One Picture And One Story Week #71 | Standing Tall After 84 Years

Hello friends of Steem For Pakistan, hope we are having a smashing week already. I am back to the one picture, one story and this will be an entirely true story about my village.

My great grandfather, Obong Ikpeme Akpan, who happened to be the King of My Village, had a lot of wealth, lands, and even wives.

He had a good expanse of land which he farmed. The story won't be centered more on him but this lovely building in the picture.

As someone who had western education early in life and was in direct contacts with the whites, he was exposed to Western development and policies. As he was ordained king, he needed to build a palace for himself.

25th February 1941, the construction of this edifice started . I wouldn't have known the dates if not for proper documentation. This information was boldy written on the wall of this building.

This building is approaching its 84 years anniversary.

The foundations was made with bricks and the building with very hard clay, plastered using cement. The roofing was done with wood and zinc. Which shows how advanced the builders were.

After the completion of this building, chief Ikpeme died in 1964, and left behind a large family. This family stayed in this edifice. This building signifies unity and symbolises peace that can be felt even by outsiders.

In 1967, the Civil war broke out, and because of its closeness to the 'Biafran' area, the Nigerian Army had to attack on sight. This led to the family fleeing to other settlements that wasn't war concentrated.
The Nigerian Army settled in this building...the marks from bullets and other activities from the war are still there till present.

Even the corpse of the dead king was exhumed by them (they had thought money was buried in there), but later returned. When the war ended, the family had to come back to their settlement and they started all over again but they kept the marks and scars of the war still fresh in the building as a reminder of what happened.

This building has seen happiness, tears, wars, struggles, joy, mournings, unity and everything in its 84 years. It has also seen countless kings and queens, it has seen great men and women and it is still standing strong.

I was happily raised in this building and I was taught the stories first hand by my grandmother. I also saw the evidence. For every time I traveled down to the village, I remember these stories...it feels like I am one with everyone that has had a touch in the building.

I traveled here last year and I met with the wife of king Ikpeme who is still alive and she still narrated the story of the war and everything that happened after the war.

It is lovely to know that this building has been kept alive for 84 years and has been connecting the new generation with our ancestry. Everyone remembers this story in our village, everyone is connected to this building..I am too.

We've got a lot of history associated with this building and anytime you wish to come to Nigeria, I would love to give you the story while walking you down the compound.

Thanks for going through my story, I invite @imohmitch, @ujunwa01 and @onlyonefave to participate in this contest.