darocha1:
They keep shouting alternative source of generating income for the economy but they neglect TOURISM, to think such a beautiful place exist in the home state of our hon minister of info & tourism and the opportunity hasn't been harnessed. Nigeria should take a sheet from Kenya and dub

was moved to tears while i journeyed. Its indeed pathetic!

ReneeNuttall:


trust me going with few friends brings note fun,for instance I once went for a field trips yo a place in Benin, twas fun,snapping pics with friends,dinning and exploring tgther,I think its note enjoyable going with friends of like minds.

Yea true sha...
I can't knock u on that aspect

Kwara that seems it was cursed.

ZACHIE:
your poor pictures killed this beautiful write up and wondrous waterfall

forgive me please... would improve upon that subsequently.

oluseyiforjesus:
I bet you there are spirit in dat River, I don't advice girl to go to water falls especially d fair ones.......... I rest my case here

Smh! D fair guys nko? D spirits don't want us?

ilyasom:
Op you have good command of English

lol... thanks a bunch

Dexema:
Looks cool, too bad you didn't have enough time.

i was pained too

OBALORLA:
To be very honest here, the thought of me touring Owu falls (the tallest in Nigeria) kept me awake all night- It was the longest since my arrival in Kwara and unknown to the poor me, I was about embarking on my most dangerous mission.


This perfectly describes me

The first woe which betide me was late preparation. I didn’t finish preparing until 9:30am when I finally left home for Unilorin- the only place I could charge my phone which was only 2% alive at the time.
I charged for about 30 minutes before hastily joining a shuttle heading towards post office. This journey made me #120 poorer but I cared less being a nonchalant traveler that I was.
My next hurdle was to get to Omu aran where I was told I’d get the direction to Owu falls. So I strolled relieved into the park by 12:36pm but the bus didn’t move until 2pm. why? I was the second to get there and you know that angry moment when you’d pray earnestly for passengers to just come in for the bus to get filled.
Still unknown to me how rough the journey ahead was going to be, I sat with utmost joy between the driver and another passenger in the front section of the white interstate bus as we journeyed through the infrastructure-starved Kwara state.
The only colourful things I saw aside the green weed which adorned both sides of the express road were myriads of political signboards with over 90% of them bearing the picture of Bukola saraki– With the look of things, the people of Kwara are more satisfied with the posters than the dividends of democracy.

Whats my business? I only blame the Angel who didn’t hear me properly when i told him my most preferred country was Netherlands and not Nigeria.

We soon swept past Idofihan , Igberi Owode, Omupo as our bus maintained a consistent momentum until we got to Iludun Oro– a small village where our bus decided not to move again until we replace the engine’s belt.
So we all alighted and as expected sprinkled to different spots in search of a resting place while we await the arrival of the driver who went to get another belt from a nearby town.
My wristwatch reminded me it’s few minutes past 5pm.

I suddenly remembered I don’t know my next move after getting to Omu Aran, so I decide to ask one of the passengers who was also taking her refuge beside me. She was with her colleague and I suspected from her lousy attitude and endless talks in the bus that she is a public secondary school teacher who came to greet her daughter- an undergraduate in one of the higher institutions in Kwara state.

“Ha! hope you have where to sleep because you certainly can’t return today if you continue this journey o. Its better you go back home and come back tomorrow”.
That was her exact statement. she really said it in a scary manner, the way every yoruba mother does.

I pretended like I heeded her warnings, so I requested for the direction to Owu falls so that I can come back tomorrow like she advised. so she gave me… “you needn’t reach omu aran as there is a shorter route just by that bus stop”- she said pointing to a junction on our left.
I immediately stood up, dusted my partially stained shorts and headed backwards towards Oke Onigbin where she advised.






The time raced fiercely towards 5:30pm as I increased my pace. My tongue was drying up and the sky’s attitude wasn’t encouraging either. I knew i was feeling tired but I decided not to feel it. I was thorn between going back home and forging ahead.

“I cant go back, I managed to mutter. I was already head and neck into the journey.

It occurred to me that the son of man hadn’t eaten anything aside the #50 orange he bought at Igberi Owode. His tummy rumbled but that was the least of his problems.

I finally got to Oke Onigbin where I asked for the buses going to owu falls. The woman smiled and told me buses don’t go there due to how dangerous that road is. My heart skipped as I immediately knew they have finally get me. You know that mogbe moment naw.



I was brought back to life when she said pointing to the right, “go and meet those bikers, they might take you there”.

Its on probability again? kuku key me.
So I proceeded with a shattered mind while the bikers all stopped their conversation immediately on sighting I was coming for them.
“I want to go to owu falls” i said to no one in particular so none answered me except one who told me he can’t go even if his mum begged him.
I finally understood the teacher’s warnings. The time was 5:48pm. My tongue became sour.



Suddenly, one of them volunteered to take me on just one condition, and that was if I would pay him #4,000. I begged him with all the known names that works till we finally arrived at #2,000 for both going and returning.

I hopped on his bike and we zoomed off.

We sped past Ijara, Owu, sabaja, oba isin, owa onire and didn’t stop until we reached Owu falls.

All through our journey, he kept lamenting about the bad state of things in Kwara state, emphasizing on how the Government has refused to tap into the potentials of Owu falls, according to him, this falls has the potentials of being the most sought-after travel destination in Nigeria. I couldn’t agree less even though I haven’t seen it yet.







We journeyed through this path- only the two of us and series of thoughts raced through my mind as the horrible sound of the bike couldn’t drown them. At a point I thought about being kidnapped, at the other, it was the fear of being killed but the friendly nature of my biker did a lot in restoring my hope.

This continued until we got to Owu falls.





These pictures should summarize my experience:







Many thanks to my biker who was more friendly than i thought. he doubled as my photographer and guide.

I’m tempted at this point to throw jabs at the Nigerian government for their negligence towards this place. I’m not being biased here, but I think Owu falls has better chances of topping the list of the best tourists sites in not just Nigeria but Africa at large.

You need to see the videos on my IG page @nomadic_negro to understand me clearly.

The sky alerted me it was time to go, so I quickly took a selfie with my tour guide before jumping on the bike again. It was 6:40pm.




We soon got back to Oke Onigbin where I joined a space wagon which charged me #400 back to post office, leaving me with only #100 which used in joining another cab which took me home.

I was tired but I couldn’t stop rethinking the experience till sleep took me to the regular unknown destination it usually does on a daily.

I was brought back on Sunday which was the next day, did all the necessary rituals and headed straight for the train station but couldn’t catch one due to some technical issues, so I opted for a bus ride instead, even though it costs more.


Ilorin


Back in Oshodi- Lagos, Nigeria.


See more of my adventures on www.nomadicnegro.com

I guess u haven't seen Abokum waterfall in cross river state

saintdennis:


Actually ITS BETTER to embark on such journeys alone...

If they were two or more...I guarantee you he wouldn't have reached the waterfall that day.

Infact it's more dangerous walking in groups

@obalorla blame the state government not FG. When Donald duke turned c/rivers to nigeria's tourist capital it wasn't via magic but vision.

When last did anyone see any advertorial on print or electronic media on yankari game reserve?? Erin-ijesha waterfalls? Obudu? Ikogosi springs? Etc

Like u rightly noted, they'd rather use scarce resources for political campaigns

Its really a painful thing, I swear.

phemolala07:
I serve in Dat local govt(isin local govt) kwara state back in 2015. Owu falls is Just underrated.but d place far no b small

i somewhat loved the journey to and from there though.

bluejean:
thumbs up to our op. u made dt nice n easy to read with the command of english n sense of narration.

At d bk of my mind is touring wch i will do someday

really!
while I wrote, I considered you and everyone who'd want to read

missioner:
you didn't tell us what actually took you there...
or you just left Lagos to take pictures

www.nomadicnegro.com is a blog I launched for the sole aim of exploring everywhere possible and come back to write about my experience

luminouz:
U could go with me dear! Its more fun!

ehn!

jumich1:
I like your never say never attitude, keep it up for that's the mark of successful people.

Btw I didn't see any falls o, all I could see in your pictures is water drifting from rocky mountain to nearby river. That's not waterfalls

it was easy to take this shot because the picyure you posted is just few metres.
sir, Owu falls is the tallest in Nigeria and one of the tallest in Africa.
I think this should help.

saintdennis:

Yea true sha... I can't knock u on that aspect

sorry for all d blunders jor,my phone is not used to short hand writings yet

rakazytee:
Wonderful, I'll try n convince hubby so that I can ve this experience too.

please do. you wont regret the action.

OBALORLA:

was moved to tears while i journeyed. Its indeed pathetic!

that shows that u are a very emotional person.

horciglowri:
I want to go, hw much is d total cost frm lagos?

shoot me a mail at tunde@nomadicnegro.com and you'd me amazed at how cheap I travel

Dhermelawler35:
OP, You have good writing skills.. u actually made me read the write up till the end.. Nice one...

really!
thanks for reading. thats how i actually write 99.9% of my travel reports on www.nomadicnegro.com

rakazytee:
I'll love this experience o

shoot me a mail at : tunde@nomadicnegro.com
we will sure organize a low cost travel down there soon.

mayoor15:
Just watching that guy that said the place is 30 minutes in 3D

megareal:
Yea, I remember Owu falls. Went there during my service year as part of corper excursion things. We spent almost a day there but it was fun.

The road wasn't so bad then as we used a bus and only walked part of the way. I still have great pics from it.

please kindly share them naw.. biko

OBALORLA:


Its really a painful thing, I swear.

Yea bro

When I see easterners massively migrate back home during the long holidays I wonder... what exactly is at home? Cos my pals don't return with any special pics, just visit fast food rest, boutique etc

Like where are the holiday resorts? Amusement parks?? States like anambra and imo especially can make a killing by popularising existing spots or even building new ones.

Nigeria really has a leadership problem...
imagine going to shoprite is seen as 'an exciting' experience

When we have lots of outdoor locations...the rocks at ogun state , there's a particular stream/waterfall in anambra I saw on NL FP last year

Abeg make I no dey lament jare, later we go talk say we get tourism boards

Its not the higest fall in nigeria

veekid:

---

I've been there with happney65

Weere...

OBALORLA:


i still have a lot of places on my mind to explore in Nigeria before moving outside it.
would probably put out my travel timetable in case anyone would be willing to go with me.

Have you been to the Mambillah Plateau in Taraba State??

The thrill in such journey remains the challenge of getting to the destination.

Welldone!

Mecoy:


Well, i know what i am saying.

What will you now say about the OP who didn't have to navigate through the jungle?

Because it didn't happen for you, doesn't mean it cant happen for others.

Oga except you carry jet go, it's not possible, you said you walked from the village head house to the fall for 30minutes haba, no lie is more blatant than that, even the OP on a bike will use close to 30minutes cos of the sorry state of the road as well as its slanting and sloppy nature talkless of someone walking.

ReneeNuttall:



ehn!

Ehn ehn!

tohpahz:
U are one of the problems of this country my dear

Seems you don't believe in Mermaids , do you ?