DDM crew visits infamous Ogbunike Cave, discovers unfulfilled promises

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) crew, on Friday, April 4, 2025, paid a visit to the infamous Ogbunike Cave in Anambra State, a wonder of creation.

Ogbunike Cave could best be described as a sanctuary of God, owing to its pristine and undefiled natural abode.

It was a beautiful and memorable experience, beginning from how difficult it was for the team to locate the cave due to it being unpopular among people around the area, to the excitement at the cave.

As we began the tour, Mr. Chidi, our guide, explained that Ogbunike cave served as a hiding place for Igbos during the civil war.

Some of the significant features of the cave include:

The Stairs:

Descending the caves, one would walk 312 stairs

“Ogba ike” (Great Stone):

A large round rock, where it is believed that visitors/tourists to the cave can make prayers for favours, and Chidi said the prayers get answered.

The Stairwell leading to the Cave’s entrance:

Here, the tourists are expected to take off their foot wears – somehow a replica of the biblical Moses who was asked to take off his sandals because he was standing on the holy ground.

Stones dripping water:

Right at the entrance of the caves, undefiled water drips from the stones.

The water is believed to be pure and drinkable.

Our guide drank it in our presence as a proof that the water is drinkable.

Inner tunnels:

According to Mr. Chidi, there were channels in the caves that led to different areas.

There was the one that led to the zone of bats. Chidi described the zones of the bats as:

i.  Bat “dining”
ii. Bat “parlour”
iii. Bat “room”

The names were given according to the activities of the bats in the different sections.

In reality, the bats gathered at the dining in greater numbers than at the “parlour” and the “room”

As the crew seemingly crawled through the tunnels of the cave, the DDM crew was beckoned to follow suit.

They were asked to close individual mouths to avoid accidentally swallow any of the insects flying in large numbers.

The crew would not dare to check the tunnel that harboured the python(s) and crocodile(s) for safety purposes.

The tunnels were so dark that even the lights from some of the devices were not bright enough to illuminate the area.

We were fortunate that our General Manager, Mr. Tim Elombah had a brighter source of light to illuminate our pathways.

This helped our vision while foraging through the cave tunnels.

Cave Mountain:

Through the tunnel of the bats, the crew walked up to what the tour guide called, the ‘cave mountain’. To get to the mountain, the team passed through a slippery tunnel.

Watefall and river:

Up the tunnel, was a waterfall, from where we descended into a river that has a mixture of cold and warm water.

The cold water came from the cave, cold and pure. The warm water came from a source at the neighbouring village and was warm.

One would feel them as one walked into the waters or scoop it with the hands.

It is important to note that the different parts of the caves from the entrance had inscriptions of names believed to be names of visitors to the caves.

The names were inscribed even at the inner parts of the cave.

The tenders to the cave call on the government to intervene in making the place a worthy tourist attraction area.
A restaurant should ideally be in the area, where tourists could sit to eat after touring the caves.

Bushy areas around the cave and the river can be trimmed to give the cave a more beautiful outlook.

A proper record keeping should be initiated to enable the government keep track of people who visit the cave.

There should be directions from major junctions leading to the caves to direct people, so that the caves can gradually become popular.

The environment was generally serene.

LOCATION

The Ogbunike Cave, located in Anambra State, Nigeria, is a fascinating tourist destination with a rich history.

The ancient cave system, estimated to be around 4,000 years old, was said to be discovered by a hunter named Ukwa from the Umucheke family of Ifite-Ogbunike.

Ogbunike Cave’s structure is impressive, with a massive open chamber and ten tunnels leading to different directions.

Visitors can explore the caves, which are home to a large colony of bats, and enjoy the scenic views of the surrounding tropical rainforest.

It was on a sad note that the GM suddenly announced that it’s time to leave.

He regretted that as we left the enclave, we will be “returning to Nigeria where nothing works”, a far cry from the beautiful and serene environment visitors enjoy at Ogbunike Cave.

In 2024, the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, promised to reactivate tourist sites, including the Ogbunike Cave, to meet international standards.

However, our visit shows that the promise is yet to be fulfilled.

Overall, the Ogbunike Cave remains a unique and captivating destination, with its rich history, stunning natural surroundings, and potential for development.

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