The Old Oyo National Park is a national park in Nigeria, located in northern Oyo State and southern Kwara State. The park covers an area of 2,512 km of land in northern Oyo State, southwest Nigeria, between latitudes 8° 15’ and 9° 00’N and longitudes 3° 35’ and 4° 42’ E. Its location provides the park with a large area of land and a variety of wildlife and cultural or historical sites. Eleven local government areas surround the park, with ten in Oyo State and one in Kwara State. The administrative office is located in Oyo, in the Isokun area along the Oyo-Iseyin road, where visitors can obtain information and make bookings. The park’s well-organized layout and attractive landscaping make it a welcoming place for visitors. It has many plants and animals, including buffaloes, bushbucks, and a wide range of bird species. The park is easy to reach from the southwestern and northwestern parts of Nigeria. Nearby cities and towns include Saki, Iseyin, Igboho, Sepeteri, Tede, Kishi, and Igbeti, which offer their own shopping and cultural experiences for tourists.
History
The park is named after Oyo-lle, which was the ancient capital of the Oyo Empire, a group of people called the Yoruba. The park has the ruins of this city. The park started as two forest reserves: Upper Ogun in 1936 and Oyo-lle in 1941. These became game reserves in 1952 and were later joined to form the current national park.
In 2022, reports said the park faced problems like poaching and logging, even though there were tours and laws to protect it. Herders also entered the area illegally. Even though poaching was less than in the early 2000s, herding was still a problem. Miyetti Allah groups said illegal herding was a big issue, but many herders didn't know where the park was or why it was important. Environmentalist Eme Okang said climate change caused herders to move south into the park. The following year, many illegal miners, herders, and poachers were arrested during security operations.
Location
The Park has a total area of 2,512 km² and is located in the southwestern part of Nigeria, specifically in Northern Oyo State. Its coordinates are between 8°15′ and 9°00′N latitude and 3°35′ and 4°42′E longitude. The location provides the Park with a large area and many types of wildlife, cultural, and historical sites. Eleven local government areas surround the Park. Ten of these are in Oyo State, and one is in Kwara State. The Administrative Head Office is located in Oyo, in the Isokun area along the Oyo-Iseyin road. This is where visitors can get information and make bookings. The well-organized layout and landscaping of the large yard make the Park a welcoming place for the public.
Environment
The park spans 2,512 km², mostly consisting of lowland plains at elevations of 330 m and 508 m above sea level. The southern area is drained by the Owu, Owe, and Ogun Rivers, while the northern section is drained by the Tessi River. Granite rock formations are common in the northeastern part of the park, including at Oyo-lle, where caves and rock shelters exist in the far north.
The central region features scattered hills, ridges, and rock outcrops that are ideal for mountaineering activities.
The Ikere Gorge Dam, located on the Ogun River, offers water-based recreational opportunities for visitors.
Flora and fauna
The park has groups of African buffalo, kob, bushbuck, roan antelope, western hartebeest, patas monkey, and waterbuck. Old Oyo National Park used to be a home for the endangered West African wild dog (Lycaon pictus manguensis); however, this species no longer lives in the park because of hunting and the growing human population in the area.