on a tour of the palace. Visitors who don't have a royal appointment will neither be allowed to enter the palace chambers nor see the Alake.

The Egba people are known historically for being freedom-fighters, brainy, artistic and agriculturalist Yoruba speaking people hailing from the southwestern part of Nigeria. They have since been concentrated in the vicinity of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.

Abeokuta literally means ?underneath the rock,? and it is symbolic as it bears tales of the city?s past. Originally, the settlers lived under the Olumo Rock which had caves where they hid from invaders during the inter-tribal wars. The rock also provided a vantage point where the settlers monitored the movement of their enemies and strategized to defeat them. The Olumo Rock is now one of the leading tourist attractions in Nigeria and a reference point in the city of Abeokuta.

Go rock climbing in Olumo Rock

Another interesting thing you should know is that the Alake palace of Egbaland houses the first bible in Nigeria brought by the missionaries in 1904.

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