420-Year-Old Alaafin Palace Tortoise ‘Baba’ Dies in Oyo

OYO, NIGERIA | September 18, 2026 

The tortoise known as “Baba,” believed by the Alaafin Palace to be about 420 years old, has died in Oyo, marking the end of an extraordinary chapter in the palace’s oral history and cultural heritage.

According to reports, Baba died on Monday after falling ill and refusing food. The tortoise has reportedly been buried.

The Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, said Baba was believed to have originated from Oyo-Ile, the ancient capital of the old Oyo Empire, before being brought to the present palace in Oyo town.

For generations, the tortoise was reportedly cared for by successive Alaafins and became a familiar attraction to visitors to the palace.

Baba was also regarded as a symbol of the traditional institution’s connection to the history and cultural heritage of the Yoruba people.

Its reported diet included watermelon, corn pap wrapped in leaves and grass.

A Living Link to Oyo’s History

Baba’s reported age of 420 years has attracted attention, given the extraordinary lifespan attributed to the animal.

However, the exact age has not been independently verified through scientific records. The figure is based on oral historical accounts associated with the palace.

The tortoise’s death has therefore drawn renewed attention to the traditions and stories preserved within the Alaafin Palace and the wider Oyo Kingdom.

For generations of visitors, Baba was more than an ordinary palace animal. It was a familiar presence associated with the royal institution and its enduring history.

Baba’s death marks the end of a remarkable chapter in the story of the Alaafin Palace.