The mysterious crocodile at Oje Market ,Ibadan

The mysterious crocodile at Oje market

Oje market has been in Ibadan for over 500years .Known as the centre of selling the Yoruba traditional woven clothes,aso oke within and outside the country .But one thing many do not notice is the strange crocodile that is sacred and treated with dignity. According to the traditional leader of the area, Mogaji of Oje keeping the mysterious crocodile here has been the tradition since the market was established.Taiwo Abiodun writes on this strange animal

. The big crocodile jumped up from the artificial pond created for it.It’s dangerous jagged and sharp needle-like dentition had turned brown as it crawled about in its abode.It’s dirty brown scaly-body showed it has aged. Though, the healthy animal is big but its eye balls have turned brown probably due to old age .Its frightening long snout makes the animal to be feared as it stretches out its head as if ready to attack its prey.The care taker who knows how to tease the animal came around and teased the carnivorous but now domesticated animal.Thinking he brought its food [live chicken] the animal jumped up at his hand, tilted its tail sideways as the powerful iron-saw –like scales that set itself in an organised manner stood erect but when it realised he was being fooled the animal in annoyance crawled on its belly back to its pond showing its scaly and rough body.

The animal ha been there since 1932 at Oje market, Ibadan, And the question everybody asks is ‘What does a crocodile do in a market place?’ Reply;it’s a must and a tradition that at any Oje market there must be a c rocodile .

Crocodile must be kept there for everybody to see. And it has been there since the creation the market over 500years ago “.This crocodile is the fourth in this market and it has been here since 1932.An Hausa man came here with one but we rejected it saying it is forbidden to have another when this one is still alive, that was why I declined and turned it down ,that is not our tradition’ ’said MogajiYusuf Delesolu of Oje market .According to him a crocodile must be placed in all Oje market and this is the significant that it is the Oje market which according to him the practice has been in existence since the 13th century.The crocodile eats live chicken every week’ ’anytime it sees its food the animal is always happy that seeing a live chicken ’’,the royal father said’.

One interesting story about the animal is that it lays big eggs, a male crocodile for that matter. Again the eggs are in higher demand by the women who sell herbs, while its faeces are also used to prepare herbs too by those looking for the fruit of the womb.Talking about the domesticated animal, Delesalu said many years ago the animal used to play pranks ,for instance it would leave its abode and go to the main road,said the royal father,’’we have many timed seen the animal on the main road many times trying to escape but each time it is caught it is brought back into its abode.It is a heavy animal and about ten people would carry it ,gag the mouth and tie its tail and bring it back’

But what manner and how does it manage to escape?, Delesalu said ‘’before now the environment of the animal was not cemented , so it would use its powerful forelegs and hind legs to dig holes and escape in the night and we have caught the animals twice then we bound it with wires and brought it back here.’Apart from this, an interesting story is that most of the so called Ibadan natives are not from Ibadan Delesolu said.’’I can tell you categorically that over 80 percent of people in Ibadan are not from Ibadan but they only came there to settle down until they started claiming they are Ibadan indigenes. ’'

According to him his descendants came from Ogbomoso and they came to Ibadan due to tribal war.Asked why he is entitled the title he is holding presently, but the man laughed and said his father was once the title holder of the traditional office. He even boasted that he has been in the house since his youth said he Í have never in my life rented a house and I am happy for this is our own traditional house then why should I bother myself looking for house he queried ’.At the market is a place called Ile Igbejo[lo cal court]which is presided by old and experienced educated ones who preside over the market on market matters especially fighting and shop matters . We settle quarrels here ,you know this is a big place where a lot of people with different background come to and with different people of different characters so that is why we have such court. The Ile Igbejo was established in 1934 and since then we have been settling cases related to markets for example stealing in the market and other petty problems emanating from t he stalls. At Oje market we have Baba and Iya oloja [the father and mother of the market] who are the caretakers of the market.

The iya oloja is from the family of Mogaji she presides over the affairs of women and she is given such respect, According to her, her job is not only to preside on women affairs only also she offers rituals and sacrifices when the need arise in the market ditto the father of the market.,the duo are respected and treated like demigods .But what about the rumour that spirits appear in the market? this , the Mogaji refuses to believe such thing exist’ there is nothing like that , immediately everybody goes home that is the end .I don’t believe in such rumour. I do not believe No! no ! .I have been living here for over 60years and had never heard or seen such thing here ,anyway such thing does not exist in this market at all ,’’he said as he gave a loud laugh