Nigeria’s Top 10 Heritage Sites
By Chika Okeke
— May 27, 2016
Nigeria is blessed with over 200 heritage sites and monuments that are managed by the federal, state and local government authorities. Despite the availability of these tourist attractions, they are less utilised as Nigerians prefer to travel abroad in search of pleasure rather than patronise indigenous sites that could rake in millions for the country. Though many have attributed absence of infrastructure in the sites as one of the major reasons behind poor turnout of tourists, the bone of contention is that previous government relegated tourism to the background, a situation that almost crippled activities in the sector due to poor funding.

Since the inception of United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1945, the cultural sector, saddled with the responsibility of protecting,

safeguarding and managing the tangible and intangible heritage do not provide funds for the management of Nigeria’s heritage sites captured on its World Heritage List.

Rather, they provide assistance in the form of capacity building and training to enable experts carry out intervention and researches on those sites while the maintenance and management of the site solely rests on the shoulder of Nigeria.

The onus lies on the federal government to inject adequate funds for the management of these sites especially as the country seeks to diversify the economy away from oil. Recall that about 100 heritage resources were scheduled for listing as National Monuments by the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), to commemorate Nigeria’s Centenary anniversary.

The monuments currently awaiting presidential assent consist of Oke Idanre Cultural Landscape, Ondo State; Surame Cultural Landscape, Kebbi/Sokoto; Kano City wall and

Associated sites; Oban Hills and Associated Cultural Landscape, Cross River State; Ogba Ukwu Cave and Waterfalls, Anambra State, among others.

Below are some heritage sites that can attract revenue for the government if well utilised.

Sukur Cultural Landscape, Madagali, Adamawa State

Sukur Cultural landscape was designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 due to its strategic location and intimidating architectural designs of the palace, terraced fields and village made up of stones.

Located in Madagali local government area of Adamawa State, along the Nigeria/Cameroon border, Sukur settlement stands at an elevation of 1045m. The total land area is 1942.50 hectares with the core zone having about 764.40 hectares and the buffer zone, 178.10 hectares. Though it is an ancient settlement with a recorded history of iron smelting technology and flourishing trade, it has a very strong political institution dating back to the 16th Century A.D.

Apart from the luminous architectural designs, the heritage site has farmlands and stone paved walkways.

The Sukur community believes in the supremacy of one god (Zhigla) and has shrines where sacrifices and libations are made to appease the deity. They also believe in the existence of spirits and super men (Matlayang) who perform special assignments on behalf of the community like the construction of the palace gates and the paved walkways. The community is also guided by strong taboo that prevents sacrilegious actions from taking place for the overall wellbeing of the community.

Sukur cultural landscape is outstanding for its social, economic, political and spiritual values that define the existence and relationships of the community. The intangible cultural attributes associated with festivals and ceremonies, belief systems, rituals and taboos are indicative of the persistent social life that the landscape represents.

The sacred position of the Hidi as the spiritual head of the community is also underscored by the magnificent dry stone and architectural work in his palace. The terrace farming skills and the cattle fattening process which was made possible through the construction of circular cattle pens are good examples of ingenious use of local resources in the community.

Oke Idanre Cultural Landscape, Ondo State

Oke Idanre Landscape is located at Idanre in Ondo State.

It’s a wonderful tourist site and its major access road consists of 670 steps with hand rails on both sides and five resting points or fatigue breakers located at irregular intervals. Idanre is a beehive of activities during the Ijan and Orosun festival.

Added to its beauty which fires human curiosity is the fact that the entire people of Idanre lived on these borders for almost a millennium.

Other festivals like the Ogun festival which is partly celebrated on top of the hills on October, and Ife festival which spread over a period of seven days, makes the site a living tradition.

Apart from the festivals, the Flora and Fauna of the hills also unique. There is also a special specie of tailless animal called Hyrax. Monkeys are also sported near Orosun hills. The hill is a home to a group of bats; being the reason, the natives hold unique festival of bats every year.

All new kings are installed at the top of the hill and initiation is also performed there. The Owa’s palace is a historic building where the Owa (King) still performs all traditional rites and festivals in Idanre Land. The elders discuss issues relating to the town at Oritagun shrine in the old Idanre.

From time immemorial, the site has been a centre of tourism activities attracting different tourists. It is a reservoir for medicinal plants where various plants are used for herbal preparation. The site also has great potentials for archaeological, geological and natural history research. The political and cultural life of present Idanre is tied to the old Idanre thereby serving as an umbilical cord among the people.

Till date, the site is used by film-makers as their shooting location even as Idanre hill plays host to a group of scientists and field researchers.

Also, Nobel Prize winner for Literature in Africa, Prof. Wole Soyinka wrote his longest poem titled “Idanre and Other Poems”.

Osun-Oshogbo Sacred Groove, Osun State

About 1370 AD, the founder of Oshogbo land, Oba Gbadewolu Larooye and a great hunter, Olutimehin settled in the sacred Osun forest to establish the kingdom and thereafter, actualised a pact of association and togetherness with the River Osun deity. The pact, rekindled every August was the foundation of Osun-Oshogbo festival that has culminated into the World’s largest tourist attraction.

Recall that the Osun groove was officially enlisted as a World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Durban,

South Africa on 15th July, 2005. Osun Oshogbo festival’s contribution had been very

significant especially with the rebasing of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The festival is an age long event that attracts Yorubas and other Nigerians that are deeply rooted in culture and tradition but the participation of the private sector has made it an important site and festival.

Ogbunike Cave, Anambra State

The Ogbunike Cave, which is located in Oyi local government area of Anambra State was part of the sites listed as national monuments by NCMM.

Given its spiritual and historical significance to the South-East, the caves are fun to explore with the help of a guide or yourself using the 317 steps that descend down to the inner caves. It is a great tourist centre that continues to hold visitors spell-bound by its magical formations.

Ogbunike is believed to have been discovered by a hunter called Ukwa from Umudioka family of Ifite during one of his hunting expeditions about 14th century. The cave is situated in a valley with tropical rain forest behind the Ogba hills on which lies St. Monica College, Ogbunike.

Water drops from the top of the open chamber and drains into the Nkisa River. On the wall of the chamber, are graffiti. The history of Ogbunike town will not be complete without the mention of the cave because it shielded the people from the surrounding villages during the Nigerian Civil War in 1967 to 1970. It is also used as a place of justice for erring members of the community.

The water that drops from the roof of the cave and the river in the cave are said to have healing power for all kinds of diseases and sickness. While various religious groups use the cave for prayers and meditation, the forest contains a variety of medicinal plants.

Notwithstanding, the site has great potentials for archaeological, geological and natural history research even as students of various institutions visit the site for both research and recreation.

The site is also endowed with beautiful scenery such as the cave entrance, the sound of the rushing water, noise of birds and cool environment shaded by the big trees that are suitable for camping and picnicking.

Due to its great tourism potentials, visitors are not allowed to enter the cave with foot wears.

Kano City Wall And Associated Sites, Kano State

The 14 kilometre City wall located in Kano State has been threatened by illegal encroachment. Though it’s managed by NCMM, the state government has also played a significant role by trying to construct barricades along the walls to save it from further encroachment.

In 1999, the Germans rehabilitated a portion to serve as example for others and the portion is still standing till today according to the Director-general of NCMM, Mallam Yusuf Abdalalh Usman.

“We rekindled interest in it five years ago when we organised an exhibition to sensitise people of the importance of continuing the project as the Germans started it. We invited China, Argentina and USA. The USA collaborated with us to rehabilitate one of the gates.

“They gave 50percent of the money and we balanced the remaining 50percent. We rehabilitated one of the gates so that people will indicate interest. This is not something that one government agency will come and do, we have added concerted efforts so that many people will put their hands’, he concluded.

Oban Hills And Associated Cultural Landscape, Cross River State

Located in Cross River State, Oban Hills is locally called Egui Oban by the natives. It is owned and managed by the community as well as state government.

Oban hills cover an area of approximately 3000km2, next to the Korop National Park in the Republic of Cameroon. It is located at Oban, Akamkpa local government area of

Cross-River State and in terms of ornithology; it is one of Nigeria’s best habitat for bird’s diversity.

This greatly under explored habitat is home to 350 recorded bird species including parrots and one of only two sites in Nigeria where Xavier’s Green bull has been seen.

Also, a rich variety of mammal species dwell in the Oban forest such as forest Elephants, red Colobus Monkeys and the Sciater’s Guenon that is found only in Nigeria.

Oban Hills make up an important wildlife and natural habitat for many species of animals and plants as well as home to some rare and endangered animal species. Due to its nearness to the Republic of Cameroon, it can contribute to trans-boundary protection and recognition by Nigeria and Cameroon.

Ogba Ukwu Cave And Waterfalls, Anambra State

Ogba Ukwu Cave and Waterfalls, also known as Owerre-Ezukala Cave is owned and managed by the community. The cave is located about four kilometres from the town and is accessed through a winding, untarred motorable road.

While the terrain is undulating and covered with stones from a distance; one can see the deciduous forest where the cave is located though fenced with wire mesh.

The Ogba Ukwu Cave and Waterfalls is recognised as the seat of god for the traditional worshippers. It is a magnificent work of nature held in high esteem by the natives. The cave complex, including the waterfall is accessed through the gate on concrete walkway made of 99 steep steps.

At the foot of the step is a massive rock of about 75 meters high from where the water gushes down into a pool (waterfall). One could walk behind the water fall to explore

the rest of the cave. Immediately after the waterfall, there is also an open space (cavern) over-shadowed by high protruding massive rock.

The cave has four major entrances into the chamber called Palace or lion cave. The natives believed that this was the palace where god the creator (Chukwu) lived and attended to petitions, so festivals take place at the site on every last Saturday of the month of May.

It has been recognised as one of the tourist attractions in the area with great tourism development and economic potentials.

Erin Ijesha Waterfalls, Osun State

Erin Ijesha water falls is situated in Oriade local government area of Osun State amidst high hills, rain forest vegetation and mountain. The site was discovered by Akinla, the daughter of Oduduwa in about 1140 AD as a mysterious creation of Olodumare.

Erin Ijesha waterfalls, also known as Olumirin waterfalls is located in the inner heart of Erin Ijesha in Osun State. This amazing waterfall attracts over 30,000 visitors annually from different parts of the world. The waterfall witnesses a high number of visitors during the celebration of the popular Osun-Osogbo festival.

The Olumirin waterfall has seven layers that are beautifully positioned above one another with water flowing among the rocks which then plummets down to the base with a great force. The sound of the cascading water blends with the natural and idyllic environment of the waterfall.

According to oral tradition, the grand-daughter of Oduduwa and the founder of Erin -Ijesha discovered the fall in the year 1140AD during the migration of the people from Ile Ife to Erin Ijesha.

The waterfall, which remains one of the best tourist attractions in Nigeria is believed to have curative properties that cure several diseases. Therefore, the community sees it as sacred water.

However, a study was carried out by the government through a group of researchers on the possible ways of packaging it as bottled water after series of purification. The study revealed that it could attract investors to the state as well as provide jobs for the teeming youth in the state.

Ikogosi Warm Spring, Ekiti State

Ikogosi Warm Spring is a haven of tourism activities which has put the sleepy community on the world map. Located in Ekiti West local government area of Ekiti State, Ikogosi is a wonder of beauty where warm and cold water are flowing separately to join in a pool with each retaining its thermal identity. The warm spring, which is situated in a valley of the surrounding hills with a vegetation of highly thick forest, strangely has a tree and a palm growing from the same source at the meeting point area of the warm and cold springs.

Stories have been told by both historians and indigenes of the town regarding the origin of the warm spring which today has become the delight of tourists from within and outside Nigeria.

A version of the story has it that both springs (Warm and Cold) were wives of a hunter who turned to spring water as a result of rift and misunderstanding between them.

Obudu Mountain Resort, Cross River State

Obudu Mountain Resort, formerly known as the Obudu Cattle Ranch is a ranch and resort on the Obudu Plateau in Cross River State. It is founded on the Obudu Plateau close to the Cameroon Border in the north-eastern part of Cross River State of Nigeria, approximately 110 kilometres east of Ogoja and 65 kilometres from Obudu town in Obanliku local government area of Cross River State.

It was developed in 1951 by Mr McCaughey, a Scot who first explored the mountain ranges in 1949. He camped on the mountain top of the Oshie Ridge on the Sankwala Mountains for a month before returning with Mr Hugh Jones, a fellow rancher who in 1951, together with Dr Crawfield developed the Obudu Cattle Ranch. A recently added cable car from the base to the top of the plateau gives visitors a scenic view while bypassing the extremely winding road to the top.

Resort Charter air service is also available to the Bebi Airport which lies between the village of Obudu and the resort.

The ranch has in recent times seen an influx of both Nigerian and international tourists due to the presence of facilities built by the Cross-River State Government. These facilities have turned the ranch into one of the well-known holiday and tourist resort centres in Nigeria.

Museum Commission Reacts

Reacting, the Director- General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Mallam Abdallah Yusuf Usman was optimistic that Surame cultural landscape did not suffer from defacement but its limitations for UNESCO enlistment was due to paucity of data, records likewise scientific proofs and scholarly works.

According to him, “Oke Idanre might not have suffered much defacement and encroachment, but the unilateral approach of the state government in promoting tourism is impacting on the integrity of the site as well as the lack of comprehensive documentation on all the interventions on the site.

Usman enjoined museums to seek closer partnership with all educational institutions within their communities to advance the cause of true and valuable educational experience within the context of our culture and values. He appealed to Nigerians to always guard against looting and destruction of Heritage Sites, which he described as the legacies of our fore fathers stressing that the Commission is working round the clock to ensure that cultural heritage sites across the country are well preserved and protected.

Usman noted that Nigeria is rich in culture, traditions and natural landscape with unique features even as he reiterated the resolve of the Commission towards protecting, preserving and promoting our heritage resources. He noted that the federal government, through NCMM has identified more tourist sites, historical sites and monuments for protection, saying that a number of museums were opened while exhibitions were carried out abroad which helped in laundering the image of the country positively. The DG said NCMM had contributed in growing the economy by providing, developing and managing tourist destinations such as museums, heritage sites and monuments adding that the essence of developing the sites was to attract more investments and help in growing the economy. He noted that UNESCO does not provide cash for the maintenance of the World Heritage sites but rather assists

The 10 of them can easily give Nigeria a lot of money in foreign exchange!. They can easily provide millions of jobs!.

I will start my discussion with The great Owerre Ezukalla Cave and Water Falls in Orumba South Lga of Anambra State!

​ Owerre-Ezukala cave, waterfalls remain abandoned 5yrs after FG’s take-over ON NOVEMBER 4, 201511:01 PMIN NEWSCOMMENTS 50 0 1 0 BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA — When the Federal Government announced the takeover of the Ogba Ukwu Cave and Water Falls, now known as Owerre- Ezukala Cave and Water Falls, in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State in 2010, there were wild jubilations all over the place as both the natives, the local government council and the entire state believed then that the central government’s presence had been attracted by the cave. Ogba Ukwu Waterfall The community, the local council and the state also had the impression that within a space of time, the area would be bubbling with life as tourists from all over the world would be visiting the cave from time to time and patronize their local products and boost their earnings. However, there is nothing yet on the ground to justify the euphoria that greeted the announcement of the take- over by the Federal Government. Up till this moment, the cave has remained as bushy as it was during the celebrated handover ceremony, five years ago. The community had in 2010, formally handed the cave over to the Federal Government, through the then Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC, Otumba Olusegun Runsewe, OON, as part of the activities marking its annual cultural festival. During the ceremony, the community had noted that the essence of handing over the cave to the government was for proper refurbishment, marketing and promotion to attract tourists to the area. Speaking at the ceremony, the chairman of Mbido Igbo (Origin of Igbo) Associations, Mazi Okafouzu Ugochukwu, said that both the federal and Anambra State governments had concluded arrangements to promote the cave and the community’s festival to a national festival to serve as a tourism centre within the South East geo-political zone, adding that the takeover of the cave was based on the recommendation of a 12-man fact-finding team that visited the South Eastern states in search of a natural site that should be promoted internationally. Okafouzu further said that after visiting Ogbunike and other caves in the South East zone, the previous year, the team settled for Ogba Ukwu cave as the best tourism site in the zone. However, the cave has remained undeveloped and abandoned; a situation which has been generating angry reactions from the indigenes. Among them include an Onitsha – based rights activist and lawyer, Jezie Ekejiuba, who cautioned Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State against what he termed as discriminatory policy of his administration, as it concerned the Owerre-Ezukala Cave and Waterfalls. Ekejiuba, who is the president of the Voters Rights International said that as a native of Owerre– Ezukala his rights to freedom from discrimination had been flagrantly violated by the discriminatory actions of the state government, in connection with the community’s cave and waterfalls. “Sometime in July 2015, this year, I discovered to my greatest shock that Owerre-Ezukala Cave and Waterfalls which is reputed to be the biggest in the West African sub-region has been deleted from the official website of Anambra State Government under the sub-title: Tourism in Anambra State… “ Earlier in March this year, the Government of Anambra State signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with a project partner for the development of Ogbunike Cave into a world-class Theme Park and Resort at the cost of N250 million, while completely feigning ignorance of Owerre-Ezukala Cave and Waterfalls.” Ekejiuba noted that during former Governor Peter Obi’s administration, contract sum was awarded for the development of Agulu Lake via construction of a five-star hotel complex which was still on-going under Obiano’s continuity agenda,. He added: “The policy of deleting Owerre – Ezukala Cave and Waterfalls from the official website of Anambra State Government Tourism site and favouring Ogbunike Cave and Agulu Lake with development projects while completely neglecting Owerre-Ezukala Cave and Waterfalls which is the biggest tourist site in Anambra State is the highest degree of discrimination against me and my fellow citizens of the border community of Owerre-Ezukala.” In his own complaint, the National Treasurer of Owerre-Ezukala Development Union, Anayo Emejue described the cave as one of the oldest within a beautiful terrain with water falls and natural swimming pool and privileged tourist centres in Africa. Emejue stated that Nollywood actors had often besieged the centre for shooting films and trainings, adding, “however, we the people of Owerre-Ezukala especially the town union are passionately appealing for the tarring of the access road leading to the cave, extension of the recreational facilities in the cave especially the natural swimming pool and provision of indoor games and relaxation points.” He also mentioned electrification of the appurtenances to the cave through street lighting, completion of the Nollywood village, construction of a guest house and a pavilion at the arena, among others.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/owerre-ezukala-cave-waterfalls-remain-abandoned-5yrs-after-fgs-take-over/