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Idanre Hills: an improbable island of nature, peace and harmony

the peak of Idanre Hills
the peak of Idanre Hills
Idanre Hills are a potential touristic jewel, and a Unesco listed site. Located 25 kilometres south-west of Akure in Ondo State, it is an unusual rock formation rising a few hundred meters above the forested flatlands. The area covered by the hills is probably 20km by 20km. Initially, inhabitants settled on the hilltop plateau. There are still traces of the settlement: a school built in mud bricks at the end of the 19th century, a few huts with rusted corrugated iron roofs and the Owa's palace. Nowadays, people have migrated to the foothill to create the city that has swallowed up all the flat space available between the rocks. The migration happened in two steps. In 1928 newly converted Christians left the hilltop settlement to avoid harassment from and confrontation with the Traditionalists and settled in Idanre Alade, a village on the outskirt of the hills. The second part of the settlement moved to the foothill in 1933.
It is the first time I see a city in Nigeria where nature dwarfs human presence. The rocks are an inamovible background everywhere in the streets of Idanre. It is the signature of the place, ominous and yet protective.
The real transformative experience is to go up the hill and leave behind the bustle of the city, forget about the okadas honking permanently. A flight of over 600 stairs brings us up to the plateau where the old village was located. Rocks and trees, some of them standing majestically tall, are wise witnesses of the past. Our guide has a machete which will prove very useful to progress through the maze of vegetation growing quickly thanks to the elevation of the hills which is stopping rain clouds. In this month of April, the hill top is very green. The soil looks very fertile and light. As one progresses over the rocks, the sound of our steps is hollow in places. Apparently, there are many caves in the area but we do not see any entrance.
We first walk towards the Agbogun footprint, which is imprinted on the surface of a rock cliff located in a valley behind the village's plateau. The way is not really visible nor well marked. Unless one has been there before, it is hard to find it, not to mention that some trees have blocked the way forcing us to go over them ( I wish I had had more experience as a Tarzan). We have to cross the sacred river, whose water is very "strong" as per our guide. It is believed to cure diseases and help barren women to bear a child. Then starts a rather perilous descent over the barren rock cliff down to the footprint, one step at a time. I suppose it is very impressive the first time and that one gets used to it, but in any case one has to be extra careful not to fall because there is nothing to stop us from falling.
Finally we reach the footprint, the shape of a tiny left foot. The legend says that whoever is able to match the footprint with his own right foot is a wizard or a witch. As a matter of fact, we are none of such. The valley is really superb, peaceful and mysterious at the same. It opens up on the horizon of the plain surrounding the plateau. It has something reminiscent of some of the landscapes of Lord of the Ring.
not a wizard
not a wizard
As we walk back to the Owa's palace, we see the coronation house of the Owa. The tradition says that on the coronation day, a crown of stone is coming out of the ground and expands to fit the head of the new King. After that, it shrinks and is buried again. On the way, we meet Chief Odofin, a priest, in front of the house that no-one should enter with clothes on. We actually do not enter. Chief Odofin is expecting a donation for welcoming us.
Chief Odofin
Chief Odofin
The palace is nested between the rocks and constituted of several inner courtyards. The last one is decorated with carved wooden figures of divinities holding the roof of the runway. A large tree is providing shade and green in a corner, close to the place where annual cow sacrifices are performed for the Owa. The skulls and horns are piled up next to his statue. I love the quiet and esthetics of the place.
Inner courtyard of the Owa's palace
Inner courtyard of the Owa's palace
A muslim family joins us. One is wearing a face cover and, despite that, takes pictures of the naked idols holding the roof. Two of them, wearing only a hijab, talk to us more openly. They say they came for a lecture to Idanre and want to use the opportunity to discover the site to " improve their education and therefore their career opportunities". We then all move out of the palace on our way to the hilltop where Nitel's masts are still standing and from which a 360 degrees panorama over the hills can be enjoyed. One has to ascend a steep rock. The guide is holding out his hand to help out one the lady to climb. She refuses, allegedly on religious grounds. The guide is dismayed at her reaction and walks away from them. I am not unhappy about the separation as their endless chatter was really disturbing the peace of the place. After another climb we reached the top, tired. Time for a break to savour the view all around us and renew with the honking of motocycles at the foot of the hill.
Idanre city at the foothill
Idanre city at the foothill
As we come down, we are facing the peak of Idanre Hills topped by a white cloud. This offers a view over the plateau were the village is located. A wood of tall trees adds to the beauty of the landscape. I feel elated by such a discovery.
The guide, called Monday, tells us that there is a festival in May, Orosun festival in which devotees clad in white climb the peak of the hills to honour Orosun. Orosun was the wife of Olofin (Olofintoro), the progenitor of Idanre people and brother of Oduduwa, the founder of Ile-Ife and creator of the yoruba race. Olofin left Ile-Ife with a group of people to found Idanre hilltop settlement after a long migration. Olofin demanded that a human sacrifice should be made in his honour every two years. This was then converted into the sacrifice of a 3-year old goat and Olofin would then facilitate the magic kidnaping of a stranger who would be sacrificed (a poisonous leaf would be placed into his mouth). It is said that human sacrifice were stopped in 1894 and replaced with the sacrifice of a cow.
cow sacrifices replace human sacrifices since 1894
cow sacrifices replace human sacrifices since 1894

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