Introduction

Several scholars all over the world have over the year researched into the importance of biodiversity to health, in this presentation, the work of some of this scholars will be examined and as much as possible there will be an attempt to define biodiversity, health and human wellbeing as well as, an examination of the concept of who a tourist is and how biodiversity comes into play in tourism.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity underpins life on Earth, and refers to the variety found in biota from genetic makeup of plants and animals to cultural diversity.

Biodiversity, as defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is ‘the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems’ (1992).

The CBD, which came into force in 1993, is a legally binding commitment to conserve biodiversity and its adoption has had a huge impact on public and political interest in the meaning and importance of biodiversity.

What does biodiversity mean for human health?

People depend on biodiversity in their daily lives, in ways that are not always apparent or appreciated. Human health ultimately depends upon ecosystem products and services (such as availability of fresh water, food and fuel sources) which are requisite for good human health and productive livelihoods. Biodiversity loss can have significant direct human health impacts if ecosystem services are no longer adequate to meet social needs. Indirectly, changes in ecosystem services affect livelihoods, income, local migration and, on occasion, may even cause political conflict.

Humans receive a wealth of benefits from ecosystems. These are described as ‘ecosystem services’ and include physical products, such as food and medicines, as well as useful services such as pollination of crop plants and climate regulation. Many ecosystem services do not have market prices and their economic value can be estimated only by indirect methods.

Biodiversity plays a number of important roles in helping ensure humans have a secure supply of food. For example, loss of genetic diversity within staple crops represents a threat to human health when their potential for resistance against disease, pests, drought and other natural or manmade disasters is considered. Worldwide, the diversity

of agricultural crops – measured in terms of their genetic differences – has diminished rapidly in the last two decades, dwindling to a quarter of what it was in 1990 (European

Commission, 2011). Pollinators, including bees, are essential for ensuring the

genetic diversity of plants, including agricultural crops. Relying on a small number of pollinator species to carry out these services is risky given recent declines and it is therefore crucial to protect a wide range, including wild pollinator populations

(Potts, et al., 2006). In turn, many different species make up the complex ecosystems that support pollinators and careful management of natural and agricultural habitats is required to protect their biodiversity. Biodiversity within and at the edges of agricultural land often ensures against pest infestations that could threaten food supply (Diaz, et al., 2005). For example, maize grown together with peanuts reduces the impact of stemborer, an important agricultural pest in central and Southern Europe, and cacao

grown near to natural forests seems to suffer less from pest infestations.

Microbial biodiversity also affects food security and consequently human wellbeing. For example, soil microorganisms carry out important ecosystem services by recycling organic waste and converting nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form that plants can absorb. Their ecosystem services thus make soil more productive for agriculture and it

is estimated that microbes are responsible for fixing over 140 million tonnes of nitrogen each year, the economic value of which has been estimated to be around €63 billion (Brussaard, et al., 2007).

Additionally, biophysical diversity of microorganisms, flora and fauna provides extensive knowledge which carry important benefits for biological, health, and pharmacological sciences. Significant medical and pharmacological discoveries are made through greater understanding of the earth's biodiversity. Loss in biodiversity may limit discovery of potential treatments for many diseases and health problems.

Threats to biodiversity and health

There is growing concern about the health consequences of biodiversity loss and change. Biodiversity changes affect ecosystem functioning and significant disruptions of ecosystems can result in life sustaining ecosystem goods and services. Biodiversity loss also means that we are losing, before discovery, many of nature's chemicals and genes, of the kind that have already provided humankind with enormous health benefits. Specific pressures and linkages between health and biodiversity include:

Nutritional impact of biodiversity

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in human nutrition through its influence on world food production, as it ensures the sustainable productivity of soils and provides the genetic resources for all crops, livestock, and marine species harvested for food. Access to a sufficiency of a nutritious variety of food is a fundamental determinant of health.

Nutrition and biodiversity are linked at many levels: the ecosystem, with food production as an ecosystem service; the species in the ecosystem and the genetic diversity within species. Nutritional composition between foods and among varieties/cultivars/breeds of the same food can differ dramatically, affecting micronutrient availability in the diet. Healthy local diets, with adequate average levels of nutrients intake, necessitates maintenance of high biodiversity levels.

Intensified and enhanced food production through irrigation, use of fertilizer, plant protection (pesticides) or the introduction of crop varieties and cropping patterns affect biodiversity, and thus impact global nutritional status and human health. Habitat simplification, species loss and species succession often enhance communities vulnerabilities as a function of environmental receptivity to ill health.

Importance of biodiversity for health research and traditional medicine

Traditional medicine continue to play an essential role in health care, especially in primary health care. Traditional medicines are estimated to be used by 60% of the world’s population and in some countries are extensively incorporated into the public health system. Medicinal plant use is the most common medication tool in traditional medicine and complementary medicine worldwide. Medicinal plants are supplied through collection from wild populations and cultivation. Many communities rely on natural products collected from ecosystems for medicinal and cultural purposes, in addition to food.

Although synthetic medicines are available for many purposes, the global need and demand for natural products persists for use as medicinal products and biomedical research that relies on plants, animals and microbes to understand human physiology and to understand and treat human diseases.

Infectious diseases

Human activities are disturbing both the structure and functions of ecosystems and altering native biodiversity. Such disturbances reduce the abundance of some organisms, cause population growth in others, modify the interactions among organisms, and alter the interactions between organisms and their physical and chemical environments. Patterns of infectious diseases are sensitive to these disturbances. Major processes affecting infectious disease reservoirs and transmission include, deforestation; land-use change; water management e.g. through dam construction, irrigation, uncontrolled urbanization or urban sprawl; resistance to pesticide chemicals used to control certain disease vectors; climate variability and change; migration and international travel and trade; and the accidental or intentional human introduction of pathogens.

Climate change, biodiversity and health

Biodiversity provides numerous ecosystem services that are crucial to human well-being at present and in the future. Climate is an integral part of ecosystem functioning and human health is impacted directly and indirectly by results of climatic conditions upon terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Marine biodiversity is affected by ocean acidification related to levels of carbon in the atmosphere. Terrestrial biodiversity is influenced by climate variability, such as extreme weather events (ie drought, flooding) that directly influence ecosystem health and the productivity and availability of ecosystem goods and services for human use. Longer term changes in climate affect the viability and health of ecosystems, influencing shifts in the distribution of plants, pathogens, animals, and even human settlements.

Key Facts: Biodiversity and Health

• More than half of all new drugs are based on or connected to natural products (Ganesan, 2008)

• Around two thirds of the agents that cause human disease are naturally transmitted from animals to humans (Diaz et al, 2005).

• More than half of the world’s population live in urban environments (Dean et al, 2011). Most do not have easy access to green spaces (Hladnik and

Pirnat, 2011).

• A quarter of all European species are under threat. 25% of marine mammals, 15% of terrestrial mammals, 22% of amphibians, 21% of reptiles and 12% of birds are facing extinction at the European level (EEA, 2010). loss by the year 2020.

In addition, the ‘essential contribution to human wellbeing’ of biodiversity

is recognised under the EU’s longer term vision for protecting and restoring biodiversity by 2050. This Future Brief explores emerging issues and recent developments in our understanding of the link between biodiversity and human health.

The natural world is a vast resource of chemical and genetic diversity which makes major contributions to medicine. Chemical compounds produced by plants,

animals or microbes have been used as medicines for decades – centuries in some cases. Some of the best known examples are the penicillin antibiotics, originally

discovered as natural products made by fungi, and the painkiller aspirin, developed by making chemical modifications to a substance in willow bark called salicin. More recent advances mean that scientists are also able to make medically important compounds by making genetic changes to the organisms that produce them, or by reengineering

other organisms to produce the compounds. The anti-malarial artemisinin, an extract of sweet wormwood, can now be produced in large quantities in genetically modified yeast (Ro, et al. 2006) and scientists are using genetic approaches to address drug resistance

problems by tweaking the biochemistry of bacteria. Certain environmental niches, such as the deep ocean, may represent huge genetic resources with largely untapped potential for biomedical applications. For example, structurally unusual chemicals with anticancer activities have recently been isolated from bacteria that grow on coral reefs (Taori, et al. 2008).

The chemical structures produced in nature are relatively few when compared to all possible structures – an infinite number – but they have been honed through many millions of years of evolution. If lost, these biologically active structures may not be so easily accessible through computational or synthetic means. Furthermore, drug development is a slow process (between 1970-2006, only 24 natural product discoveries led directly to the approval of new drugs (Ganesan, 2008)), which highlights the urgency of protecting biodiversity now. Nature is not just a source of new drug

discoveries; it also provides inspiration for the design of novel drugs produced in the laboratory. More than half of new drugs marketed between 1981-2006 had some

natural product connection, providing one compelling argument for preserving

biodiversity. One example is the antibiotic SQ26,180, which was discovered in a

bacterium and replaced by a synthetic mimic.

How to Protect Biodiversity and Health

Improving scientific, political and public understanding of the connections between biodiversity and health will be key to ensuring that the consequences of biodiversity disturbances, and any resulting impacts on human health, are minimized. The value of biodiversity is increasingly recognized by international conventions and, within Europe, under policy frameworks for its conservation. However, careful management of ecosystems is required to protect human health in the future.

The following recommendations highlight just some of the key areas of concern and general principles for policy action:

• Health arguments should be incorporated into policy frameworks for action to conserve

biodiversity.

• Managing specific ecosystem services does not always benefit biodiversity more broadly and may, in the long-term, have negative consequences for other ecosystem services and for human health. This should be reflected in assessments, including

when possible cost-benefit analyses, of decisions and policies affecting ecosystems.

• For some ecosystem services relevant to health, benefits are best expressed in monetary terms in order to aid decision making processes. However, it may not be realistic to calculate an economic value for others.

• Singular policy measures designed to preserve ecosystem benefits to human health will be limited in their scope – a suite of different policy instruments may be required to tackle biodiversity disturbances at their root causes. Coordination between different mechanisms and at regional, national and international levels is key.

• Climate change requires special attention because it poses a threat to biodiversity across all types of ecosystems with unpredictable consequences for health.

• The links between biodiversity and human diseases are complex and require further investigation. However, an awareness of the potential risks associated with development activities, such as deforestation and afforestation, dam building and farming, is crucial and should form the basis for development decisions.

• Incorporating green spaces into urban planning combines opportunities for conserving biodiversity with health benefits to the population. Further research would help characterize the nature of the links that tie human wellbeing to biodiversity within the urban environment.

• Changes to biodiversity affect the availability of food and medicines and the incidence of many different pests and diseases.

• Human physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing are closely connected to biodiversity.

• Many links between biodiversity and human health are complex and difficult to characterize.

• Disturbances to biodiversity will have consequences for human health. These will often be unpredictable and undesirable.

• Diverse and well-coordinated policies are required to protect human health from the negative consequences of biodiversity disturbances.

 The concept of tourism

Tourism has been defined variously by various scholars over the years to include the business of travel for leisure, recreation and or research; however for the purpose of this paper the definition put forward by Aremu 2001 will be used. According to him; “tourism can be defined as the science, art, and business of attracting and transporting visitors, accommodating them and catering for their needs and wants. The entire world industry of travel, hotels, transportation, and all other components including promotion, serves the needs and wants of travelers. Tourism today has been given new meaning, and it is primarily a term in economics referring to an industry” (McIntosh et al, 1977, Aremu D.A 2001).

The above definition of a tourism connotates that tourism involves people traveling from one place to the other. The reason for travelling could be to know more about the cultures of other lands or simply to relax and improve on ones health, from the above discussion on biodiversity and health it clear that biodiversity can serve as a source of tourism resource especially for medical and ecotourism. If the biodiversity is properly understood and preserved, it could help in promoting tourism; tourist would travel from urban centers of less biodiversity wealth to areas of high biodiversity complexity. Tourist travel to enjoy scenic beauties of activities such as bird watching, landscaping and watching animal migration scenes and so many other reasons.

Biodiversity and mental wellbeing

There is an argument that biodiversity has serious implication for mental wellbeing by such authors like Erik Erikson, Harold Searie and the likes. Studies overtime has proved their arguments to be true at least in some parts of the world.

There are three fundamental theories used to argue that biodiversity positively affects human mental wellbeing, these theories are:

1.      Biophilia: this represents an evolution-based theory defined as the innate emotional affinity of human beings to other living organisms and nature. It is hypothesized that this behavior is determined by a programmed genetic sequence along the course of human evolution which a positive response to natural environments in accordance with its own survival. Based on this perspective the concept of affinity towards diversity was developed, this explains the individual’s ability and predisposition to appreciate variant dynamic interaction of human and nature in everyday situation.

2.      Attention to restoration: the theory is based on works of US psychologist W. James, he postulates that “in all individuals there are two areas of mental attention, a) direct attention, which is voluntary and intentional, i.e. one concentrates on aspects regarded as important for oneself. Other less important issues are classified as distraction and have to be blocked by the mind, which in turn produces mental fatigue (direct attention fatigue, or DAF); b) indirect attention (called fascination) which involuntary and automatic, keeping concentration with little or no efforts at all. This allows the brain to recover (or restore), and then going back to direct attention. Attention restoration process takes place in the right side of the frontal cortex of the brain, which form an evolutionary stand point, being alert and focused was necessary for survival”

3.      Psycho-physiologic stress recovery: the theory is based on the empiric result observed in the positive responses given by individuals exposed to natural environments. “under stressful conditions, an individual react following a physiologic mechanism pattern known as ‘fight or flight response’. This reaction involves catecholamine secretion (including epinephrine) into the bloodstream, which causes muscular tension, rise blood pressure, accelerates pulse rate, constrict blood vessels and increase perspiration……. Some studies have found that contact with nature causes people to lower their stress level, even at a short time after the exposure has begun.

The above arguments no have great implications for the flow of tourists to different parts of the world in search of that unique opportunity to relax and savour the therapeutic and stress relieving power of nature. People seek to experience a new environment different from their everyday life and work experience and seek a means to release the stress and tension of work accrued over time. This singular reason has accounted for the mass movement of tourists across the world in recent times and has spurred tourism to its recent position as the world’s highest foreign income earning economic sector capable of improving the economies of even the most underdeveloped nations of the world.

Conclusion

Biodiversity holds great potential for health, not only in providing the source from which medicines and drugs used in cure and prevention of many diseases can be obtained, but in also providing human populations all over the world with its cycling capacity of environmental purification. Biodiversity must be maintained as several studies have shown that sustainable biodiversity practices improves human health, help in disease control and serves a major role in maintaining equilibriums that aid survival and continued existence of life on this our planet earth. As the World Health Organization puts it “man needs the biological diversity to survive, while the biodiversity does not need man at all to continue to exist”. The onus of environmental protection and sustainable use therefore at this present age and time more than ever before rest on mans ability to sustain, protect, conserve and respect biodiversity, for only sustainable interaction can yield and lead to sustainable development.

References           

Aremu D.A. (2001): “Organizing Tourism Committees and Survey of Tourist Resource in Local Government Areas in Nigeria” in Cultural and Ecotourism Development Management in Nigeria. Edited by D.A. Aremu. Hope Publications, Ibadan.

  Brussaard, L., et al. (2007): Soil biodiversity for agricultural sustainability. Agriculture,

Ecosystems & Environment. 121(3): 233-244.

Chivian, E. et al. (2002): Biodiversity: its importance to human health. Harvard

Medical School, Boston. Downloadable from: http://ees2.geo.rpiscrews.us/

abrajanoCourses/public_html/Lecture12.pdf.

Corvalan, C. et al. (2005): Ecosystems and human well-being: Health Synthesis,

World Health Organization, Geneva. Downloadable from: http://www.who.int/

entity/globalchange/ecosystems/ecosys.pdf

Diaz, S., et al. (2005): Biodiversity Regulation of Ecosystem Services. In R. Hassan,

R. Scholes, & N. Ash (Eds.), Ecosystems and human well-being: Current state

and trends: Findings of the Condition and Trends Working Group. (pp. 297-329).

Washington (D. C.): Island Press. Downloadable from: http://www.maweb.org/

documents/document.280.aspx.pdf

EC. Communication COM(2011): 244. ‘Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU

biodiversity strategy to 2020. Brussels, 3 May 2011. Downloadable from http://

ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/comm2006/pdf/2020/1_EN_ACT_

part1_v7%5B1%5D.pdf

EEA. (2010): EU 2010 biodiversity baseline. EEA Technical Report, European

Environment Agency, Luxembourg, 12/2010. Downloadable from: http://www.eea.

europa.eu/publications/eu-2010-biodiversity-baseline

Faculty of Public Health (2010): Great Outdoors: How Our Natural Health Service

Uses Green Space: An action report. Faculty of Public Health, London, 1-18.

Downloadable from http://www.fph.org.uk/uploads/r_great_outdoors.pdf

Ganesan, A. (2008). The impact of natural products upon modern drug discovery.

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology. 12(3): 306-17.

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residential environments: The potential role of perceived availability to nearby

green areas. Landscape and Urban Planning. 83(2-3): 115-126.

Hladnik, D. and Pirnat, J. (2011): Urban forestry—Linking naturalness and amenity:

The case of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 10(2): 105-112.

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Interacademy Panel on International Issues, 13-14 January 2010, 1-4. Downloadable

from: http://www.bioclimate.org/images/resources/resources/attachments/3170/

original_iap_communique.pdf?1279458799

Lindgren, E., and Jaenson, T. G. T. (2006): Lyme borreliosis in Europe: influences of

climate and climate change , epidemiology , ecology and adaptation measures.

World Health Organisation, Copenhagen. Downloadable from: http://www.euro.

who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/96819/E89522.pdf

Ogden, N. H., and Tsao, J. I. (2009): Biodiversity and Lyme disease: dilution or

amplification? Epidemics. 1(3): 196-206.

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on daily temperature variation. PNAS. 107(34): 15135-15139.

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complex Mediterranean landscape. Biological Conservation. 129(4): 519-529.

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in engineered yeast. Nature. 440: 940-943.

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Outlook 3. Montréal, 94 pages. Downloadable from: http://gbo3.cbd.int/

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agent from the Floridian marine cyanobacterium Symploca sp. Journal of the

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Other sources of information

• UN Convention on Biological Diversity
  2010 International Year of Biodiversity. Protecting health by protecting the environment and conserving biodiversity
• Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Biodiversity Synthesis (2005) [pdf 13.4Mb]
  Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
• Biodiversity: Its Importance to Human Health [pdf 990 kb]
  Interim Executive Summary. Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School, under the auspices of WHO and UNEP.

The image above is one of the lots taken at iyemogun. more on the picture soon

do you know

Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa and it has the highest number of language diversity.
in Nigeria a lot of the populace still live in rural areas and some of the cities are often over populated . well this is not a minus for Nigeria at least in the view of an archaeologist.
out of the populous lot so many potential exist and have always existed.
Today I will be talking about a site located in Nigeria, this is a personally visited site.
Iyemogun is located in the outskirt of Ilesha a town of south western yoruba land well known for its antiquity and long existence as the seat of one of the Yoruba's prominent rulers. The Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesha land.
Iyemogun has a population of less than five hundred residents, but this village is rich in culture as it represents what a yoruba village may have looked liked in the early colonial days apart from the use of coagulated iron ruffing sheets as building covers, the houses in this village are built in the ancient African style, and children can be seen playing on the streets with barely any form of clothing on them. Several things distinguish this village and makes it a central point of interest as we will discuss later

a project on the ijemo agbadu people of abeokuta

over the years several studies have been carried out on the cultures of different peoples one of such reseach findings is published below


OCTOBER 2010
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF ABANDONED HILL TOP SETTLEMENTS SITES IN IJEMO AGBADU AND OLUMO ROCK IN ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE

DEDICATION
I dedicate this project to almighty God, the one who was, who is and who is to come, for his love and care throughout my stay on the university of Ibadan campus, to my father and mother, for their unrelenting support

Table of content
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Table of content vi
List of figures viii
List of plates ix
Chapter 1: General background
1.1: introduction 1
1.2: Aims and objectives 3
1.3: Scope of the study 4
1.4: Rationale of the study 4
1.5: Geographical background 4
1.6: Geology and soil 5
1.7: Historical back ground 6
Chapter 2: Literature review and methodology 9
2.1:Review on abandoned hill top settlement sites in north east Yoruba land, kwara state Nigeria
2.2: review on Ethnoarchaeology of domestic space and spatial behavior among the Tiv and Ungwai of central Nigeria. 11
2.3: review on settlement archaeology 12
2.4: Review on history and other written records on Abeokuta, Olumo and the Egba people at Abeokuta 14
2.5: Methodology 17
2.6: Theoretical framework 18
2.7: Limitation of the study 18
Chapter 3: Archaeology reconnaissance 19
Chapter 4: Data analysis and interpretation 37
Chapter 5: conclusion 38
5.1: Summary and conclusion 38
5.2: Remarks 39
5.3: Recommendation 39
References 41

ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF ABANDONED HILL TOP SETTLEMENTS SITES IN IJEMO AGBADU AND OLUMO ROCK IN ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL BACKGROUND
1.1 Introduction
Archaeological investigation of any past occupational site is important, as it helps to reconstruct what the place/site must have looked like in the past, and the level of importance of such a site to its past occupants.
Ijemo Agbadu hill top settlement site is located in Abeokuta south local government area, south western Yoruba land Ogun State, Nigeria.
Archaeology as defined by Aileru (2006 pers.comm), “is a scientific discipline for studying prehistoric cultures. Archeological research is systematic, meticulous, laborious and complicated with many startling achievements to its credit”. Archaeology also aims at reconstructing past histories in order to explain cultural changes through time.
From the above definitions of archaeology and archaeological research, the investigation of abandoned hill top settlement sites in Ijemo Agbadu and Olumo rock becomes relevant with the aim of ascertaining the historical significance of the sites. The study also investigate the kind of subsistence pattern adopted by the past inhabitants, of the sites. Oral interview and reconnaissance were carried out in order to know the relevance of the hilltops to the past inhabitants of the sites.
The Oke Ijemo rock according to Darling (2008 pers.com.) is made up of granite pegmatite with big feldspar crystals. The hill tops is exceptional, not only because of religious importance associated to the site, but also because of the vivid evidence of past walls, built into spaces between the rocks lying on top of each other, grinding/rock hollows systematically arranged and, shelter in which people had lived before. At Olumo Rock the above information is also applicable.
There are two hills in Ijemo Agbadu; the first is visible when the area is approached from the new famous Ake palace. This hill is called Oke Waasinmi, and the other is located on the street adjacent to the first, and is called Oke Ijemo (this was sacred to Oro worship until 1879).
The Olumo Rock is located within the same local government area as the Ijemo rocks and is about two kilometers (2km) away from Oke Ijemo. This site is a tourist site in Abeokuta, and is open to tourists throughout the year in the town.
While the aim of archaeology as a discipline is to reconstruct man’s past in order to explain cultural changes through time, its major objectives are:
- To study material remains of man that survived through time.
- To recover aspects of man’s past that is not available in written records and also to provide more empirical evidence in support of written records.
- Gathering and accumulating data through reconnaissance, excavation, oral history, mythologies etc.
- Preservation and conservation of material culture that have survived the ravages of time. Etc (Aileru 2006 pers.com).
Bearing in mind these objectives of archaeology, the importance of the investigation to be done in this archaeological research becomes feasible and conceivable. Through this project more knowledge will be added to the available historical information and a better appreciation of archaeological investigation and its relevance is apprehended.
1.2 Aim and Objectives
Aim
The research aim at using archaeological investigation to ascertain the historical significance of the sites that is; Oke Ijemo, Oke Waasinmi and Olumo Rock through time, to the ethnographic present.
Objectives
To achieve the set goals, the research objectives include:
(i) To carry out ethnographic study on the sites from past inhabitants who may still be alive, or those that are knowledgeable about the site.
Investigate archaeological evidence that exists on the site.
(ii) Carry out survey on the hill top settlement sites for archaeological material resources. Collect any archaeological data on the sites for analysis.
(iii) Carry out analysis of data obtained from the site, with assistance of ethnographic information from amongst the people.
1.3 Scope Of the Study
The study is on the archeology of Ijemo Agbadu hill top settlement sites and the Olumo Rock. This archaeological investigation involves abandoned hill top settlement sites in Ijemo Agbadu, Oke Waasinmi and Oke Ijemo and the Olumo rock. The research documents all visible evidence of past human occupation on the sites.
1.4 Rational Of the Study
This study helps to ascertain the historical significance of Ijemo Agbadu settlement sites and also that of Olumo rock. It helps to appreciate hill top settlement sites as places of refuge during the war period.
On the whole, this archaeological investigation adds to the existing body of knowledge about Ijemo Agbadu people and on Abeokuta and the Egba community as a people of ancient historical significance throughout the Yoruba history.
1.4 Geographical Background
Abeokuta is the capital and the largest urban centre in Ogun state. The name Abeokuta literarily means under the rock. That is, a city or place under the rock. The inhabitants of this area are well known for their attachment to the rocks around them. Abeokuta is situated in south western Nigeria. It is located on longitude 7º8’N, and latitude 3º25’E on the Ogun river, it is 103 kilometers north of Lagos by railway or 130.36 kilometers by water. (www.jstor.com.2010).
Abeokuta has an estimated area of 3000 square miles, with a population of about 2, 328,570 (1991 census).
Ijemo Agbadu is located in the centre of Abeokuta in Abeokuta south local government area as well as Olumo rock. The Ijemo Agbadu settlements and Olumo is located within the vicinity of the paramount king of Egbaland i.e. Alake of Egbaland.
The topography of the area generally comprises of a cluster of rock-strewn protrusions rising and fallen and scattered about in the area. The rocks are made up of big granite pegmatite with big feldspars crystals.
The wet and dry season are experienced in Abeokuta. The wet season occurs between March and November and the dry season, between December and February.
Generally, in this area rainfall varies yearly. There is a double maximum of rainfall with short dry season in August. The highest record of rainfall is 242.4mm in July and 12.4mm in January. The dominant rainfall is the frontal type with occasional local effects of orographic rainfall due to the presence of highlands in Abeokuta. (Babalola, 2002).
Below some maps are provided, these maps show the location of Ogun State in Nigeria, Abeokuta south local government in Ogun State, the map of Abeokuta adapted from J.A.Manser (1867) and modified version of the same map. This helps to achieve a better understanding of the investigated sites, and also the importance of the closeness in proximity of the three investigated hill tops, that is; Oke Ijemo, Oke Waasinmi, and Olumo rock all in Abeokuta south local government
1.6 Geology and Soil
Abeokuta (within which Ijemo Agbadu and Olumo are located) is underlain with pre-Cambrian crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks, which contains minerals like feldspar, quartz, and gneiss. (Udo, 1970, Babalola, 2002).
Due to weathering activities, poorly moistured soils have been produced which are sandy and poor in moisture and nutrients. There are also clay soils which is handy to the potters around Ijaye Area of Abeokuta.
The Ijemo Agabdu people in Abeokuta (settled on the available land mass around the rocks) are majorly traders. Those that farm own their farms in the main settlements
site e.g. in Ijako. People go as far as Owode to establish their farms or even have farms in old Ijako.
The houses in this area are generally clustered to each other with barely any vivid space between houses. Houses are built without fences. The houses are built partly with mud, brick and concrete blocks and some buildings are constructed with a combination of either both mud and concrete or mud and bricks.

1.7 Historical Background
Ijemo Agbadu is a settlement of the Ijako people. Almost all the families in the area refer to the old Ijako settlement as Oko (farm house the old Ijako settlement is still retained by the people in this area, but it s basically used for agricultural activities).
The mythology holds that in the past a great warrior, one of the chiefs in the great Ife Empire (Balogun Oderinlo) went to war with his fellow warriors, and his grown up sons, in a bid to gain more territories for the great empire of Ife. On their way back to Ife, there was a dispute between the sons of this war lord and some of the other warriors with whom they went to war (as the battle was victorious).
New grounds were broken during the war and more territory was gained within the land of the people of Ibadan. Some of the sons of this war lord were asked to stay back and be leaders in the new territory.
After several years of leadership in the conquered area, a dispute arose between one of the king’s son’s wife and of the villagers, the villager whom the prince’s wife quarreled with died.
The wife of the young prince sent a salve boy to buy her pap, from her favourite spot. The women in charge of selling the pap (Eko) shortchanged the slave boy, and this led to a quarrel between the prince’s wife and the pap seller. The quarrel led to the death of the pap seller. There was a standing rule amongst the people which implied that anyone who kills will be killed too. Justice had to be done. But at the same time, the culprit as the case was is the wife of the prince. As a popular Yoruba saying goes, you don’t use the child of the oracle as sacrifice to the oracle. The solution available at the time was for the prince’s wife to be killed, or the prince and his wife should leave the village along with his entire kins men. This was because the death of the woman was not an intentional act on the part of the prince’s wife.
The Ifa oracle was to be consulted and his decision is to be held as final.
Prior to this, the prince and his loved ones had a plan mapped out already; that they would leave the town by night and journey to a far away land without leaving any trace behind. The prince was fortunate enough to have among those who opted to follow him an Ifa priest (who according to history already knew what was to happen). He had a divine revelation of what was going to happen, and what was to be done. “They were to embark on a journey which would lead them to where Orunmila (the supreme god) wanted the young prince to become king. They would settle in the place where they find a river, a grinding stone, with its grounding slab, water Lilly, a baobab tree etc. it is in such a place that they must lay the foundation of their new settlements”.
After several days journey, they arrived at a place where all the signs predicted were seen and there they built their own new town which they named Ijako. After several peaceful years in their new settlement, according to their oral history, the people suffered many assaults from their neighbours, ranging from raids, by their neighbouring Dahomey slave hunters, and Ibadan super power, some of the Ijako people migrated once again in search of a well fortified settlement.
The Ijako people on getting to Abeokuta met with a people who had a highly organized political and social system. As they were a royal blood (carrying the scepter and crown), they were not allowed to settle within the main Ake territory. They were allotted a portion of land at the out skirt of the town, and they pitched their tent at their present location. The name Ijako was however retained, and today a street in Ijemo Agbadu goes by that name.
According to Alabi Oderinlo (2009 pers.com) the name Ijemo Agbadu is an abbreviation of the actual name, which is Ijemo Agba ndun meaning the people of Ijemo, the gong of war is being beaten. It literarily connotes that war was about to start. This might have emanated as a result of the many wars fought by the people of the areas.
According to historical record, between 1820 AD to early 20th century, the people of Abeokuta witnessed quite a number of political unrest, caused by external assault from Dahomey and Ibadan and also from the then new and invading colonial masters and their newly introduced indirect rule as a system of government.
Today Ijako is no longer at the outskirt of the town, but within the main Egba kingdom, and is counted as one of the Egba settlement. The palace of the paramount ruler (Ake palace) has also been relocated close to Ijemo Agbadu and built to the taste of the day.

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND METHODOLOGY
2.1 Review on Abandoned Hill Top Settlement Sites in North East Yoruba Land, kwara State Nigeria.
Archaeological research carried out on Ipole Hill Top settlement by Aremu (1990) on the Archaeology of North East Yoruba land, Kwara State with Emphasis on Early Techniques of Metal working shows that archaeological reconnaissance of any site is of uttermost importance for useful information on material remains on an abandoned site. He reported on the nature of the topography, type of vegetation, available cultural materials on the site where he studied. He carried out a traverse survey which helps him to identify each of the wards on the site and the extent of the site. He identified a refuse dump during reconnaissance and later excavated it as part of his research.
For the study on Ijemo Agbadu, some of these methods become necessary and applicable as used on Ipole Hill Top to achieve the set out objectives.
Apart from carrying out reconnaissance at Ipole, Aremu (1990) carried out a study of aerial photography of the area. It enabled him to have more knowledge about the aerial view of the site. His use of ethnography helped his interpretation. He notes that the occupants of the hill top were related to the people occupying the present Obo Aiyegunle and Obo Ile below the hill top.
According to Shaw (1963) “archaeology comprises of a system of techniques for deriving the maximum amount of information from the material culture and physical remains, which have been left behind by past generation of mankind, and which have survived to the present” (Shaw 1963, Andah and Okopko 1994).
Reconnaissance is the major process of traversing a site; it involves the use of the naked eyes and some scientific devices such as compass and camera for photographs. The archaeologist during reconnaissance may decide to use the grid and system methods or walking process by which, he divides the side he is traversing into sectors using permanent features provided by the natural environment such as streams, fences, ditches, and valleys etc as reference points. During Aremu’s survey at Ipole Hill Top, he used the Ipole southern gate as reference point during his traverse survey. With this, the archaeologists are able to search through the site and make specific references which will become useful to future researchers in the area.
Hence, discoveries of great archeological sites have been made in the past by laymen or even by archaeologists, for example the Igbo Ukwu site was discovered in 1939 by accident, while a man was digging a cistern in his compound and came across some objects, this as in most cases, drew attention to the site
Ethnography and ethno archaeological information is also vital in archaeological research, “Ethno archaeology as defined by Hole and Heizer (1993) is the study of people specifically for the information they may give on archaeological maters Aremu (1990).
As a technique in archaeology and also in ethnography, oral interview granted by knowledgeable informants becomes vital sources of information. They provide interesting clues about archaeological sites and particular spots for excavation.
At Ipole Hill Top, the information provided by a key informant allowed a better understanding of the site, according to him “apart from information obtained from literature, local informants were very important for my work” Aremu (1990). It should be noted that if possible, going to the site along side with such a knowledgeable informant is also a good thing as suggested in Aremu’s work. The presence of a key informant during reconnaissance provides one with handy information about present human activities on the site and also about likely finds that one could come across. During Aremu’s work on Ipole Hill Top the presence of crucibles and the fact that such has been collected in the past by hunters in the area was confirmed by the key informant, and the probability of removal of other artifacts from the site was also inferred.

2.2 Review on Ethnoarchaeology of Domestic space and spatial behaviour among the Tiv an Ungwai of central Nigeria.

Ethnoarchaeological research carried out on the Tiv and Ungwai people by Ogundele (2005) on domestic space and spatial behaviour among the Tiv and Ungwai of central Nigeria has made an attempt to clarify understanding of aspects of domestic space and spatial behaviour among the Tiv and Ungwai people.
His work is a comparative study of two ethno/linguistics groups who occupy similar socio-political organization of hill top occupation in ancient times. He also noted that differences in topography of both past and present occupants have affected their settlement patterns (i.e. compound layout) and their architecture and this therefore made him unable to ascribe functions to some of the structures identified on the hill top.
People in the past in the two communities examined by Ogundele (2005) stayed on hill tops, while the present inhabitants stay on the lowlands. He therefore adopts ethnoarchaeology as a model for explaining and also demonstrating continuity and discontinuity between the ethnographic present and archaeological past.
Ethnoarchaeology in this sense therefore becomes necessary to this research, by providing an avenue for explaining continuity and discontinuity of occupation at Ijemo Agbadu Hill Top settlements and Olumo Rock.
During Ogundele’s research among the Tiv and Ungwai, through his use of ethno archaeological technique, he was able to obtain adequate information, about the three transitive stages of architectural development that is, the phase of the use of small, medium and large stone structures, in the course of this research, an attempt to describe change in settlements behaviour and architecture through time is made.
2.3 Review On Settlement Archaeology
The concept of settlement pattern in archaeology was first put to substantial use by Gordon R. Willey in his book Valley Gordon (1953). He described settlement pattern as a “strategic starting point for the functional interpretation of archaeological culture that reflect the natural environment, the level of technology which the builders operated, and various institutions of social interaction and control with the culture maintained”.
According to Chang (1958) and Sears (1961) settlement pattern may sometimes be used to reconstruct the social institutions and religious institutions that were once functional in a society.
There are two basic approaches to the study of settlement patterns in archaeology Chang (1962) noted:
(i) That archeological approach; based on the assumption that the settlements pattern is a product of the simple interaction between the environment and the technology of any people, (i.e. ecological determinism). As proposed by Leslie White and his students, and in anthropology, by Betty Meggers in the archaeological research filed. This approach investigates primarily how the settlements pattern reflects the adaptation of the society and its technology to its environment.
(ii) In the second approach, settlement pattern data are used as a basis for making inferences about social, political and religious organizations of prehistoric culture. This approach has been used by Chang (1956-1962) and Sears (1961).
Chang (1956) used the term community pattern to refer strictly to social aspects of settlements patterning.
However, generally archeologist “conceives of settlements patterns in terms of three levels.
- The first is the individual building structure;
- The second is the manner in which these structures are arranged within single communities and;
- The third approach is the manner in which communities are distributed over the landscape”. Chang (1956).
Through the study of settlements patterns therefore, one is given an insight about the structural arrangements of a site as well as clues about social, political and religious structures available within any given society as well as the subsistence patterns of such societies.
In this research the study of settlement patterns reflects the extinct living conditions of the abandoned hill top settlements in Ijemo Agbadu and its lowland environment and its implication on its extant population and the type of settlements pattern they have adopted.

2.4 Review on History and Other Written Records on Abeokuta, Olumo Rock and the Egba People of Abeokuta
The publication of A.B Ellis and Earl Phillips on Abeokuta and the Egba of Abeokuta published in the journal of African history volume 10, No 1 is reviewed here.
According to Ellis (1894), “the ancient and mythical historical background of Abeokuta revolves round the Olumo Rock”. The Olumo Rock is held sacred by the Egba people of Abeokuta. Olumo rock caves enclose the cluster of rocks, one of which is about 7.6metres and 6.09metres in length.
According to history, the Egba people found a safe haven in the Olumo rock at the times of wars and conflicts they experienced in the past. The Olumo rock is a monument that symbolizes the belief in people’s unity. It also represents a symbol of potency and shelter. The Olumo and other rocks in this area are connected to the history of the ancestors of the people of Abeokuta.
The word Abeokuta means under the rock. The name Olumo has both denotative and connotative meaning; Olumo-god mould- means the maker or giver of children, which symbolizes potency. Olumo also symbolizes the people’s unity- where god put an end to our troubles. It is from finding refuge under the rock that the name Abeokuta originates from.
The Olumo according to historical record was and is still being worshipped as it is believed to be the source of the potency, protection and prospering of the Egba people.
History has it that in times of war, it opened its mouth to accommodate mothers and their babies and that it provided additional advantage by helping to fight against the peoples enemies. The rock is also believed to be human as it is believed that if an attempt is made to break it in some parts blood will rush out of it. The people of Abeokuta, today still live on and around rocks, and they have a highly stratified political system, with the Alake of Ake as the paramount ruler.
Abeokuta is a city of historical and positional significance in Nigeria because of it strategic positioning and the role it played in prehistoric times in the Yoruba history. It also holds cultural significance and great tourist interest because of the Olumo rock and other rock present in the area.
From an old 1911 encyclopedia: one is able to know that Abeokuta played a key role during the colonial era as a town of British West Africa. Abeokuta became largely transformed under the reforming zeal of its native rulers early in the 20th century; it began to have features such as government offices and law courts, prisons etc.
The people of Abeokuta were also enthusiastic to see and put an end to slave raids. They welcomed and took part in foreign trade. They traded in produce such as palm-oil, timbre, rubber, cotton etc which were exchanged both at local and foreign markets.
Missionaries also gained new grounds in Abeokuta as churches and schools were soon built and more and more of the Egba children became educated. The construction of roads, railway and bridges enhanced trade and provided more access to the colonial masters.
With the advent of colonialism an end was put to intertribal warfare, slaves-raiding and human sacrifices. Soon the people advocated for executive and fiscal authonomy and Ake became the principal quarter of Abeokuta, after the ancient capital of the Egbas.
In 1851 and 1864, the forces of Abeokuta defeated the Dahomean slaves’ raiders. By 1893 the Egba united government based in Abeokuta became recognized by the United Kingdom. Earl Philip (1969)
The above information provides us with the fact that the Egba people who lives in separate groups, first joined forces to fight their common enemies and later became a united group. Then emerged; a people with a highly organized political group, and a common group identity. And this unity leads to the defeat of their common enemy and also political recognition by their colonial rulers.



2.5 Methodology
The methodologies used in achieving the aims and objectives of this long essay include:
(i) key informant interviewing method;
(ii) Oral tradition
(iii) Structured interview
This method involves identifying those that are knowledgeable about the research topic and asking them, questions that are necessary; so as to accumulate the necessary information on our findings. The key informant does not necessarily have to be the oldest person living in the community, but rather, the person’s that has generally been perceived to be knowledgeable of a phenomenon and on an issue investigated.
Oral tradition
This has to do with the collection of oral tradition that is, the unwritten or verbal information about the history of a people. Mostly the key informant may also be handy in giving information on the history and traditional practices of any people; this requires attentiveness and proper documentation on the part of the archaeologist or ethnographer.
Structured interview
This entails conducting interviews in a structured manner. In this situation the questions asked by the researcher are usually written down and systematically arranged towards achieving proper informing. The researcher poses his questions systematically in a way that does not affect the informant’s flow of information. This type of method is usually encouraged to verify information gotten from written sources.
2.6 Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework adopted in the course of this archaeological investigation is the functionalist approach. The reason for the adoption of such a theoretical framework is basically because; the surface finds so far available on the sites are basically of functional relevance, such as the availability of rock hollows, mud walls and rock shelters. The use of the functional theory is a framework of analyzing the sites based on the functions and importance of the hill tops to the archaeological record.
Functional approach will also help to understand the reason behind occupational continuity or discontinuity of hill top settlements through time.
2.7 Limitations of the study
One of the major problems of archaeology in Nigeria is the problem of funds. This research was not an exception. There was also the problem of time constraint, as the available time for field investigation was limited, future investigation would require more time and funds.
Another problem was that of re-occupation or human interference with the sites, This led to the unavailability of moveable surface finds and destruction of some of the surface structures, which were replaced by new ones.
There was again lack of co-operation on the part of some of the new hill top settlers who refused access to their part of the hill top and misconstrued the intent of the researcher.

CHAPTER THREE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE ON IJEMO AGBADU AND OLUMO ROCK
As noted by Wilson (1975), Andah and Okpoko (1994) the archaeologist “deals with what he can see; he digs where he can see a likely place or tell tale sign”. Reconnaissance is derivations of the word recognize, and archaeologists use this to familiarize themselves with site they are working on. In some cases, the use of scientific devices such as the probe, anger, proton magnetometer etc. can be used.
Also the use of aerial photographs maybe helpful as well as the use of geographical maps. However, the most important tool during reconnaissance as (noted by Andah and Okpoko (1994) is the trained eye of a highly observative archaeologist.
In this research, the following procedures were followed during reconnaissance of Ijemo Agbadu hill top settlements and the Olumo rock. At the Olumo rock Ogun state government constructed modern buildings. These served as a resort centre, a gallery and a restaurant event centre etc. there were also car parks and other structures for the beautification of the tourist complex. The government also erected an elevator which leads straight to the top of the rock. There was also about two hundred and fifty flight of stairs that lead to a certain part of the rocks where there was evidence of settlements and another stair way which led to the top of the rock (though there is also a natural pathway to the top). There were also spaces on the rock and within the complex that could be used for picnics.
From the landing of the first 250 flight of stairs or so, the main shrine was used as the datum point. From this point, the rock was traversed west ward. There was a Neem tree about fifteen paces from the shrine westward and a burial spot of Sonni Osi Toko at the entrance of the cave to the south. The grave carried a date of third of January 1956. There was a written plague directly facing the cave’s entrance carrying the description the six rock hollows inside the cave and what they were used for. There were about four rooms built into this part of the rock. There was also an appreciable space where written information holds that special matters of state were discussed. Moving down south, there is shrine of the present day worshippers, with four rooms built into the space left by the rock piling on each other. (Ogun shrine and Igun shrine) here the worshippers came to stay.
The rooms represent the shrine of different gods. There is also a hut built independently beside the shrines where the women stay to discuss when they were not performing any ritual rites (here also there was a gate) leading outside the tourist complex into the streets). From the worshippers shrines’ moving eastward is the Obaluaye shrine. There is also a hut built into the wall here and beside it the engraved image of seven gods. The head of the first was engraved in a pot in which there was water. There were also pebble and cowries decorations at the shrine. Obaluaye is the Yoruba god of small pox. He is the also known as Sopona.
From this point almost back to our datum, is a path way (natural) that leads to the highest point of the rock. This path way consists of rough rocks, arranged naturally in a strategic manner and this takes one to the top of the rock. At the highest point on the Olumo rock is a clear platform with few trees and shrubs on it. There is also a portion decorated by the government where people can sit with different write up on the achievements of the Egba people.
From the highest point of the rock, the Ogun River lies to the North-Western part of the rock. Itoku is to the west, Ibara to the south; Ijemo and Ake are to the south eastern part while Ibarapa and Ikereku lie north east of the rock. All mentioned area can be seen vividly from the topmost part of the Olumo rock as shown on the map below. (See fig.1)
At the Ijemo Agbadu rocks the Oke Ijemo (formally sacred to oro) hill top was also traversed using the stairway constructed by the celestial church of Christ who now uses and inhabits some part of the hill top. These people claimed to have acquired the hill top some fifty years back. One hundred and fifty stairs were climbed to get to the top where the first rock shelter was used as datum point mud walls were used to create an enclosure and an entrance was made into the shelter. This is the first visible permanent feature. After this, the church building can be seen, and then adjourning houses built on the hill top west ward.
From datum moving northwards, there is another rock shelter, close to a mosque from the church building, moving further to the west, there is a rock shelter, with a mud wall blocking off the outward space. Further west, there is another building covering a large space. Moving further south, there is a smooth path that leads down the rock. At the intersection of the foot path there are a cluster of neem trees. There are neem trees and other trees scattered all over the hill top settlements site.
There are two houses near a brook (a natural pool of water oozing out of the rocks in the shape of a well).At the north-eastern part of the rock, following the foot path there is another brook, that over flows its banks during the rainy season, close to it there is another rock shelter, which is only approachable from one side with marshy land at the other end.
In all, there are about seven building on the hill top, built in the modern day fashion, and about eleven churches in all on the hill tops, also there are two water bodies, about five standing mud walls and six rocks shelters.
At Oke Waasinmi hill top settlements site, an old mud building was used as our datum point. From the building a foot path was followed northwards and on the site there is one standing wall built to cover an open space between tow rocks. There is a rock shelter and also a space between two rocks covered by thick vegetation at the top. This space is as a result of rocks standing close to each other, the space is almost the six of a room with an entrance, while more space is available to the right and left as one moves on further into the enclosure. There are two churches on this hill top.
There are several houses built close to the hill top and a refuse mound around the area where the mud wall is built.
At Oke Ijemo, there is a shrine on the Ijako road about twelve meters from the first staircase that leads to the hill top. The shrine is that of the Ogboni confraternity. The shrine extends from a nearby rock shelter outwards. Generally for the three sites visited, houses are built all round the hill tops.
At Olumo rock (a national tourist complex), the houses on the hill top (apart from the caves) are shrines and houses used by the worshippers of the rock. At Oke Ijemo, churches are built on the hill top and around the hill top, and also living houses. While at Oke Waasinmi, there is no living building on the hill top or any modern building,
but churches uses parts of the hill top as prayer grounds, while there are living building all round the rock.
From the traverse survey of the investigated hill and also from ethnographic information tops, it becomes clear that:
- The hill tops were occupied in the past by ancient dwellers.
- The people living around the hill tops are the descendants of those that once occupied the hill tops.
- The hill tops served as places of refuge to its past occupants in times of war and social unrest.
- There are sufficient features to support the claims of past occupation of the sites.
- The hill tops have cultural, religious and historical significance to the people of the area (i.e. the Egba people) and
- That the time of occupation of the hill tops in the past was contemporaneous.

CHAPTER FOUR
Data analysis and interpretation
In any archaeological expenditure, gathering and analyzing data is very important. The data acquired helps the archaeologist to understand his site and the people he is investigating. This will also give room for the explanation of previously unclear issues and for hypothesis and inferences about the people studied and or investigated.
The archaeological investigation of abandoned hill top settlements sites in Ijemo Agbadu Abeokuta in relation to Olumo rock has yielded data which will be used in this report. Also ethnographic data gathered is discussed in the text.
The discussion highlights some of the materials and archaeological features or remains that have occurred within the three sites and what they were used for. The work helps us appreciate the importance of hill top settlements as places of security during times of warfare. These sites are Oke Ijemo, Oke Waasinmi and Olumo Rock.
Some of the archaeological features on the sites are remains of the activities of the people who occupied the area in ancient times.
The Oke Ijemo and Oke Waasinmi were occupied by the Ijako people, who occupied the area in about the 18th century AD. While Olumo was occupied was occupied by the Egba people at about the same time.
Relics of the occupation of the site could be seen in form of mud walls, built in between spaces in the rocks lying on each other to crate enclosures which may have served as living houses. Rock hollows were also found at these sites. Over fifteen of such were found at Oke Waasinmi, while those on Oke Ijemo were over sixty eight. These rock hollows may have served as grounding hollows, where food items may have been processed in the past. Such food items may have included maize, beans, pepper etc. as suggested by the available ethnographic information from Olumo rock. Here the six hollows within the main cave were explained to have been used for the same purpose as suggested above. See fig.5

Rock hollows on Oke Ijemo (fig.5)
On these hill tops rock shelter were also found, these shelters would had served as natural shelters for the people that once occupied the hill tops. Some of these rock shelters were modified in a way to create an entrance by the erection of mud walls. Such features were present at Oke Ijemo, and Olumo, although that of Olumo was more elaborate. See fig. 6 and 7 below.

War time hide out Olumo (fig.6) Entrance of a rock shelter Oke ijemo (fig.7)
The presence of Neem trees locally known as Dongoyaro and other shrubs on the hill tops also indicate past habitation of this hill tops. The Neem trees were planted intentionally as such tree were discovered ethnographically not to be native to the western part of Nigeria, (it is a northern variety).
This may also indicate prehistoric contact with the Hausa’s of the northern parts of Nigeria. It is also believed that such trees may have been planted for there medicinal values (very effective in treating malaria) and for the shade they provide.
Ethnographic information holds that the hill tops were occupied during times of social unrest, this claim is further supported with the availability of standing bodies of water on the Oke Ijemo site. The presence of a brook and a river would have provided the people with a good and healthy source of water. This coupled with the availability of a wide expanse of land would have provided the people with a sustainable supply of food resource at least while the social unrest lasted.
The presence of shrines at the Olumo and Ijemo rocks indicates that apart from this hill tops serving as places of refuge during the times of unrest. The people also had a kind of religious attachment to the hill tops. While only one shrine was found was found still thriving at Oke Ijemo, at Olumo four shrines were identified and the huts of present worshipers still exist. Prominent Yoruba gods, such as Ogun, Sopono (obaluaye), and Igun are still worshipped at Olumo.

Obaluaye shrine Olumo rock (fig.8)
From the oral information provided by a tour guide at Olumo Mr. Tunji “the paramount ruler of the Egba land performs some religious duties at Olumo, on a yearly basis from the 25th of September to the 5th November.
However the situation at Olumo where African traditional worshipper can still be found and the impact of the Ogun state government can be felt is only unique to Olumo rock. Olumo as stated earlier in chapter three has been turned into a cultural tourist complex, where elevators are made available for rock climbing and where modern facilities for recreation and refreshment have been made available. At Oke Ijemo and Oke Waasinmi, the new development from reconnaissance shows that the great grand children of the former inhabitants who have accepted the western mode of occupation have leased out the place to churches that now use the place for religious activities. The building of such churches can now be seen on the hill tops. The oldest church on Oke Ijemo claimed to have occupied the place for the past fifty years.
From oral interview conducted, it was gathered that before the churches secured the hill top, the hill top was sacred to Oro (a Yoruba deity well known for its demand for the use of humans as sacrifice) and that the churches on acquiring the hill tops destroyed the hill tops destroyed the shrines they met there. To compliment this information, ethnographic data from one of the inhabitants of the area holds that; the people’s ancestors used to occupy the hill top, and that it only became sacred to Oro, when the inhabitants left the place to finally settle on the adjourning lowlands at the end of the several wars.
This was in reference to the gods and the several deities that protected the people during the periods of social unrest. However all that had passed with the advent of Christianity and modernism.
The foregoing information indicates that the religious and by implication certain social institutions of the people may have been lost to Christianity and modernity. However, the three hill top indicates that both the present and past dwellers have a certain type of spiritual attachment to the hill tops. While the African traditional religious practices and rites are still held in high esteem at the Olumo rock, with residential/semi residential worshippers. The Ijemo Agbadu rocks have taken over by the Christians, with a single mosque at the base, while the traditional worshippers could still be seen holding on a little to their beliefs about the rocks as an Ogboni shrine is located at the base of the same rock. (The Ogboni is a cult of Yoruba elders and also chieftancy tittle holders).

Ogboni shrine Oke Ijemo (fig.9)
The presence of rock shelter at the three hilltop settlements and also the availability of a thick vegetation of Neem trees on the Oke Ijemo and to an extent Olumo rock, indicates that these places may have provided a safe haven for the people in ancient times. During times of war, the space created by the shade of Neem trees and Baobab trees was described at Olumo as places where crucial meetings and deliberations on state affairs were held in the past. The director of tourist activities at the Olumo rock explained that the hill top served as advantageous places for past warriors. As they were provided a better view of their territories and could locate advancing enemies from afar off. They then could mount defense and launch attacks aimed accurately at targets. The force of gravity would have also helped to make such attacks more effective and resounding. He explained that oral history support that watch towers were erected at the top of the Olumo rock to monitor happenings around the vicinity and as far as the Ogun River.
Southern view of Abeokuta from Olumo (fig.10)




Southern view of Abokuta from Oke Ijemo (fig. 11)
From the top of the Olumo rock which is about 91.44 meters above sea level, one can see as far the Ogun River to the west and beyond the Ijemo Agbadu rock to the south, Ake to the east and Adatan and Ikereku to the north. Also at Oke Ijemo one can view the surrounding vicinity very clearly and from different angles. The Oke Ijemo is unique because of the presence of two bodies of water found on it (claimed to be constant sources of water throughout the year), and also because of the wide expanse of land available on the hill top. In addition the thickness of the surrounding vegetation, availability of fertile land that could be used for small scale farming also adds to the uniqueness of the hill top.

Brook on Oke Ijemo (fig.12) well or river on Oke Ijemo (fig.13)
The aforementioned features would had made it possible for past inhabitant to construct buildings on the hill top apart from rock shelters and thereby provided adequate protection from slave raiders and the vagaries of wars. Advancing enemies would be easily detected and consequently, women and children would be evacuated from the lowland settlement and hide in the natural fortress provided by the hill tops.
Following from the above data, one could then argue, that the hill top settlements in Abeokuta of ancient times had functional uses being fortresses during times of hardship. Also that the spiritual importance attached to the hill tops, are not baseless, as the people would have over time come to trust and believe in the saving power of the rocks.
The settlement pattern of the ancient times could thus be explained as follows; that people occupied the lowlands during times of peace. Living in communal groups and clustered family houses (inferred from the present nature of lowland settlements) and that the hill tops would then be occupied during times of hardship and social unrest. This could be explained also from the available ethnographic information on the meaning of the different names with which the rocks are identified.
Olumo could have different meanings as explained by Tunji (2010 pers.com), one of the tour guides interviewed at Olumo rock tourist complex; Olumo could mean as he explained:
Olumo - God moulds
Olu omo - the god that gives children (on the 5th of August and the 28th of November, each year; there are feasts during which the paramount ruler offers prayers for the fruitfulness and prosperity of the occupants of the Egba kingdom).
Olumo - ibi ti oluwa fi ogun ati waala wa mo si (where God puts an end to our wars and troubles). He explained that according to historical records, during times of great social unrest, that a very powerful hunter and farmer by name Adagba discovered Olumo rock and told his people about the place. Then the Ifa oracle was consulted. Ifa told them that the rock was where God expected them to stay in order to find peace and rest from all their wars and troubles. He claimed that since Olumo rock has been inhabited no one has ever recorded as casualty while climbing the rock; this to him meant that the rock is indeed powerful.
Ijemo was explained by Funmilayo alias Iya Olole (2010 pers.com) an elderly woman interviewed at Ijemo Agbadu as meaning ija mo (where fighting ends), while Waasinmi literarily translated means place of rest or save haven.
From the various names and meanings giving to the hill tops, the inhabitants of this area see the hill tops as representing nature’s way of providing them with rest and protection from all their adversaries and helping them to conquer their enemies.
Archaeologically one can interpret the above situation in terms of man-environment relationship. This is a type of place where the environment contributes to the solution of the people’s problems. It took the efforts on the part of the ancient dwellers to identify and take opportunity of the hill tops provided by nature and use it in a way that ensures survival and continued existence.
This also serves as a lesson to present generations, that as much as there are problems posed by the environment both social and economic, the society and the environment also provides the opportunity to solve such problems. Only, if man identifies the opportunities provided by the. Such a realization can help to transform human society into a better and desirable one.

CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Summary and conclusion
This archaeological investigation as stated earlier in chapter one aims at ascertaining the historical significance of the study sites through time to the ethnographic present. From chapter one through four different body of information has been reported as examined in order to through more light on the course of the investigation, and add to the existing pull of knowledge concerning the areas.
The above research has added to the existing body of knowledge on the hill top settlement in Ijemo Agbadu, Olumo and Abeokuta Nigeria. It has revealed that the investigated past hill top settlements have great historical significance to the people of Abeokuta, and the Egba people as a whole during times of social unrest in the past.
Through ethnography, it has been revealed that these hill top settlements served vital purposes as fortresses and places of refuge not only to the Egba people but probably also to their neighbors. Also from ethnographic information available; warriors at Ijemo Agbadu and Olumo have been established to have communicated in the past, through the use of war drums/talking drums and through the use of smoke. The above statement has further been buttressed by the proximity of the two hill tops in relation to the other i.e. there is a distance of about 2km from Olumo to Ijemo.
Ethnographic information also implies that the hill tops were contemporary in terms of the period of occupation i.e. in the early 18th and 19th centuries A.D.
Conclusively therefore, Oke Waasinmi, Oke Ijemo and Olumo have great archaeological, historical, religious, and cultural significance and served important purposes in the preservation of the Egba community in antiquity. These hill tops have great tourist potentials which should be explored. Consequently this hill top should be protected, preserved, conserved, and jealously guarded as part of the socio-cultural and historical heritage of the people. This is what Ogun State government saw when they developed Olumo rock as a tourist site in Abeokuta.
5.2 Remarks
The field investigation carried out on the above mentioned sites would have been more hitch free, if there were no churches on the reoccupying the Ijemo Agbadu hill tops. The reoccupation of the hill tops also resulted in the loss of some of the archaeological materials on the site. Only more rigorous and intensive fieldwork on the site, which would involve excavation and chronological comparison of the sites yield better and deeper understanding of the sites both in time and space.
5.3 Recommendation
Due to the findings from the archaeological investigation, about the historical significance among other things, of these hill top settlements, I recommend the following to the future researchers, the Ogun state government and people of Egbaland as a whole:
- That the Ijemo Agbadu hill top settlement and Olumo Rock be subject to future archaeological investigation;
- That the government should acquire the Ijemo Agbadu hill top settlements as significant historical sites as already done at Olumo, and that such acquisition should be accompanied by funds for further research in the area.
- That the people of Abeokuta and Ijemo Agbadu be sensitized about the importance of these hill tops and be persuaded to desist from further destruction of the sites
- That archaeological investigation results and interpretation be made available for public consumption and information.

Life could be tough; the experiences one gets in life may be devastating; but the beauty of life, lies in using the devastating experiences of life in constructing a great future, surviving through tough times by being conscious of opportunities available around in the society.
The Egba people of Ijemo Agbadu, Olumo and Abeokuta as a whole did not have a hitch free experience in pre-colonial times; but they were able to survive by identifying the environmental provisions and the gifts of nature. And using such provisions to their own advantages, they survived the vagaries of time, by not seeing the hill tops as stumbling blocks, but rather as stepping stones and natural fortresses. Modifying them and maximizing the potentials of such environmental provisions and thereby surviving the vagaries of time to the ethnographic present with the people’s psychic unity maintained.








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