Queen of Sheba burial ground in Ijebu Ode

 

The bible described the Queen of Sheba as a woman of immense power, intellect and wisdom who went to
visit King Solomon when she heard of his outstanding wisdom and went to prove him with hard
questions.

It was written that she went to Jerusalem with a great train, camels that bare
spices, gold, and precious stones. After King Solomon communed with her and
answered her questions, she confirmed that the report she heard of him were true and his fame
exceeded what she heard. She gifted him a hundred and twenty talents of gold, so much spices and
precious stones and then returned to her country with her servants.

The Queen of Sheba is said to be associated with ivory, eunuchs and gold. Ivory and gold are known
to be abundant in Nigeria at the time, while eunuchs were present in ancient West African
palaces. Some were of the belief that the Queen of Sheba had a son with King Solomon who was named
Melenik I according to the Ethiopian record although this was not stated in the bible about her.

A team of British scientists working with Dr Patrick Darling an archaeologist at Bournemouth
University discovered the remains of an ancient kingdom deep in the Nigerian rain forest at ijebu-
ode, Ogun state and connected Queen of Sheba with the south African kingdom of Saba which is
presently known as Yemen, however they are yet to affirm the ruler’s actual and unique root.

Sungbo’s Eredo is a system of defensive walls and ditches that is located in the southwest of the
Yoruba town of ijebu ode in Ogun state, it was built in 800-1000 AD in honor of the ijebu
noble woman Oloye Bilikisu Sungbo.

Oke-Eri is encompassed by white dividers with a message at the entry inviting guests to the seat of Her Royal Majesty, Bilikisu Sungbo. Her grave is purportedly encased by a little entryway in front and on the sides by a little fence made with iron bars, punctuated by little bond columns with Arabic engravings on them.
The mystery of the Queen of Sheba burial place

The natives of ijebu-ode hold strong and popular claims about the identity of the controversial Oloye Bilikisu Sungbo as the biblical and legendary Queen Sheba. To them, she is a goddess and a humane lady. It was believed by the natives of ijebu-ode that Bilikisu Sungbo was a wealthy woman and the leader of a group of women potters who travelled to faraway places.

The historical queen was said to have travelled all the way from Ethiopia to ijebu-ode where she died and was buried. The burial place of the Queen of Sheba, locally known among Yoruba people as Bilikisu Sungbo which is situated at Oke-Eri, ijebu-ode has turned a place of worship and tourism in Nigeria. At the shrine, there is a small open ground with no grass growing there. This place is said to be the place where the ancient queen was washed before being buried, and because she was believed to possess supernatural powers, no plant or grass can ever grow on that
spot.

The tradition of the ijebu people forbid women and dogs to visit the spot where Bilikisu Sungbo was buried. In 1995, Bilikisu Sungbo’s shrine was added to the cultural category of UNESCO world Heritage Site. The “grave-shrine” of Oloye Bilikisu Sungbo will forever remain a cultural pride of ijebu-ode natives.

In Islamic tradition, she is commonly referred to, as Bilkis, Bilqis, Balqis or Balquis by the Arabs, who believe that she came from the city of Sheba, also called Mareb, in Yemen. Historical and archeological studies revealed that there are many links between the Biblical queen and Bilikisu Sungbo of Ijebu land. The Queen of Sheba is said to be associated with ivory, eunuchs and gold. Ivory and gold are known to be very abundant in Nigeria at the time, while eunuchs were present in ancient West African palaces.
legendary queen of Sheba Wall
A team of British scientists working with Patrick Darling Archaeologist at Bournemouth University discovered the remains of an ancient kingdom deep in the Nigerian rainforest.