Esie is an ancient Igbomina town in Irepodun Local Government Area lying some kilometres away from Ilorin, capital of Kwara State, that is rich in unique historical monuments. The town is generally known as a home of 800 soapstone figures.

The first National Museum in Nigeria was built in Esie. Inside it stand the mysterious stone images whose origin has remained unknown till date.
Since their discovery 240 years ago in a thick forest near the community, no one has been able to solve the raging puzzle. Till date, it still remains a mystery. The Origin of Soapstone figures is bewildering. Indeed, nobody knows how these stone images exactly came about except a explanation offered by inhabitants of the town. The most popular among them is that the 800 stone images were rebellious settlers who were turned into stone images by the Gods.

And judging from other stone scruptures in other world, they are work of men. So what could be the source of the Esie statues? Could it have originated from the Gods or they are mere work of men?

According to the explanation, these rebellious settlers were from another tribe of Yoruba Land who sent words to Elesie that they were coming to settle down in his town but to their utter disappointment, they were not received hence they settled outside the city of Esie. It later became known that these settlers became a threat to the security of the town.

They were undermining the administration of the chief and were about to rebel and as a result, the god of the land, being on the side of Elesie of Esie, turned these recalcitrant set of 800 settlers into stone statutes.

The figures are realistic representations of men and women mostly seated on stools and sometimes kneeling. Royalty and wellbeing pervade this collection with many of them adorned with beads and headgears. Some of the statues play musical instruments, hold machetes, arrows and other objects. Others simply place their hands on their knees as if in deep contemplation. Another set of images shows some peoples enjoying at a place that looks like the local palm wine shop. Their various facial marks and rich paraphernalia, occpations and elaborate hairdos attest to the strong likelihood of earlier contacts between the people of the area and other major civilizations.

This narration from the inhabitants appears real judging from the shapes and features of the soapstones. There are some that had with them swords, axe and arrows. Some categories where found sitting in circle which Oba Ere was in the centre. These sets wore different beads, headties and crowns. Around them were found some men and women holding different weapons. This explain that they are most likely preparing for a war.

Another set of images shows some peoples enjoying at a place that look like a local palm wine shop. And the mark on their faces attest that they are of Yoruba Origin.

However, this explanation does not add up. How could human being turn to stone? What form of power could be used?

Owing to the permanence of the material, evidence can be found that even the earliest societies indulged in some form of stone work, though not all areas of the world have such abundance of good stone for carving as Egypt, Greece, India and most of Europe. Human shaped stone figures is predominant in ancient artworks. Carving stone into sculpture is an activity older than civilization itself, beginning perhaps with incised images on cave walls.

This, even when not confirmed throws in doubt that Esie stone figure could be some artwork from unknown artist. The artist could have been a traveller or chose to keep his work in the thick forest before it was found. The artist could have died leading to reason why he failed to take glory for his work.

One cannot easily judge who it is that carved those images in Esie. Does the Gods carved it. Or is it ordinary man work? How does over 800 stone images manage to get to Esie community in Kwara State when the indigenes are not stone carvers? Could it be that the god just got angry with earlier inhabitants of the town and decided to turn all of them to stones as a punishment? Could it be that a stone image carver abandoned the images after working on them? Are these human beings who were once turned into stones as the Ifa oracle once revealed? How does the images get to Esie since the material for making them is not immediately available in the locality?


[img]http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/archive/2012_09_20/images/StevensStatues.jpg[/img]

Picshureeeee oo!

Where Is the pics?

bigtt76:
Picshureeeee oo!

mployer:

Where Is the pics?

uploaded!!!!

Hmmmmmm, these are clearly the works of man. Now if there were life sizes of an average person, that God story might be convincing. But looking at the size of the cravings they could have been easily transported.

My guess is that the carvings were used for appeasement of some sort or it was stolen and Hidden in the forest since the locals were not capable of such art work..

@op Their is no need for us to start reading unecessary meaning to it i made those figurine my self circa 241 years ago.

Oh come on folykaze the sculptures aren't even human sized

I think they depict a pigmy tribe.