Daily Independent (Lagos)
Okey Maduforo
26 November 2008
The name, Rt. Hon. Dr. William Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo, Oyi of Oyi, sounds like a sentence; the late flamboyant politician, who as a senate president, bestrode the Nigerian National Assembly like a colossus, painted a figurative image of what the cave in his country home, Ogbunike, Anambra State, looked like.
The mace at the Senate had disappeared at the peak of the National Assembly crisis, and he told reporters that it was inside the Ogbunike cave. Okadigbo further warned that if any body ventured to go there, he or she should be careful of the sacred python guarding the cave.
For the uninformed, the legendary stories and myths surrounding the cave easily send fears and trepidations down the spines. It indeed conjured a picture of a dreaded shrine like reminiscent of Ogwugwu Okija or Ala-ugbaga in Mbaise, Imo State.
But on that fateful day, Daily Independent reporter, dared, dismissed all those dreadful stories and took a plunge into a different world outside the hustling and bustling cosmopolitan towns of Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi. Traveling along the Old Awka-Onitsha Highway and passing through the ancient Afo-Igwe Market, one beheld a makeshift bus-stop adjacent to Boys Secondary School, Ogbunike.
Petty shop dealers and local tailors peeped through their stores to make out who this stranger was and what he had come for. "Just follow this road and drive straight to St. Monica's Secondary School and then ask questions," a trader directed.
The long stretch of road must have been tarred during the Second Republic but it is now a shadow of its former self. At the end of the road is the main gate of St. Monica's College, Ogbunike. The visitor was directed to follow the school fence to where it ended.
Before the end of the face is a picture of Texas City in America. However, there was no cattle ranch where cowboys went after their cows. It was more of rustic villagers who had come to excavate stones of various species for the building of houses. Old women were seen carrying palm fruits on their way home. At every hip of stones, the middle aged men would sit in groups sharing a thumb-full of snuff and few sips of local gin.
The main entrance of Ogbunike cave has a long bamboo tree, branch across it. Vehicles would have to be directed to where they would park. Soon, Mr. Daniel Oguelina, 53, alighted from a shanty booth and walked up to the visitor. Some payment was made and a deal was struck for an adventure into one of the greatest wonders of Mother Nature. A sign post was conspicuously hanging before the bush, it read thus: "Ifite Youth Movement warning; no entry except by permission. Remove your shoes before entering into the cave. Ladies under period banned. Receive receipt after payment. Herbalist or spiritual ceremony in the cave is banned. Deforestation of cave will be prosecuted. Defaulters will be prosecuted."
The track to the cave is about fifty metres and a bird eye view of a valley of thick rainforest is revealed. The community had constructed a total of 311 steps that descended about 170 feet down the cave. After a long breath- taking walk down the steps, the cave was sitting like the home stead of the Stone Age early men. Spring water drizzles in the dark cave and buckets and basins were kept by people to fetch water. This reporter drank a hand full of the spring water which could pass for good cold water from a refrigerator.
Daniel Oguelina of Ifite village, Ogbunike, was on hand to tell the story; myth and legends of Ogbunike Cave.
"One cannot really say how old the cave is. I was born and I met the cave. I cannot even estimate how old it is. But all I know is that it is as old as creation. Stories had it that the cave was discovered by hunters of old who had always come here to settle and rest and also share their games. They would also take a rest here eat and drink some water."
Oguelina further said that "I know this place as the hand work of God which was made manifest in our land. It was not a landslide or erosion. It had been there since creation. The cave is for protection and it does not kill. It gives good fortunes but detests evil things. If you have problems it would help you as long as your heart is clean. If you come with an evil intention, you would have yourself to blame."
"This cave is for justice. It fights for those that are being oppressed. People have always run to it for refuge and succour. It sees both in the dark and in daylight. The water you see that is dropping only comes out during the dry seasons. You cannot see the spring at the rainy season. This water is clean and people use it for prayers. Anyone that drinks it drinks life and protected from evil spirits, as long as your heart is clean.
"There have been cases of barren women in search of the fruit of the womb. Most of them had come here and said prayers and became fertile. In fact, those who had problems both in the office and in business or those that were being persecuted unjustly had visited the cave, prayed with the water from the cave and their problems solved.
"This is not the issue of Christianity or traditional religion. Every one knows what is good. Every one knows what justice is all about. So, there is nothing like idle worshiping at the cave. You must have read the warning against herbalists and diviners coming into this place. So, you come on your own, say your prayers make your supplications and go away. You can even take the water home and use it for prayers. As long as your heart is clean and with faith in God, your problems would be solved"
Against the backdrop of feelings and beliefs that such sacred places are protected by a certain god or goddess, Oguelina told our reporter that there are no such gods but the Almighty God. He contends that God created the cave and it is only God that guards it and the powers therein.
Interior of the cave cuts the picture of a large sitting room with about six main entrances into the rooms. The rooms also have a long corridor that has the shape of an arc of about twenty five metres leading the visitor to yet another main sitting room. A walk in the cave reveals names of visitors to the cave. It also depicted the number of visitors that have been in and out of the cave. This reporter also engraved his name and that of Daily Independent on the walls of the cave.
A rather interesting spectacle is the water channel through which the spring from the cave passes through. About ten metres further down is a fast flowing river of about three to four feet deep. The river has a confluence with the water from the cave.
According to anthropological studies, the spring joins the Ifitedunu River, linking the Nkisi River in Onitsha and empties into the Niger River. At the confluence of the spring and Ifitedunu River, there is a mini altar where prayers are also made. A form of directory is pasted at the stem of a tree that reads:
"This spot is both for prayers, spiritual works, and depositing of gift items. Every item should be deposited inside this water so that it flows to the river. No gift item should be deposited outside the water."
However, this reporter while on an adventure into the cave waited anxiously to see the sacred python that took custody of the National Assembly mace but went home disappointed. Not even a snake was seen nor a monitor lizard. All that showed animal presence was the intermittent climbing and jumping of large squirrels in search of palm fruits.
But Oguelina was not emphatic about the sacred python. "Well, this place is a jungle of all types of animals and you do not rule out the possibility of seeing such reptiles. But then you cannot see the python unless you come with an evil thought or intention. If you have come to harm people then the python will surely come out and I cannot say what would happen. In fact, those that met the python could not tell their ordeal because they were never seen."
It was indeed a long walk up the valley to where our vehicle was parked. One would stop at a point to gasp for breath. In fact, the uphill journey requires more than share stamina for a chain smoker to climb. As we took off to Awka, the Anambra State capital, the green memory of nature's wonders continued to flash into the subconscious of one's mind that hidden inside this rainforest vegetation is a cave without blemish.
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Actualy am so proud to say dat i am an indigene of anambra state precisely (ifite ogbunike).Though i know little about the ogbunike cave i remember visiting the cave when i was younger and also heard stories of the sacred python.It may be true though im not disputing.All i am intrested in is that we have a wonder of nature to behold.