LADI KWALI: The Most Famous Potter In Nigeria.

The legendary Ladi Kwali, a woman popularly known for her unique art
of pottery, has no doubt left a legacy that can turnaround the lives
of many, particularly women, in her locality, Kwali in present day
Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja if
properly harnessed.

PAUSE AT THIS MOMENT.
Please, do you have N20 note with you? check your pocket. Turn it over
and take a look at the back. Yes, the woman you are looking at is
Ladi. Ladi Kwali, Nigeria's most famous potter (or ceramist in modern
parlance). Dr. Hajia HADIZA LADI DOSEI KWALI, MBE, D.Litt (ABU) is the
only woman to grace any Nigerian note.

Dr Ladi Kwali was Nigeria's best known potter. She left a rich legacy
of her work and a school of 'students' who picked up from where she
left at the Abuja Pottery Training Centre. She grew up in a family in
which the women folk made pots for a living.

She was born in the village of Kwali in the Gwari region of Northern
Nigeria, where pottery was a common occupation among women. She
learned to make pottery as a child using the traditional method of
coiling. She made large pots for use as water jars and cooking pots
from coils of clay, beaten from the inside with a flat wooden paddle.
They were decorated with incised geometric and stylised figurative
patterns. Following the traditional African method, they were fired in
a bonfire of dry vegetation

Her pots were noted for their beauty of form and decoration. Several
were acquired by the Emir of Abuja, in whose home they were seen by
Michael Cardewin 1950. In 1954, she joined Cardew's pottery training
centre in Abuja, its only woman potter, where she learned to throw
pots on the wheel. She made dishes, bowls and beakers with sgraffito
decoration but also continued to produce pots using her traditional
hand building and decorating techniques. Most of these were glazed and
fired in a high-temperature kiln and therefore represent an
interesting hybrid of traditional African with western studio pottery

Through Kwali's contact with Cardew, she and her work became known in
Europe, Britain and America. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, her
work was shown to great acclaim in London at the Berkeley Galleries.
She became Nigeria's best-known potter, was awarded a doctorate and
was made MBE in 1963. The Abuja Pottery was renamed the Ladi Kwali
Pottery and a major street in Abuja is called Ladi Kwali Road.

The legacy of Dr Ladi Kwali, a woman of talent who brought the world's
attention to pottery-making, is fast fading away and with it the dream
of several generations, Weekly Trust reports.

A visit to the hometown of Nigeria's most popular potter reveals the
gradually fading away of a once rich and proud legacy left behind by
Dr. Kwali evident in the absence of potters in the village and the
falling apart of a pottery cottage industry that was once bustling
with activities.

Read More

LADI KWALI: The Most Famous Potter In Nigeria.

The legendary Ladi Kwali, a woman popularly known for her unique art
of pottery, has no doubt left a legacy that can turnaround the lives
of many, particularly women, in her locality, Kwali in present day
Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja if
properly harnessed.

PAUSE AT THIS MOMENT.
Please, do you have N20 note with you? check your pocket. Turn it over
and take a look at the back. Yes, the woman you are looking at is
Ladi. Ladi Kwali, Nigeria's most famous potter (or ceramist in modern
parlance). Dr. Hajia HADIZA LADI DOSEI KWALI, MBE, D.Litt (ABU) is the
only woman to grace any Nigerian note.

Dr Ladi Kwali was Nigeria's best known potter. She left a rich legacy
of her work and a school of 'students' who picked up from where she
left at the Abuja Pottery Training Centre. She grew up in a family in
which the women folk made pots for a living.

She was born in the village of Kwali in the Gwari region of Northern
Nigeria, where pottery was a common occupation among women. She
learned to make pottery as a child using the traditional method of
coiling. She made large pots for use as water jars and cooking pots
from coils of clay, beaten from the inside with a flat wooden paddle.
They were decorated with incised geometric and stylised figurative
patterns. Following the traditional African method, they were fired in
a bonfire of dry vegetation

Her pots were noted for their beauty of form and decoration. Several
were acquired by the Emir of Abuja, in whose home they were seen by
Michael Cardewin 1950. In 1954, she joined Cardew's pottery training
centre in Abuja, its only woman potter, where she learned to throw
pots on the wheel. She made dishes, bowls and beakers with sgraffito
decoration but also continued to produce pots using her traditional
hand building and decorating techniques. Most of these were glazed and
fired in a high-temperature kiln and therefore represent an
interesting hybrid of traditional African with western studio pottery

Through Kwali's contact with Cardew, she and her work became known in
Europe, Britain and America. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, her
work was shown to great acclaim in London at the Berkeley Galleries.
She became Nigeria's best-known potter, was awarded a doctorate and
was made MBE in 1963. The Abuja Pottery was renamed the Ladi Kwali
Pottery and a major street in Abuja is called Ladi Kwali Road.

The legacy of Dr Ladi Kwali, a woman of talent who brought the world's
attention to pottery-making, is fast fading away and with it the dream
of several generations, Weekly Trust reports.

A visit to the hometown of Nigeria's most popular potter reveals the
gradually fading away of a once rich and proud legacy left behind by
Dr. Kwali evident in the absence of potters in the village and the
falling apart of a pottery cottage industry that was once bustling
with activities.

Read More

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!

We want to say a very big thank you to you all [our readers] for reading our Blog post all through the Month of May 2014.

In this month of may we have over 2200 Pageviews. Our facebook with more than 100likes. Without you all these wouldnt have been possible. Thank you once again and keep visiting talkoftourism.com and also share our post.

BEST Regards.
AMADI INYA
TALK OF TOURISM
www.talkoftourism

Read More

NATIONAL PARK: Okomu Wildlife Sanctuary In Edo State.

The Okomu National Park, formerly the Okomu Wildlife Sanctuary, is a
forest block within the 1,082 km² Okomu Forest Reserve in the Ovia
South-West Local Government Area of Edo State in Nigeria. The park is
about 60 km north west of Benin City. The park holds a small fragment
of the rich forest that once covered the region, and is the last
habitat for many endangered species. It continues to shrink as
villages encroach on it, and is now less than one third of its
original size.

To the south and southeast the forest was separated from the coast by
mangrove and swamp forests, while to the north it merged into the
Guinean Forest-Savanna Mosaic eco-region.
Okomu National Park is about 200 km² of wildlife sanctuary, a
rainforest ecosystem that is the habitat for many endangered species
of flora and fauna. The state government formally defined the
sanctuary in 1986, with an area of just 66 km2 before the Nigerian
Conservation Foundation (NCF)took over management of the sanctuary in
1987, and extended it to 114 km2 by adding a one-mile wide buffer
zone. The sanctuary was later taken over by the National Parks
Servicein 1999

Okomu is a home of forest elephants, buffaloes, red river hogs,
chimpanzees, leopards, bush baby, putty nosed guenon, porcupine,
pangolins, duikers, antelopes etc.

The white throated monkey which is one of the rarest monkeys in the
world today is found at the park as well. Butterflies and birds are
abundant making it one of the best places for bird watching in
Nigeria.

The park is made up of Guinea–Congo lowland rain forest, which
includes areas of swamp-forest, high forest, secondary forest, and
open scrub. Among the common trees are Kapok, Celtis zenkeri,
Triplochiton scleroxylon, Antiaris africana, Pycnanthus angolensis and
Alstonia congoensis.

Tree Houses

The park has two tree houses, one 140 feet high in a silk-cotton tree,
from which visitors can view the park from above and observe bird
life.

Bird watching

With over 200 species of birds recorded at the park, Okomu National
Park is very rich in birdlife. These include Angolan Pitta, Grey
Parrot, Wrinkled Hornbill, Fish Eagle, hawks, woodpeckers, Great Owl,
Grey Hornbill, Cattle Egret, Black-casqued Hornbill, Yellow-casqued
Hornbill, Sabine's Spinetail, Cassin's Spinetail, Black Spinetail,
White-breasted Negrofinch, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Pale-fronted
Negrofinch and Yellow-throated Cuckoo etc.

Nature trail (safari)

The park is accessible to tourists, and has well marked trails.
Visitors can stay at chalets built on stilts, just outside the park
entrance, surrounded by big trees that are often occupied by Mona
monkeys.

Udo and Arakhuan villages

These are the villages within the location of Okomu National Park
where visitors can learn and feel life in the rural communities. The
villages provide visitors an insight into authentic African village
life; meeting the locals and share their historical values.

Read More

WORLD GREAT LAKE: Lake Chad, The Disappearing Lake.

Lake Chad (in French Lac Tchad) is a historically large, shallow lake
in Africa, whose size has varied over the centuries. Lake Chad gave
its name to the country of Chad. The name Chad is a local word meaning
"large expanse of water," in other words, a "lake."

Lake Chad is located in the far west of Chad and the northeast of
Nigeria. Parts of the lake also extend to Niger and Cameroon. It is
fed mainly by the Chari River through the Lagone tributary, which used
to provide 90 per cent of its water. It was once Africa's largest
water reservoir in the Sahel region, covering an area of about 26,000
square kilometres, about the size of the US state of Maryland and
bigger than Israel or Kuwait.

Lake Chad is believed to be a remnant of a former inland sea which has
grown and shrunk with changes in climate over the past 13,000 years.
At its largest, around 4000 BC, this lake is estimated to have covered
an area of 400,000 km², (approx. 154,000 sq miles). Lake sediments
appear to indicate dry periods, when the lake nearly dried up, around
8500 BC, 5500 BC, 2000 BC, and 100 BC."

As you approach the Lake Chad basin from Maiduguri, in northeastern
Nigeria, the atmosphere of despair is telling. The air is dusty, the
wind is fierce and unrelenting, the plants are wilting and the earth
is turning into sand dunes. The sparse vegetation is occasionally
broken by withered trees and shrubs. The lives of herders, fisherfolk
and farmers are teetering on the edge as the lake dries up before
their eyes.

Lake Chad is economically important, providing water to more than 20
million people living in the four countries that surround it ( Chad,
Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria) on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Up to
one million water birds flock to the lake in the palearctic winter.
The many floating islands are home to a wide variety of wildlife
including crocodiles, hippopotamus, fish, waterfowl and shore birds.
In April 2008 the Lake Chad Wetlands in Nigeria was added to the
Ramsar List, a List of Wetlands of International importance.

4WD and a guide are required when traveling in this area. Abandoned
once thriving fishing villages can be seen dotted along the route, the
closest shores of the lake now some 10km away. A fishing industry does
still exist, with some fishing villages having sprung up in the middle
of the drying lake.

The Lake Chad Game Reserve is currently the only protected area on
Lake Chad. It occupies 150km along the western shore which constitutes
more than half of the Nigerian shoreline of the lake and covers 7,044
km2.

Read More

IGBO-UKWU: Burial Place For Elite Personages,

Igbo Ukwu is an archaeological site near the modern town of Onitsha in
Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria.
The site was part of the Nri Kingdom, and it was used in the 10th
century AD. The site has several parts, including a main burial, and
associated caches and shrines.

Igbo Ukwu was a burial place for elite personages, and the burials
identified there were interred with a large quantity of costly grave
goods. The principal burial is of a person buried sitting on a stool,
in fine clothing and rich grave effects such as over 150,000 glass
beads, and accompanied by the remains of at least five attendants.
Elaborate cast bronze vases, bowls and ornaments were discovered at
Igbo Ukwe, made with the lost wax technique.


The bronzes are among the earliest cast bronzes in sub-Saharan Africa.
The bronzes were manufactured locally; but the glass beads are an
indication that the Nri Kingdom was also involved in considerable
long-distance trade. One significant thing about Igbo-Ukwu bronze
culture undoubtedly is that it is found in all the migration routes of
the Igbos in all parts of Nigeria. This is coupled with the fact that
Igbo-Ukwu has the largest deposits of bronze so far discovered in
Africa.


The site portray a lot of tourist attractions which gives any tourist
that visit the area an insight of what the Igbo Ukwu people and Igbo
in general where known for.


The Archaeological finds were first discovered at the site in 1939
when an Igbo farmer named Isaiah Anozie chanced upon several bronze
objects as he was digging a cistern to hold water in the dry season.
It was not until 1959 that the archaeologist Thurstan Shaw excavated
the site and discovered that it must have been part of a storehouse
for ritual objects.

Read More

Kalakuta Museum: Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s Home In Lagos State.

Kalakuta Museum, located on Gbemisola Street, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, is
the renovated last residence of Fela Kuti, the late Afrobeat king,
where he lived prior to his death in 1997. On display are his personal
items, artifacts and various artworks.

In collaboration with the Lagos State Government, the family of the
late Afrobeat icon, Fela Kuti, has converted his last home at 8,
Gbemisola Street, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, into a museum. The Kalakuta
Museum is named after the fictional Kalakuta Republic, the musical
commune founded by Fela as part of his Afrobeat socio-political
revolution. The musuem is curated by Lemmy Gariokwu (painter and
illustrator/designer of Fela's album covers) and houses a rich
collection of the late musician's personal items - from his shoes,
clothes and saxophone, to a collection of his signature underpants.

There are also photographs, wall murials, various art works as well as
mock ups of Fela's private quarters such as his bedroom.

Fela's popularity grew when he began singing about local realities as
Nigerians experienced rising levels of poverty despite a stream of
petrodollars flowing into the country after Nigeria gained
independence in 1960. Twenty years later, absolute poverty had doubled
to 30% of the population.

Fela's son Femi kuti, whose own music has won him countless awards,
says the museum is not a sign that the Kuti family's attitude towards
the authorities has softened. But any form of government endorsement
would have been unthinkable in the 1970s, when Fela created Afrobeat –
a blend of traditional Yoruba music laced with jazz, brass sounds and
stinging political messages that made him the constant target of
government beatings, harassment and jailings.

Yeni Kuti, daughter of Fela also said the public will be able to see
the last bedsheet Fela used before he died in 1997, his saxophone and
others. Fela's producer and artist, Lemmy Gariokwu, the curator of the
museum, said by the time other necessary things have been put in place
people will be seeing Fela as in his real life.

Read More

Climb Nigeria Highest Mountain, Chappal Waddi

Welcome to Chappal Waddi inhale the jungle and let remote paradise
penetrate your soul. A phenomenally exhilarating climb awaits you from
the vast hilly and rugged terrain crossed by leopards and grazed by
buffalo to the fabulously lush emerald green jungle inhabited by
fascinating primates, Chappal Waddi is truly a feast for your senses.

Located in the Southern sector of the Nigerian Gashaka Gumti
National Park on the border of Cameroon, Chappal Waddi (Mountain of
Death) is considered the highest peak in Nigeria at 2419 meters. It is
largely undiscovered leaving the door open for you to venture into a
world very few, if any, have experienced. Feel the rocky riverbed
under your feet, see the strange and wonderful fish swim around your
legs as you walk the cool flowing rivers. As the Black & White,
Colobus and Putty Nose monkeys peer at you through the big leaves of
this emerald gem and you hear the Red River Hogs and Warthogs charge
through the jungle let the thrill of this wonderful Eden seep under
your skin.
Plunging valleys
leave you breathless and the churning in your stomach feels like you
just swallowed the brilliantly multi-coloured butterflies that flit
around you on the thick forested slopes. As you step through this
adventure with thrilling trepidation at what wonderful site you are
going to encounter next you explore further into a vast fantasy come
to life. Mischievous chimps, gushing waterfalls, crystal pools,
paradise is attainable it just the world best kept secret
source:
nigeria-direct.com

Read More

AMAZINE RIVER: THE AZUMINI BLUE RIVER IN ABIA STATE.

According to High Chief Egege, Azumini is an ancient kingdom in Ndoki
clan and has been in existence since the 14th century. It occupies an
enviable strategic position South of Abia state

The Azumini Blue River is located in Abia state towards its boundary
with Akwa Ibom state. The River has become a resort for Tourist
because of the pleasantness it offers. The attractive features of the
River include its crystal Clear Blue River hence it is uniquely called
Azumini Blue River. It is often said and perhaps rightly so, that
there is no other River in the entire country of Nigeria that is as
Blue and clear as the Azumini River. The Azumini Blue River is so
clear that fishes and gravels could almost be counted from the river's
bridge. There are canoe riders, a lot of variety of consumable fish.
sandy beaches with beautiful relaxation sites.

The Blue River can be arguably called the crown jewel of all tourist
centres, as it is a rare kind. It is a wonder of nature and the
Azumini people are proud of it. The Azumini people believe that it was
because of the peculiar nature of the river that their fore bearers
decided to settle in the present location called Azumini.

This Blue River has important tourism value and is well recognized
both nationally and internationally as one of the 70 tourist sites in
Nigeria. In Abia State, it is listed among its first two.

The river has a sparking blue aqua marine colour (like the beautiful
Caribean Sea of the Bahamas), and you will be able to see all the way
to the white sandy bottom of the river several feet deep, even under
the moonlight. When the bright sunlight glistens on the river, you
will see a more beautiful sight of nature: it is pure immaculate. This
river mostly remained as virgin as it was when the Azumini fore
bearers came upon it. That is why in the list of the Nigerian tourism
sites, it is listed as "Azumini Blue River Rose".

The place still remains an attractive rest area and mini resort for
tourists and visitors. If a fishing industry is established, visitors
would be quite taken in by the incorporation of ancient and modern
fishing farm technology.

Read More

SLAVE TRADE: Badagry The Slave Ports and the Slave Route in Nigeria.

Badagry is the cradle of Christianity in Nigeria and gateway to
Education and civilization in Nigeria, the first city to easily boast
of the first ever story building in Nigeria, first to be Urbanized and
corridor for Human Livestock. During the obnoxious slave trade, was
founded by a farmer who has his farm on its Peninsular named Agbede.
Agbede's farm was referred to as Agbedegreme, which was later, coined
into Agbadarigi by the Yoruba alien of the south-western part of
Nigeria and later into Badagry by the European slave merchants when
the coast of Badagry was discovered and opened to the New world.

Badagry is a historic town today because of the significant role it
played as a major slave port in Nigeria. The relics and monuments that
exists today bear witness to the events of its colourful history.

THE SLAVE TRADE

In the early 1500's, slaves were transported from West Africa to
America through Badagry. The market used to be opened for business
every 2 days and nothing less than 900 slaves were sold from this very
slave market per week. It is reported that no fewer than 550,000
African slaves were sent to America during the period of the American
Independence in l787. In addition, slaves were transported to Europe,
South America and the Caribbean. The slaves came mainly from West
Africa and the neighboring countries of Benin and Togo as well as
others parts of Nigeria. The slave trade became the major source of
income for the Europeans in Badagry.

Trans- Atlantic slave trade would not have come into existence without
the cooperation and involvement of some Africans who were blindfolded
and used against their folks. Though slavery has been a culture
practiced amongst blacks before the discovery of west African coast by
the Europeans, therefore it wasn't new to them if their fellow black
brothers and sisters were sold from one plantation to another like
cattle in exchange of goods such as gin, wine mirrors, wool and cotton
in exchange for slaves

Slaves were sold in exchange for goods such as mirrors, matches and
gin. Initially this exchange was an appreciation for the goods but
evolved into a systemic form of trade, with set values of exchange
such as:
---Thirty five slaves in exchange for a mirror
---Seven slaves in exchange for matches
---Ten slaves in exchange for tobacco
---Fifteen slaves in exchange for Dry gin
---Forty slaves in exchange for umbrella
---One hundred slaves for a canon gun.etc

The treaty of abolition of slave trade was signed in March 1852
between England and Badagry chiefs to end the black human trafficking
and some cannons of war were donated to them to be placed at the
coastal area to fight other European countries that were still coming
to get slaves. The trade continued illegally and the export of slaves
steadily increased. The Brazilians were the major slaves merchants
slaves were been supplied to this time. However, in 1888 the last ship
left Badagry to Brazil and this marks the end of the trade in
Badadgry, Brazil and around the world.

Read More

NOK VILLAGE: The Ancient Culture Of Nok in Kaduna State.

According to Itkworld, Nok village in Kaduna State is the site of the
first finds of terracotta objects in 1928. Dating between about 900 BC
and 300 AD, the terracotta objects are of great significance as
evidence of the oldest pre-colonial society in sub-Saharan Africa.

The settlement called Nok village in the southern part of Kaduna State
is the centre of the ancient Iron Age civlization that existed in
central Nigerian area between about 900 BC and 300 AD. It is
considered to be the oldest recognisable pre-colonial society in
sub-Saharan Africa.

The Nok civilization was discovered in 1928 due to tin mining that was
happening in the area and earned it name due to the Nok civilization
that used to inhabit the area from around 500 BC. Mysteriously the
people of the village vanished in about 200 AD. These people were
known for their extremely advanced social system and were the earliest
producers of life-sized Terracotta in the Sub-Sahara.

Hugely historical, archeologists have found human skeletons, stone
tools and rock paintings around this area, not to mention the main
act. The inhabitants of what is now called Nok Village, were known to
make some of the oldest and culturally intriguing sculptures found in
Africa. This led to discoveries that the ancient culture of Nok has
been around for some 2500 years. When strolling through the village
your senses will be delighted to rediscover an amazing group of people
culturally and socially.

Among the oldest works of art ever known in Nigeria are the Nok
terra-wita heads, and terra-cotta figures. Terra-cotta is a technical
work, meaning baked clay'. By 1977, about 153 Nok terra -cotta pieces
had been found during mining operations accidentally.

The three main sites of excavation of Nok objects include Nok, Taruga
and Katsina – Ala. A lot of materials have been discovered later by
some archaeologists. Notable among them is Bernard Fagg, a British
national, who happened to be a Research Professor of Archaeology at
University of Ibadan, and one time Director of Federal Department of
Antiquities (now National Commission for Museums and Monuments) who
excavated some Nok sites in 1944.

It is said that about 60% of Nok terra-cotta figures are males, which
are identified by their attire, body decorations, hairdos, smell,
beards, and moustache. The Nok terra-cotta objects are used for
rituals and as commemorative sculptures of local chiefs, or
dignitaries, kings, queens and priests

Not much is known about the purposes of these popular sculptures but
some theories have suggested they were used to as charms to prevent
crop failure, illness and infertility. You will really feel as if you
had the best history lesson of your life. Weapons of war, terra cotta
heads of man and animals are abundant as you realize your dream is
actually a reality. Nok village is a great place to take your family
and be able to learn together about our world amazing past.

Read More

MONUMENT: The First Storey Building In Nigeria Built In 1845.

A home also used by Bishop Ajayi Crowther, the first African C.M.S
Bishop. Doh the status of the house as Nigeria's first storey building
is challenged by evidence of two storey mud structures in Northern
Nigeria. Still, it's undoubtedly the first European storey building in
Nigeria, built in 1845.

According to Nigerianwiki:

''The ancient history laden structure was erected by the Reverend
Henry Townsend of the church missionary society CMS in 1845.The
edifice which later served as Vicarage for saint Thomas Anglican
church, Badagry was also used by Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first
African C.M.S Bishop when he undertook the translation of the Holy
Bible from English to Yoruba,''

Originally built of coconut fibers and located on an area of 1,144
square feet, the more than a century and half old monument was
recently given a face lift to further preserve it for generations yet
unborn. The building is located along the Marina in Badagry, Lagos,
Nigeria.

It is being the actual first two floor building is however disputed,
as it is argued that the Hausa's in Northern Nigeria had built storey
buildings before this building was erected. The debate will continue
amongst the historians, but undoubtedly it's the first European storey
building in Nigeria.

Read More

CAVES IN NIGERIA: Ogbunike Caves The Shelter For The Hunted.

Ogbunike Caves, a network of interconnecting sandstone chambers,
tunnels and streams (with bat colony and a waterfall), are regarded as
a natural wonder. Rich in history and tradition, they rank high in the
list of Anambra state's tourist attractions

Ogbunike Caves is located in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria.
Ogbunike in Oyi local government area is a mere 10km drive from
Onitsha the ever bustling commercial capital of Eastern Nigeria and is
the site of the tourist delight, the Ogbunike caves.
The people of Ugwu Ogba in Ogbunike town fondly call wonder of
creation located in their town. 'Ogba Ogbunike'

Ogbunike town is famous because of its caves - natural geographic
features consisting of a network of sandstone chambers and tunnels,
located on the outskirts of the town behind the undulating Ogba hills.
Cocooned in a valley with tropical rain forest and buffered by 20
hectares of lush vegetation, the caves called 'Ogba Ogbunike' by the
locals, are a wonder of creation, a mere 10km from Onitsha.

The caves sit on two levels, the lower of which leads to an
underground river. With its network of about ten or so tunnels and
formed in sections, each cave has their own story. Local history
records that Ogbunike's ancestors hid from marauding slave traders in
the caves. According to oral tradition, it was also a place, in
ancient times, where people went to declare their innocence of any
crime they were accused of. Those proved guilty never returned alive!
These and many more some of the stories that the tour guides delight
visiting tourists with.

Regarded as a natural wonder and rich in history and tradition, this
network of interconnecting sandstone chambers, tunnels and streams
(with bat colony and a waterfall), have provided great enjoyment and
adventurous entertainment to all its visitors. They rank high in the
list of Anambra state's many tourist attractions.

Visitors are advised to bring a torch and light water proof covering.
Also note the guide for visitors posted at the mouth of the caves:

"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".

Read More

Preperation To Make Before Travelling Abroad To Study.

The importance of prior preparations before travelling to study abroad
cannot be overstated. It cannot be stressed enough how critical it is
to know your host country, because life abroad becomes more
interesting when you put into context what to expect. Reading books,
news, online information and articles about your host city and country
will provide useful information.

You will know the official language used in the country and arrange
for language classes, if need be. Furthermore, it is a good practice
to know the exact location of your home country's consulate or
embassy. Other preparations that need to be made before travelling to
study abroad include:

·Passports & visa

It is your responsibility to know the entry requirements of the host
country, including passport and visa requirements. If you do not have
a passport, it is important to pursue efforts of getting one the
earliest time possible. If you have one already, make sure the date of
expiry is at least 6 months after the intended journey back home. In
the event that your passport expires before this date, pursue efforts
of renewing it. Some countries require all foreigners to have visa.
Therefore, if you are planning to study abroad, you may be required to
acquire a student visa. Visas often carry certain restrictions. For
example, if you have a full-time study visa, you may not be eligible
for employment.

·Residency permits

While the visa grants you the permission to enter your host country, a
residency permit allows you to stay in the host country. Therefore, if
you are planning to be in your host country for more than 90 days, it
is advisable to obtain a residency permit. Typically, you should apply
for your permit 1-3 days after arriving. To obtain the residency
permit, you will be required to present several documents, including a
letter of acceptance, your bank statement, rental contract (if
available) etc. Additional information pertaining to residency permit
requirements can be acquired from your host country's embassy or
consulate.

·Housing & health insurance

Arrangements for housing vary among different programs. Some programs
provide assistance in finding apartments, while others provide student
housing. It is advisable to consider carefully the available housing
options in order to help you make prior arrangements for independent
or host program accommodation. Furthermore, to get a student visa, you
may be required to have a health insurance plan that covers you over
the time you will be overseas. If you have a plan already, find out
from the insurance carrier if it covers you while overseas. If you do
not have a plan, a cost-effective international student health plan
from a reputable company in the host country can do.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Imma_Sila

Read More

NATURE GIFT: Ikogosi Warm and cold Spring, A Place to Visit in Ekiti State.

Tourists all over the world are drawn to natural attractions such as
pristine beaches, magnificent waterfalls, unique wildlife, lush
forests etc. The attraction lies not only in the natural beauty of
these attractions but in the clement weather as well as infrastructure
which provide ease and comfort to visiting tourists.

In Nigeria, a number of natural resorts hold sway. At each
destinations, one can commune with nature and find peace way from the
bustle of cities and the pressure of work.

Ekiti State, which derives its name from the word Okiti meaning hill,
was carved out of the old Ondo State and declared a state in 1996,
under the Sani Abacha administration. It is a Yoruba-speaking state,
with slight differences in dialects. It is blessed with water
resources and mineral deposits, such as iron ore, limestone and
granite. A variety of tourist attractions also abound in the state, a
few of which are " Ikogosi Warm Spring, Ipole-Iloro Water Falls, and
Olosunta Hills.

Ikogosi warm spring, tucked away in the rustic and serene town of
Ikogosi-Ekiti, is one of the tourist attractions that this country
could be proud of because of the history and myth behind the
attraction. What is mysterious about the Ikogosi Warm Spring is the
fact that, flowing side by side the warm spring, is another spring, a
cold one.

The warm and cold springs of Ikogosi originate from a close proximity,
come to a meeting point, and flow onward together with each spring
retaining its thermal identity. The warm spring has a temperature of
up to 70oC at the source and 37oC after meeting the cold spring. The
meeting point of the warm and cold springs is a unique attraction to
tourists.

The meeting of the warm and cold water could be a pull to tourist, but
to some the myth behind it could be a pull to others as tourists visit
attractions for varied reasons.

There are a few legends surrounding the origin and discovery of the
Warm Spring and have been passed down generations for centuries. One
such myth says that the warm and cold springs were the two wives of a
great hunter. One of his wives was said to be temperamental while the
other was a quiet woman. One day, the two wives had a fight and after
being rebuked by their husband, the temperamental wife changed to the
warm spring while the quiet one turned to the cold spring.

Another legend has it that a powerful hunter, while hunting for
animals in the forest, first found the warm spring. After the
discovery, he went to town with the story and the townspeople on
learning about curative powers of the spring, started to worship the
spring.

Whatever is the true situation remains to be found out as the story of
the Ikogosi Warm Spring is told elsewhere and nothing might be
compared to taking a trip to this serenity place to see things for
oneself. For those townspeople who formed the first domestic tourists
to the site it was tortuous for them to reach the attraction and so it
has been for modern day domestic and international tourists as it was
hardly accessible; the roads leading to the warm springs were
decrepit.

Read More

The Fallen Bible From The Fading Sky Blue Heaven.

Apart from several camps known as Ori Okes (Mountaintops) reserved for
spiritual retreats and solemn prayers in different parts of the
western parts of the country which were mostly used by early Christian
leaders like Apostle Babalola, it is difficult to point to any
monument marking the spread of the Christian faith in other parts. Aya
was reputed to be dominated by visible water spirits such that
Okolobe hillock and the Ihwerhe spirits were numerous and other evil
spirits they tormented people in the day time and much more at night
time.

It was therefore perplexing to accept the fact that a Holy Bible could
descend from Heaven and land in a predominantly pagan village founded
by a diviner known simply as Aya, who, like biblical Jacob, did
everything humanly possible to outwit his brethren in order to
dominate the fabulous fishing grounds he just discovered a little
under six kilometres from Aviara, his birth place. For the avoidance
of doubt, Aya is still regarded as the brain behind the Aya cult.

An unlettered aging woman, Mrs. Ofuonwaikie Esievo, with fellow
farmers, was in a hurry to ferry her farm yield, mainly yams, across
the Aya lake just before the pending floods suddenly the woman
discovered a large Bible and a supposedly letter on the tubers of
yams spread on the sandy beach. The yams and everything else were
soaked and dripping with water but the open Bible and the accompanying
letter were dry. Like the biblical story of the Virgin conception, she
became the bearer of a tale that would remain indelible in the
history of the country.

The woman, who has since died unsung, had the onerous responsibility
of carrying a Holy Bible that was said to have fallen from the fading
sky blue heaven. That was in August of 1914 and the lace was Araya in
Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State. That, in a nutshell,
is the bizzare story of the Fallen Bible which has put the sleepy
hometown of the former managing director of the Guinness Nigeria
Plc, Dr. Abel Ubeku, in the world map.

Read More

OSUN OSHOGBO: THE RIVER GODDESS FESTIVAL OF OSUN STATE.

A festival can be seen as an event staged by a community, centering on
and celebrating some unique aspect of that community, Thus, the Osun
Oshogbo festival, which has been celebrated for about six hundred
centuries, was built around a relationship between the river goddess,
Osun, and the first monarch of Oshogbo kingdom, Oba Gbadewolu Larooye.

The Osun-Osogbo Grove is among the last of the sacred forests which
usually adjoined the edges of most Yoruba cities before extensive
urbanization. In recognition of its global significance and its
cultural value, the Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Sitein 2005.

Historically, Oso-igbo, (goddess of Osun River) was the queen and
original founder of the ancient town. She was accredited with many
important achievements which helped to the establishment of the town.
She lived in a beautiful environment and possessed magical power which
inspired her people and frightened their enemies.

She was acclaimed to be the goddess of fertility, protection, and
blessing; she possessed the ability to give children to barren women
and power to heal the sick and the afflicted using medicinal water
from the river.

Worshipers believed that Oso-igbo still possesses that efficacious
power to bail them out of their problem because her existence is
eternal hence their commitment to the worship of the deity.

Every year, the Osun-Osgogbo festival is celebrated in the month of
August at the grove. Yearly, the festival attracts thousands of Osun
worshippers, spectators and tourists from all walks of life.
For the people of Osogbo Land, August is a month of celebration,
traditional cleansing of the city and cultural reunion of the people
with their ancestors and founders of the Osogbo Kingdom.
The Osun-Osogbo Festival is a two-week long programme. It starts with
the traditional cleansing of the town called 'Iwopopo', which is
followed in three days by the lighting of the 500-year-old
sixteen-point lamp called 'Ina Olojumerindinlogun'.

Then comes the 'Ibroriade', an assemblage of the crowns of the past
ruler, Ataojas of Osogbo, for blessings. This event is led by the
sitting Ataoja of Osogbo and the Arugba, Yeye Osun and a committee of
priestesses.

Read More

OSUN OSHOGBO: THE RIVER GODDESS FESTIVAL OF OSUN STATE.

A festival can be seen as an event staged by a community, centering on
and celebrating some unique aspect of that community, Thus, the Osun
Oshogbo festival, which has been celebrated for about six hundred
centuries, was built around a relationship between the river goddess,
Osun, and the first monarch of Oshogbo kingdom, Oba Gbadewolu Larooye.

The Osun-Osogbo Grove is among the last of the sacred forests which
usually adjoined the edges of most Yoruba cities before extensive
urbanization. In recognition of its global significance and its
cultural value, the Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Sitein 2005.

Historically, Oso-igbo, (goddess of Osun River) was the queen and
original founder of the ancient town. She was accredited with many
important achievements which helped to the establishment of the town.
She lived in a beautiful environment and possessed magical power which
inspired her people and frightened their enemies.

She was acclaimed to be the goddess of fertility, protection, and
blessing; she possessed the ability to give children to barren women
and power to heal the sick and the afflicted using medicinal water
from the river.

Worshipers believed that Oso-igbo still possesses that efficacious
power to bail them out of their problem because her existence is
eternal hence their commitment to the worship of the deity.

Every year, the Osun-Osgogbo festival is celebrated in the month of
August at the grove. Yearly, the festival attracts thousands of Osun
worshippers, spectators and tourists from all walks of life.
For the people of Osogbo Land, August is a month of celebration,
traditional cleansing of the city and cultural reunion of the people
with their ancestors and founders of the Osogbo Kingdom.
The Osun-Osogbo Festival is a two-week long programme. It starts with
the traditional cleansing of the town called 'Iwopopo', which is
followed in three days by the lighting of the 500-year-old
sixteen-point lamp called 'Ina Olojumerindinlogun'.

Then comes the 'Ibroriade', an assemblage of the crowns of the past
ruler, Ataojas of Osogbo, for blessings. This event is led by the
sitting Ataoja of Osogbo and the Arugba, Yeye Osun and a committee of
priestesses.

Read More

OGUTA LAKE: The Largest Natural Lake In Imo State.

Oguta is a city on the east bank of Oguta Lake in Imo State. Imo state
is One of the five states that make up the South East Geo-political
zone in the south eastern part of Nigeria.

Oguta Lake is known as the largest natural lake in Imo State. Located
within the equatorial rain forest region, It is of very importance to
the people of Oguta, Orsu, Nkwesi and Awo as a source of water, fish,
tourism and also as an outlet for sewerage.

The Oguta Lake was a port for the evacuation of palm products and the
relics of the jetties used by the United African Company (U. A. C.)
during the colonial era still exist today.

Oguta Lake served as a Biafran army marine base during the Biafran War
of 1967-1970.
Visitors can take a cruise on the lake or play a round of golf on the
18-hole course on the bank of the lake.

Read More

Visit Cross River National Park to See The Indigenous White-faced Monkeys And Gorillas.

The only national park with a tropical rain forest in Nigeria is the
Cross River National Park.

The Cross River National Park was created from two existing forest
reserves of Bashi-Okwango and Oban Forest Resveres. The Park is used
to preserve the last remnants of the fauna and flora in this
magnificent rain forest. they also intend to support eco-tourism in
Nigeria. It is famous for its unique rain forest vegetation which,
according to conservation experts, is some of the richest in Africa.

The Cross River National Park can be found in the southeastern corner
of Nigeria, The park is about an hour drive from Calabar, and it can
also be connected through the Port Harcourt route. and it covers a
terrain of just about 4,000 km.

Most tourists ultimately want to see the indigenous white-faced
monkeys and the gorillas, and the Kanyang Tourist Village will give
them unlimited

The park is biologically very varied, and is host to species of plants
and animals that are almost certainly undiscovered. Rare species of
Baboon, Gorillas and Leopards dwell in the Cross River National Park -
making it one of the ultimate tourist destinations for those wanting
to spend some time with these glorious animals. Other striking animals
such as Buffaloes, Wild Pigs, Forest Elephants, Antelopes,
Chimpanzees, Manatees and other monkeys can also be found in the
amazing environment.

Credit: Nigeria-direct.com

Read More

Visit Cross River National Park to See The Indigenous White-faced Monkeys And Gorillas.

The only national park with a tropical rain forest in Nigeria is the
Cross River National Park.

The Cross River National Park was created from two existing forest
reserves of Bashi-Okwango and Oban Forest Resveres. The Park is used
to preserve the last remnants of the fauna and flora in this
magnificent rain forest. they also intend to support eco-tourism in
Nigeria. It is famous for its unique rain forest vegetation which,
according to conservation experts, is some of the richest in Africa.

The Cross River National Park can be found in the southeastern corner
of Nigeria, The park is about an hour drive from Calabar, and it can
also be connected through the Port Harcourt route. and it covers a
terrain of just about 4,000 km

The park is biologically very varied, and is host to species of plants
and animals that are almost certainly undiscovered. Rare species of
Baboon, Gorillas and Leopards dwell in the Cross River National Park -
making it one of the ultimate tourist destinations for those wanting
to spend some time with these glorious animals. Other striking animals
such as Buffaloes, Wild Pigs, Forest Elephants, Antelopes,
Chimpanzees, Manatees and other monkeys can also be found in the
amazing environment.

The park is biologically very varied, and is host to species of plants
and animals that are almost certainly undiscovered. Rare species of
Baboon, Gorillas and Leopards dwell in the Cross River National Park -
making it one of the ultimate tourist destinations for those wanting
to spend some time with these glorious animals. Other striking animals
such as Buffaloes, Wild Pigs, Forest Elephants, Antelopes,
Chimpanzees, Manatees and other monkeys can also be found in the
amazing environment.

Credit: Nigeria-direct.com

Read More

Long Juju And Slave Routes Of Arochukwu.

After Aba and Umuahia Arochukwu is the third largest town in Abia
State in southeastern Nigeria.
It lies along the road from Calabar to Umuahia.

Arochukwu was the headquarters of the Aro, an Igbo (Ibo) subgroup that
dominated southeastern Nigeria in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is
one of the few existing kingdoms, not only in Nigeria but in Africa as
a whole; it still practices the monarchical system of government.

Arochukwu boasts several historical tourist sites, but most notably
tourist attraction is the shrine or oracle known as Ibinu Ukpabi, or
the Long Juju (called Long Juju by the Europeans).

The Reason why this shrine stand out among the other historical sites
in the region is the role it played in the slave trade era and thus
the impact it made in Nigeria's history. The shrine is about a
kilometre long and existed from the 17th century. The shrine was
administered by a group of cultists, who were led by a chief priest.
They ran an economic and socio-political ring that effectively
controlled the region east of the Niger River, and as such had an
effect on many people even before the arrival of colonialism.

As colonial Britain began its assault on kingdoms around the River
Niger, the shrine brought these communities together as it became
something of an apex court for people living east of the Niger. Due to
the great influence of the Long Juju, shrine stewards and lower
members of the Juju cult migrated to clans south of the Niger and
settled. In their new abodes, they served as emissaries and informants
to the Long Juju. They relayed information on disputes to the shrine
and equally arranged trips to the latter and thus a Long Juju network
was established in the region. As the slave era peaked, the Long Juju
deviously used its influence in the area to profit from the
transatlantic slave trade. With the Long Juju network already
established, trading posts and slave quarters together with satellite
shrines were set up in different villages all over the region where
small litigations could be handled. Those found guilty were almost
always sent to the cave temple of Chukwu as sacrifices to appease the
Great deity Chukwu (whom the shrine symbolised). However these people
were sold to European slave merchants. Thousands met their fate in
this manner.

The Long Juju stronghold was however destroyed by the British as their
quest for colonial power led to their decision to wage war on the Long
Juju and the network it had established in the region. The mystic
Long-Juju shrine, the slave routes and other relics of the slave trade
era have become important tourist attractions in the area as a result
of what they represent in Nigeria's history.

Read More

Ithaa: World’s First Ever All-glass Undersea Restaurant.

I love seeing new things, and for those of you that love new thing
this is really cool. The All-glass and the first undersea restaurant
in the world which opens its doors for business at the Hilton Maldives
Resort & Spa. Ithaa (which translate as "pearl" in the natives'
language in Maldives, Dhivehi)

The undersea restaurant sits 5 meters below the indian sea and is
surrounded by vibrant coral reef offering a 270 degrees of panoramic
underwater views.

The Undersea restaurant is 5 x 9 meter restaurant has a capacity of 14
people and was designed and constructed by M.J. Murphy Ltd which is a
design consultancy based in New Zealand.

The Dining options are Lunch, Dinner, Reservations that is you can
also book in advance. The meals of this restaurant range in cost from
USD$120 to USD$250.

The undersea restaurant cost less than $5 million and is part of a
project to rebuilt the Rangalifinolhu Island into a tourist
attraction.

Read More