FAMOUS FISRT
Famous firsts in Nigeria
Esie museum – the first museum in Nigeria
F
or centuries, they have confounded every mind with their mysterious presence. Since their discovery over 240 years ago in a thick forest near the community, no one has been able to solve the raging puzzle: who carved the Esie statues? Esie is a quiet community in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. Inside the Esie National Museum, the first museum in the country, stands the mysterious stone images whose origin has remained unknown till date. The statues weigh between 0.55 and 104 kilogrammes, and they stand between 14 and 20 centimetres in height. Some are male while others are female. Some are seated on stools even as others are on their knees. Some of them are garlanded with beads. Others are either playing some musical instruments, holding assorted weapons of war, including arrows and machetes. There are those posing as if in deep meditation. So how did these statues suddenly arrive in the lives of the men and women of Esie? It was gathered that even the dwellers of the town have been unable to explain their origin. Around 1775, a powerful hunter and founder of the town, Baragbon, had discovered the statues near the community. Unable to fathom what he had seen, he rushed back home and intimated the people. As would be expected, the 44
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oracle was consulted and the people promptly moved the bizarre objects into town, after the necessary sacrifices. Baragbon, it was learnt, was a strong hunter who usually stayed for many months in the forest on hunting expeditions. It was on one of such trips that he accosted the strange, aweinspiring objects. The hunter was said to have discovered the statues seated in a semi circle, with one in the middle. It was as if the statues were having a village meeting, with their king or leader sitting in the middle, presiding. After they had consulted the oracle, the people were assured by the priests that the mysterious collection would bring no calamity to the town. In fact, they were told that the images would bring fame to the land and would protect Esie and its people from any harm. To place it on record that such a discovery was made at the site, a popular tree, famously called Peregun in Yoruba land, was planted at the place in 1775. Researchers said more of such statues are still lying buried in the ground. In 1945, 170 years after Baragbon made his epochal discovery, the British Colonial Government established Nigeria’s first museum at Esie. The reason was to help preserve the soapstone statues discovered by the people of the town in 1775. Little wonder the museum is known as the mother of all museums in Nigeria. Mrs Mopelola Mowunmi is the current curator
at the museum. Nigeria is, without a doubt, blessed with many sculpture traditions. Many cities and towns across the country have for many centuries dazzled the world with their unique artistic traditions. Benin, Ife, Owo, Igbo-Ukwu, Nok, Ikom and Oron, among others, have carved a niche for themselves worldwide as having created unique artistic traditions. But the Esie soapstone statues remain the most unique and mysterious. Igbomina is a sub group of the Yoruba people inhabiting the Northern part of Yoruba land. Igbomina area is surrounded by Ilorin people, the Ijeshas, the Ekiti people, the Yagbas and the Nupes. The mysterious images are not the only unique things about Esie. The Igbomina town parades other historical sites. Some of them are the Cathedral Church of Saint Michael (Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion), which is more than 100 years old, the old palace of the monarch, Elesie, the tomb of past Esie monarchs at Agbo Ile Ooye and the final resting place of Baragbon at Oke-Sanlu. A monument with a plaque that lists the names of all past Elesie has been erected at the place. Also in the museum is the shrine previously used for the worship of the images before Christianity and Islam stopped such practices. Another interesting thing about the Esie statues is the different facial marks belonging to different peoples in other parts of Africa, www.cometonigeria.com
