Baker’s Fort, Fort Baker, Fort Patiko whatever name you may call it is a structure that was constructed by an early eplorers, Sir Samuel Baker as a military Fort to aid stop slave trade in the region. Found in Gulu district, Fort Baker is situated approximately 1.8 kilometers from Ocecu Hill, famously known as Got Ajulu. The word ‘Julu’ is an Acholi word that means ‘to raise’ where as Got means Rock / Hill / Mountain.
The residents of the area claim the statement of the chief by then that read “Let’s nurture our people so that our clan is not wiped away,” led to naming the mountain Got Ajulu.
As the Egyptian Arabs looked for a convenient trading venue, the came across Ocecu Hill where they built huts to aid as stores for valuables like ivory, food as well as ammunition. Ocecu Hill also became the main place for trading slaves. In 1864, Sir Samuel Baker and his wife Florence Baker encountered Patiko during their search for treasures that John Speke had mentioned.
They journeyed through Patiko, before discovering Murchison falls and Lake Albert. Upon his departure, the fort was used by Charles Gordon and Emin Pasha who worked as representatives of the equatorial province of the British Uganda protectorate.
Fort Patiko has become a very significant place for cultural attraction and holds a strong historical importance. In the fort, dark marks believed to be blood splatters of slaves are very visible on the rocks. Several slaves who wouldn’t make the long journey to the main slavery market in Egypt were beheaded from this spot.
The natural and attractive scenery of Fort Baker erases it’s unpleasant background and offers a chance to feel part of it’s history. Visit Fort Patiko with us today. Book a Uganda safari trip with us and we shall draft for you an appropriate itinerary then assign for you knowledgeable guides who won’t leave any relevant chapter of it’s history uncovered.