A tortoise believed to have lived for about 420 years, popularly known as Baba, has died at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo in Oyo State.

Baba was regarded by palace officials and members of the Oyo community as an important part of the kingdom’s history and cultural heritage.

The tortoise reportedly died on Monday after falling ill and losing its appetite. Palace officials later buried the animal, bringing an end to its long presence at the historic palace.

The Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, confirmed Baba’s death on Thursday in Ibadan.

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Durojaiye described the tortoise as more than an animal kept within the palace, saying it had become associated with the oral history and traditions of the Oyo people.

According to him, Baba represented a link between successive generations and the history of the ancient Oyo Kingdom.

The palace said oral accounts traced the tortoise’s origin to Oyo-Ile, the ancient capital of the old Oyo Empire, before it was eventually brought to the present-day palace in Oyo town.

Baba Became a Symbol of Oyo’s Heritage

Over the years, Baba reportedly became a notable attraction for residents, tourists and other visitors to the palace.

People visited the palace to see the tortoise because of its reported longevity, size and association with successive generations of Oyo monarchs.

Palace officials said successive Alaafins cared for Baba, with designated personnel assigned to feed and look after the animal.

Its reported diet included watermelon, grass and corn pap wrapped in leaves.

The palace maintained that Baba’s importance extended beyond its physical presence, describing the tortoise as a relic inherited by successive monarchs.

In its account of the animal’s history, the palace said Baba had been present through different reigns and was treated with affection and respect by those responsible for its care.

Durojaiye said Baba’s death represented the loss of an unusual part of the palace’s heritage.

He described the animal as an “ageless companion” to the Alaafin and linked its significance to the oral traditions surrounding the Oyo Kingdom.

The palace also explained that the name “Baba” was adopted as a mark of respect for the tortoise’s reported age and status.

According to the palace, the animal was regarded as male and was affectionately referred to as Baba because of its seniority among the creatures associated with the palace.

Baba’s reported lifespan of about 420 years, however, remains a claim attributed to the palace and local oral accounts rather than an independently established scientific age.

The death has nonetheless attracted attention because of the tortoise’s longstanding association with the Alaafin’s palace and its role as a visitor attraction.

The palace said Baba became sick on Monday and stopped eating before eventually dying.

“Baba fell ill on Monday, just a little sickness and couldn’t eat anymore. Then he died. Just like that,” the palace stated.

Officials added that the tortoise had already been buried.

The death marks the end of an unusual chapter in the history of the Alaafin’s palace, where Baba had reportedly remained for generations and became closely associated with the cultural identity of Oyo.

For residents and visitors who knew of the tortoise, its passing represents the loss of a distinctive feature of the palace grounds and another reminder of the importance attached to preserving historical traditions and oral accounts in the ancient Yoruba kingdom.