Think Yoruba First

School Girls at FGGC Sagamu Ògún state-yoruba land built an AI Robot called ‘OKiki-Saggy’ (okikiọla-sagamu

Secondary school girls of the Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC) Sagamu, Ogun State, have unveiled an AI robot called ‘Okikiola-Sagamu’, also known as Kiki-Saggy.

The project, which involved 10 students and a few staff members, was unveiled to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejo, in Abuja.

The students, drawn from both the senior and junior classes, said the AI robot project took about seven months, adding that Kiki-Saggy can talk, walk and even gesticulate.

According to them, the robot stands at a height of six feet, weighs 60kg, and has a maximum speed of 10km per hour. When asked about the construction phase of the robot, the innovators explained that they were able to harness the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning. They said ‘Okiki-Saggy’ was their first successful trial as there

They also attributed their success to the training from their teachers, especially the school principal, Dr Muyibat Olodo, who also doubled as the head of the robotics team, and Coderina org, a capacity-building organisation that leverages robotics and other emerging technologies to empower young learners and teachers across Africa.

At the unveiling, Olodo emphasised how technology is aiding innovation and paving the way for a brighter future. She added that the futuristic fields are empowering students to unleash their creativity, problem-solving skills, and technological prowess.

Amazing 🔥
Credit: Iganna Lawa

THE YORUBA TOWN WHERE UMBRELLAS ARE FORBIDDEN ☔

In Iwoye-Ketu, a border town between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, opening an umbrella is more than a bad idea—it is a taboo. Even when the rain pours endlessly, no one dares to lift one.

The story traces back to the town’s founder, Olumu, a migrant from Ile-Ife. He arrived in the 1600s with three sacred items: a crown, a staff called Opa Ogbo, and a powerful deity known as Orisa Oluwa. From this deity came the community’s laws, including two strict taboos—no umbrellas, no pigs.

The people say Orisa Oluwa considered both items impure. Pigs were seen as filthy animals unworthy of being near sacred spaces. As for the umbrella, the story takes two forms. Some say it was banned because it resembled the sacred canopy used in rituals, making it a mockery of divine authority. Others tell of old hunters who noticed elephants charging whenever they saw umbrella-like shapes, and after repeated attacks, the deity forbade umbrellas entirely.

Back then, the Yoruba had never seen umbrellas as we know them today. People used palm fronds, woven hats, or animal hides to shield from the sun. When European traders introduced umbrellas centuries later, the priests of Orisa Oluwa rejected them, saying the ban still stood.

Till this day, no one in Iwoye-Ketu opens an umbrella within the town. Even the youth, though more educated and curious, choose not to challenge tradition. They use hoods, raincoats, or plastic sheets instead.

The rule is so strong that visitors are warned upon arrival. If rain starts, they must close their umbrellas immediately or face public reprimand. The community still performs annual rituals for Orisa Oluwa, using water fetched only in calabashes, never in metal or plastic containers.

Despite modern religion and education, the people hold tight to their heritage. The umbrella taboo of Iwoye-Ketu remains one of Yoruba land’s most enduring symbols of obedience to ancestral law—a living link between faith, history, and identity.