How waterfall was discovered in Ile-Ife

After the discovery of a waterfall, Ife High Chiefs and traditionalists “summoned” the spirits, asked for their demands in order to permit tourists visit the attraction.   It was about 30-minute walk from the Ife Grand Resort and Leisure on the Ife-Ibadan expressway and the journey was in fact a nightmare. The footpath was narrow […]

After the discovery of a waterfall, Ife High Chiefs and traditionalists “summoned” the spirits, asked for their demands in order to permit tourists visit the attraction.

 

It was about 30-minute walk from the Ife Grand Resort and Leisure on the Ife-Ibadan expressway and the journey was in fact a nightmare. The footpath was narrow and bordered at both sides by different trees and thick bush. As the journey continued on this quiet and terrifying route, from a few hundred metres away, one could hear the sound of water splashing. Then, a beautiful landscape marked by rocks eventually unfolded. The environment was serene, cool and offered a relief. Welcome to the Opa Waterfall, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The velocity of the water is very high though the fall is not really high. It is just about 4 feet.

Mr Isaac Aiyenitaju, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the Ife Grand Resort and Leisure who led Daily Trust on Sunday correspondent to the waterfall said the site was hidden and that it has just been discovered. He said the water is pure and drinkable and that the environment is safe and secured. He noted that the spirits around the site have been appeased and warned not to harm people that would be visiting the site.

“When this waterfall was discovered, the information reached our Kaabiesi, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusu and he acted on it promptly. He directed the High Chiefs and traditionalists to visit the site and find out the nature of spirits that stay around the site of the fall. The High Chiefs and the traditionalists came and they summoned all the spirits in this forest and they converged. They had interaction and asked the spirits to state their demands since people would begin to visit the site. Necessary sacrifice and rites were performed and the spirits were happy. After that process, I can assure you that the site is safe and nothing to fear. That is why you and I could come and stay here,” he said.

A cocoa farmer in the nearby farm, Israel Elufade said over the years, he was farming in the forest but he was not aware of the existence of the waterfall. The farmer said “We rely on the water from this stream for everything when we are in the farm. We drink and bath with it. This stream has been serving us and we are enjoying it. But we were not aware that it has tourist potential as we have just been told. The site where the waterfall is located is a little away from our side. However, we are happy that such thing is happening here. We are glad that our traditional ruler wants to develop it. We just hope that this development would not displace us from here.”

The spokesperson of the Palace of Ooni of Ife, Mr Moses Olafare corroborated Isaac’s narrative pointing out that such rites were very sacrosanct so that the spirit of the forest would not get angry over the intrusion by human beings. He said Oba Ogunwusi was determined to develop the waterfall and give it impressive, befitting look and aura. He said the monarch appreciate nature and would make the site to be accommodating for tourists who would be willing to visit and explore the site.

“That waterfall was found by a hunter several years ago but many people didn’t take him serious. Recently, the issue surfaced when constructions workers perceived the existence of the waterfall in the forest. The construction workers were working on the site of the Ife Grand Resort and Leisure when they spotted the waterfall. The information came to Kaabiesi the Ooni and he warned that they should stay away from the site pending when the necessary rites are done. I can assure you that Kaabiesi would do the needful to develop the site into a full scale tourist centre,” Olafare said.

The General Manager of Ife Grand Resort and Leisure, Mr Ruben Abib said the waterfall would be developed along with the resort and that horses would be provided for tourists to take them to site. He said the road would also be opened up and that tourists could get to the site in less than 10 minutes with buggy ride.

Abib noted that the waterfall would be a tourist attraction for tourists coming to the Ife Grand Resort and Leisure explaining that as time goes on, it will be developed into an appreciable standard.