Nigeria's own Petty London (not Akum): Migrants and large houses back home

 

Nigeria's little London, where the rich don't live at home

Why do Oro indigenes, despite the architectural allure of their hometown, reside in other towns, abandoning the magnificent buildings they erect at home for less glamorous abodes? BIOLA AZEEZ paid a visit to the town to see what has changed about the place.

THERE is something about Oro town that conjures mystery, a sense of awe. To describe the town, in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, as a little London would not be an exaggeration, because of its collection of magnificent and gigantic buildings. The structures constructed by indigenes as far back as 1940s, 50s, 60s, and 70s still retain their splendid outlook in spite of age and can compete favourably with many in developed countries.
Most indigenes of Oro, Sunday Tribune gathered, are well travelled business people and that they are widely known as sellers of textile materials, especially in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, though they also engage in other forms of trade.
These facts of their professional preoccupation and their penchant for magnificent buildings, which in many cases, are hardly occupied, add flavour to the mystery associated with Oro. Tongues wag to suggest there is a supernatural link to the open display of opulence in the town and the emigrational outlook of its indigenes. One of such tales is that some of the buildings in the town had their foundations rooted in ritual and this forbade their owners from inhabiting them.
Historical account credits the people as having their roots in the Old Oyo empire. it was gathered that one Olakanmi, who was described as a warrior, left the Old Oyo empire with his family, friends, loyal warriors and slaves to settle in the present day Oro town, located South-East of the old Oyo empire.
The town derived its name from a statement made by Olakanmi when he got to the location that would evolve into the town as previously revealed to him by Ifa oracle before he left Oyo. He was reported to have exclaimed: "Ibi ti Ifa ni a ro niyi", meaning here is where Ifa oracle asked us to settle down.
Speaking with Sunday Tribune, one of the high chiefs in the town, the Asanlu of Oro, Chief Simon Kayode Olayemi Olayioye, said there was no truth in the rumour that the town thrived on mystery. He said the townspeople were cloth merchants noted for their industry. According to him cloth-selling is the primary vocation or business of Oro people from time immemorial.
"They are traders. They trade in cloths. Also, traditional cloth-weaving is our cultural and traditional occupation, including farming. People come from places like Ekiti and beyond to buy traditional woven cloths from us.
"There was a woman, who was so knowledgeable in weaving traditional cloths that she gathered other people to make traditional cloths for sale. There is a popular saying that describes Oro people: 'Lakanmi lo te Ode Oro, aso ni won n hun nibe', meaning 'Lakanmi founded Oro, cloth weaving is their vocation there'".
According to Olayioye, Oro people had cherished the virtue of hard work for long. "In those days, people trekked down to Lagos, spending nine days on the journey. Our people did all sorts of job and business to survive in Lagos, buying and selling commodities and taking them to Badagry. They would also bring commodities from Badagry to Lagos to sell. They went from Lagos to Ejirin. So, when they made sufficient money, they would rent shops in Lagos and start inviting their relations to Lagos to join them in their business. That's why they all had common businesses.
"They majored in the sale of Ankara and khaki textile materials. Later, some of them ventured into the sale of hand tools, iron rod and other goods. Nowadays, you see them in all kinds of trade. In fact, they always joked with us by asking some of us that have taken up civil service jobs that we should join them, asking us what we were getting there [civil service]. There are so many notable and wealthy individuals in Yoruba land that are from Oro town", he explained.

Penchant for storey buildings
Olayioye confirmed that the stories told about the town and its people over their love for storey buildings in the largely agrarian, rural community, especially by indigenes living outside the town were not unknown to them. He said the question had usually been why such buildings were built in a place that would add no economic benefit in terms of lease or rent, when the owners could have sited them in the state capital and other cities for profit. Besides, the houses are not largely inhabited by people most part of the year, except during festive seasons when relations of the owners converge for reunion. But he was quick to shed more light on the true picture of things in the town.
"My people say one should not eat with one's 10 fingers, literally meaning that we should be prudent and frugal in spending. They also say that charity begins at home. You see, our people travel far and wide. While in Lagos, they work hard, make profit and they always remember the need to retire home one day and that their family will join them.
"Therefore, you will see one or two people collaborate to build a family house or renovate the existing one. You will be surprised to know that all the magnificent, gigantic and splendid buildings you see all around the town are not even enough to accommodate sons and daughters, including the grandchildren of the owners whenever they come home during Ileya, Christmas and Easter celebrations. We usually have many children and those heavy and big structures are needed to house them. That's one of the reasons.
"Also, there's healthy competition or rivalry among the illustrious sons and daughters of Oro land. In those days, when the economy was good, they would say 'this is the house of Charles Tomori. By next year when I build my own house, I'll make sure mine is better and bigger than his own." That's always there and that's another reason behind the magnificent structures. Also, the existing unity among our people has already made things work very well", he stated.

Buildings without occupants
"That's not true," the traditional chief countered. "Even, when I was young, people said that. It's no news. They say Raphael Babaoye's house has certain rooms one must not enter. But I remember when I was a child that there was no room in the house that I did not enter with my friends. So, there's nothing like that. It's mere envy among some people. Some people even peddle speculations that houses grow overnight in Oro and, fortunately, the okada man that took one of such people round the town during his visit to Oro, told him that he lived in the house in question for five years.
"Our people work together; they do everything in common. They raise money and they bring it home to make Oro attractive with heavy mansions and other innovations. Our church in the town was designed by sons and daughters who are engineers. That's why we make sure that we organise some programmes during festive periods every year to attract them home during Christmas, Ileya and Easter. I spoke with some youths in the town that they should organise some programmes at the end of Ramadan season to bring our people home."

A dying culture and festival
Chief Olayioye said modern religions like Islam and Christianity have nearly killed traditional festivals in the town. "There are not so many cultural festivals these days. Religions have taken over most of them. But we are trying to see how to revive some attractive ones that are not fetish in nature, for instance, Egungun Elewe masquerade
"When I was young, I used to enjoy dancing with the masquerade among women. We hope to make it a tourist attraction, so that people can visit Oro to watch and enjoy it like Osun festival," he noted.
One commendable feature of Oro is its cleanliness. Visitors get enchanted by the neat environments as they traverse all streets and roads in the town. One of the sons of the town, Mr Niyi Adekeye, a veteran journalist, is said to be the brain behind the hygienic environment of the town. He said sons and daughters of Oro were always willing to make sacrifice to develop the town. Mr. Adekeye heads the environmental committee, likewise all other committees established on every aspect of the town to ensure development.
He gave notable names of owners of the houses to include the late Chief Raphael Babaoye; Olawepo Babaoye; Alabi Alawoya; Chief Luke Oladipo Awoyale; Emilius Timoye Awoleye Adeoye; Chief Matthew Dare Balogun; Onipede Oladimeji, among others.