Naija Tourism, Culture and Games #Ayò-Olópón

You visit a village in south-western Nigeria and see a group of men standing or sitting beneath the shade of a tree canopy, around two men seated on a bench and facing each other with a wooden board between them- a wooden board incised with two rows of six holes each, containing heaps of green seeds… Sometimes, you even find a big gourd of palm wine reposed on the ground beside them, with cups of its fresh content resting happily in between the laps of the seated men. You can guess what they’re doing. They’re playing the great Ayò Olópón board game.

When I was a little boy, my grandma taught me how to play this game. We had a beautiful board at home back then. The board was made from a strong timber and carved with the figure of an eagle forming its stand. The cover of the board made it possible to use it as a stool when not opened. I loved this game. Unfortunately, I grew up to discover that my generation fancied foreign games, and preferred them to our indigenous games such as the Ayò Olópón. Video games reigned in high schools and universities, and one will likely not have anyone to play with if one dared bring a board game like the Ayò to school.

Back in the days, Ayò Olópón was regarded as a game for elders, and children who played it were presumed as matured and smart. It is also said that the game is played in different places across Africa and can be played with different rules. This is one of the games that connects us back to our ancestors and promotes culture in Nigeria. The Ayò game is a cultural heritage we must revive, this game is a treasure we must keep, and we must teach our children to master.

Thanks to the annual Osun-Oshogbo festival in Osun State, during which the game is played as a major tournament and its winners awarded huge sums of money. There is also news that the game will be incorporated into national sports festivals where contestants will represent their states.

We also have online versions of the Ayo game. They can be played at:
– www.awale.info/joc/en/index.html
– www.alephzero.co.uk/demos/ayo/pebbles.htm

– Ayò Olópón board with its seeds.

 

– People playing Ayò game in Kumasi, Ghana (Source).

Ayo olopon, Board Game