Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Anambra State Council, Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, says that Ogbunike cave in Ogbunike, a community in Oyi LGA, Anambra State, is an oil well that is yet to be tapped by any administration in the State.
Comrade Odogwu stated this, recently, when he led members of the Union to the cave as part of the activities marking the Union’s 2022 Press week. The events started Tuesday, and ended on Sunday, with Thanksgiving service at Rhema Deliverance Mission, Awka, the state capital.
The Chairman who spoke after his observations at the cave regrets that successive governments in the State have not done enough to install facilities that will transform the place into a tourist attraction site, as well as attract visitors from the country and beyond for the benefit of the state and the community.
“Unfortunately, such a gift as Ogbunike cave is existing without the government’s presence. Why should the government not give out this place to fantastic developers to erect fantastic hotels or create an estate around the place, so that people all over the world visit for tourism?
“Let Governor Soludo’s government not play by the words, let them play action here because there are very good developers out there who can do a fantastic job and turn the place to a source of revenue for the community and the government.
“For instance, Journalists were asked to pay one thousand naira each, to access the cave. Government can turn around the place by building structures that will make the place lively, and in the same way, ensure people pay more than what is currently paid,” he said.
He commended the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Willie Obiano, for thinking it wise to rehabilitate the road leading to the cave and for building other structures including the over 300 staircase, the reception spots, and the urinary facilities.
Also reacting, the NUJ Press week committee chairman, Tony Okafor, recommended that the cave should be illuminated. According to him, “the impenetrable darkness in the cave can cause an avoidable accident should the cave remain as it is. The local guards even attested to this fact.”
To make the place a potential world-class tourist center, Tony opined that “sacrifices inside the cave should be discouraged. Whatever god(s) the sacrifices are made to can be redirected to a corner of the cave where such sacrifices shall be out of sight and out of hearing.”
He also suggested that the cave guards should forewarn picnickers about the task ahead before they would embark on the journey to prevent those with cardiovascular/ respiratory problems from imminent danger.
