2/x #Iroko (Milicia excelsa) grows in tropical African forests but as a light-demander it thrives in openings and on abandoned farmland - it was through centuries of shifting cultivation that Nigeria's forests were rich in Iroko. Here a picture I took one near Iguesogba in #EdoState - a very nice reminder of some wonderful months I spent largely walking round, guided by two different really great "assistants" and now dear friends, learning about the #HistoricalEcology of Edo landscapes

Just to add a little anecdote: I ran out of time to get all my research done in the #Ibadan archives (my main research wss in #EdoState) so Saheed offered to do some photocopying for me. (a huge amount, actually). This was pre-mobile phones in Nigeria so we arranged to meet two months later, on my way to the airport, at a particular street corner in Ibadan - and there he was, with a plastic bag full of well organised photocopies of really important material. Amazing already then!