U.S. Awards $400,000 Grant for Bilikisu Sungbo Shrine Conservation

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria has awarded a landmark $400,000 grant—equivalent to roughly N600 million at current rates—for urgent conservation work at the Bilikisu Sungbo Shrine and its associated Sungbo Eredo Earthworks in Oke-Eri village near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. This funding, from the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), marks the largest such grant in Nigeria and the second-largest across sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting global recognition of this Yoruba Ijebu Kingdom treasure dating to the late 14th century. Led by partners including the College of William & Mary, Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Augustine University, and Obafemi Awolowo University’s Natural History Museum, the project combats threats from urbanization, erosion, and industrialization.​

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Shrine’s Legendary Origins

Bilikisu Sungbo, revered in Ijebu folklore as a powerful, childless noblewoman or queen, is often linked to the biblical Queen of Sheba—who locals claim journeyed from ancient Ethiopia (or Arabia) to Ijebu-Ode—and the Quranic Queen Bilqis who visited King Solomon. Legends portray her as wielding supernatural powers to construct the vast Eredo—a 100-mile (160 km) defensive earthwork system of ditches and ramparts encircling Ijebu communities—as her personal memorial. Her tomb-shrine in Oke-Eri draws Christian, Muslim, and traditional pilgrims yearly, featuring a barren patch of ground (said to be where she was ritually washed, defying vegetation due to her powers) and strict taboos barring women and dogs from entry.

Cultural and Tourism Significance

Added to UNESCO’s World Heritage tentative list in 1995, the site blends archaeology, spirituality, and tourism potential, with features like a moat museum, pottery craft house, and excavated trenches attracting global visitors. Though infrastructure lags—limiting economic benefits in Nigeria’s tourism push—the grant promises preservation and awareness to sustain this precolonial African marvel for future generations. U.S. Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard emphasized America’s commitment, noting prior AFCP support for Nigerian sites like Kano’s Kofar Kanakali gate and Cross River rock art.​ This effort underscores enduring U.S.-Nigeria cultural ties amid shared heritage goals.