100 DAYS OF STEEM : Wednesday Challenge - Tourist Guide for the Day

Good day steemians. Hope you're doing well today?
I am joining the Steemit 100daysofsteem Day 60 Monday Challenge, organized by @steemitblog. Join me as I take my friend on a tour round my town today.

Hello friend, welcome to Abeokuta and thank you for stopping by. I am your tour guide for today; I will be showing you round the city. I assure you that it's gonna be a great tour. Abeokuta is famous for its ancient heritage and this is obvious in the city framework. The city (Abeokuta, meaning Under the rock) got its name from the famous Olumo Rock, which served as a refuge for the Egba warriors during the war against the Ibadan people in the 19th Century.

The city is also known for it's peace and serenity, being mostly dominated by public workers, who are mostly middle income earners. Talking about the city's ancient culture and heritage, our first visit will be to Olumo Rock, in the heart of the city.

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Olumo rock

This is a 137 meters high rock, and is an historical monument, which served as a shelter and fortress to the Egba people during the Yoruba Intercity wars in the early 19th century. The Egba people hid themselves under this rock and within its crevices till the war was over. From that moment, they regard the Olumo Rock as their protection shrine and they make annual sacrifices to its deity. People from all walks of life still go there for divine consultations.

There are various mysteries surrounding this rock, which include the existence of a tree of over 200 years old which still grows there. “This tree does not wither, nor does it shed its leaves throughout the year. It flourishes always, through dry and rainy seasons. There are people who still reside under this rock till date, among whom is an old woman, over 130 years old. She is one of the people who tell tourists eye-witness stories of the events that occurred during the wars, and how they took refuge in Olumo, as well as events that have occurred since then. Here are other pictures of different parts of the rock.

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The Central Mosque, Kobiti.

Although not much is known about the history of this architectural edifice, there are many spectacular things about it. The design is amazing, it is the biggest mosque in the city, and is where state official Islamic activities take place. The mosque is also very visible from the top of Olumo rock.

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The Centenary Hall, Ake

This structure was built in 1930 to commemorate a hundred years of peace and settlement of the Egba people on the land, after the inter tribal war.

The First Church Building in Nigeria

St. Peters Cathedral, Ake, Abeokuta is the first church to be built in Nigeria. The foundation of the building was laid by Reverend Andrew Desalu Wilhelm and the construction was commissioned in 1898.

Palace of the Alake of Egbaland

The Alake of Egbaland is the paramount ruler of the Egba kingdom in Abeokuta. There are four other kings in the city, which are The Olowu of Owu, The Osile of Oke Ona, The Olubara of Ibara and The Agura of Gbagura, but the Alake is the Head of them all.

Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library

This compound is a mix of several things including a world class library complex, hotel accommodation, a cinema, event center, a museum, a wildlife park, sports pitches, and so on. The library complex lies on a 32-hectares landmass, and is situated in the immediate vicinity of the Federal High Court, the City Stadium, the Federal and State Governments’ Secretariats, a golf course and several high-brow residential estates.

The Main Library Building source

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My friend, it is a pity that one day will not be able to explore all the amazing beauty and heritage of Abeokuta. Please make time to come another time, and we can explore even more. Thank you very much.

I hope you enjoyed it...

All Pictures that are not sourced are my personal pictures.