Yoruba warfare ended only with the peace treaty in 1886 by the British, who used the opportunity to gain a foothold in Yoruba land. This intervention resulted in the consolidation of both Northern and Southern protectorate, which initiated colonial rule in the region in 1893. The town of New Oyo was one of the last Yoruba States to become part of the Protectorate of Lagos in 1884. With the expansion of the British on the Nigerian landscape, came the introduction of new building types referred to as ‘colonial buildings’ due to the architectural style of that era. These building were symbols of power and included government offices, schools, court buildings, residential quarters, and plantations. Utilizing archival research method, the paper intends to understudy the colonial presence at Oyo town through the colonial buildings constructed in the period. It will look at the choice of site at Apitipiti GRA area of Oyo, the site location in relation to the Alaafin’s palace, the colonial buildings layout, the architectural style in the context of climate, the integration of indigenous building materials during the period, and the introduction of new building materials from Europe. This paper will also look at how the buildings have been utilized since colonial period to present. Lastly, it will provide an illumination on the values attached to historical buildings and the need to provide a link between the past and the present to develop new, appropriate designs
Keywords: Alaafin of Oyo, Colonial, Colonial Architecture, Indigenous material, Oyo town
