Soon to be unveiled: A book ‘ABEOKUTA …BEYOND THE ROCKS’

Hakeem Adenekan

Historically, it is a common knowledge that the ancient city of Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria, has so many ‘firsts’  more than other cities and states in Nigeria. Poised to document the heritage of Egba people, “ABEOKUTA …BEYOND THE ROCKS”, A book comprising pictorial stories of Abeokuta from the 1830s to 2014 will soon be launched in Nigeria.

The author of the book and an illustrious son of Egba land, Hakeem Adenekan from Kemta, Abeokuta, conceived the idea of packaging the pictorial book with explanatory notes on Abeokuta some years ago after he visited Washington D.C. in the United States of America where his host gave him a book on Washington. On his way from Washington, he decided to package a first of its kind book, since Abeokuta has a lot of stories that can be told in pictures.

The Project Director of Evagrin Konsept Limited, Lagos, Nigeria, said he has been working with a team of 50 on the project which has gulped millions of Naira.

“”ABEOKUTA …BEYOND THE ROCKS”, is a first of its kind priceless resource book in the history of Western Nigeria,” says the author.

Highlighting why Abeokuta has ‘firsts’ in many ways, he said the first hospital in Nigeria which is still standing was built in Abeokuta and the largest psychiatric hospital in Africa, the first church in the whole of Nigeria and West Africa – St. Peter, Ake are in Abeokuta. The first woman to drive a car and ride a bicycle, Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was from Abeokuta, the house where she reared all the Kutis which is the same Wole Soyinka was taken care of because he is a cousin of the Kutis, is in Abeokuta. The first bridge across a river is in Abeokuta, the first major mosque, the first police post, first abattoir, first sawmill, first market, first motor park, are in Abeokuta. The first newspaper was published in Abeokuta. “This is based on the nature and what God has put together.”

He added that the urge to help the future generation know the history about their place of origin overwhelmed him and endeared him to embark on the project.

“Today, even with the deluge of information made available by the possibilities of the digital age, most young Nigerians continue to grope in the dark, as far as knowledge about our past, as a people, is concerned. This painful and curious reality is made even more manifest by a saddening lack of interest in the archiving and preservation of our history for posterity. A visit to the relevant institutions – which ought to be custodians and repositories of vital information on our past, rich cultural heritage, monuments and milestones – will, largely give credence to this.

“For good measure, our museums, which are rather few and underfunded, can hardly scratch the surface of the avalanche of information needed on our cultural origins, values and mores.

“Indeed, most if not all there is to know about our pasts are contained in books and research materials published by foreigners in foreign climes and from a readily jaundiced perspective. What is worse? Most of the time, these books and materials are brazenly fraught with gross misinformation, inadequacies and half – truths

“To stem this negative tide, however, the solution cannot be found in throwing up our hands in surrender and watching our past eroded or set ablaze by a growing culture of passivity and lethargy. Should this be allowed to happen, there will be no heritage or history to bequeath to our children.

It is against this backdrop that the efforts of “Evagrin Konsepts”, in seeking a resurgence of interest in aggregating, documenting, preserving and presenting our history and rich cultural heritage through the publication of “ABEOKUTA – BEYOND THE ROCKS”, the first in the series of a cultural re-validation journey in the “Re-Awaken Nigeria” project, is salutary, deserving of support and commendation,” he explained.

While revealing the synopsis of the book, Adenekan stresses that: “Apart from going to great lengths in gathering all the important information and pictures on such an historical city as Abeokuta, the book is coming at a time our country, Nigeria, is in dire need of it. Truth is, nobody can tell our story as expressively and objectively as we can. The fact of the book being produced by Nigerians, who harbour first – hand, all the lived experiences of true incidents is one of the strongest points in its favour.

““ABEOKUTA – BEYOND THE ROCKS” is a well laid-out colourful and engaging compendium of the rich past, present, highs, lows, brightest and best of the ancient city. True, civilisation and the demands of modern day living may have ruptured some of the pristine features of the town, it is still incumbent on the true story – teller or chronicler of events to put all the information in proper perspective.

“Mercifully, however, such time – honoured monuments as the centenary hall in Ake, the Alake’s palace and Olumo Rock – through the ages, are still standing as touchstones of Abeokuta’s greatness and cultural relevance.

“This resource book, without a doubt, will keep the memories and pictures of the old and modern – day Abeokuta alive, for the succeeding and present generation of Egba people, to appreciate, relish and cherish in perpetuity,” he added.

He also said that they have been packaging the book for five years and assured sons and daughters of Egba land as well as friends of Abeokuta to expect rich and well packaged book that will is being printed in India.

The book, according to the author, would be launched in the first quarter of 2015.