There is a water cave in the community of Awhum, Nigeria said to contain healing properties, according to All Africa. Situated in Enugu State, people come from near and far to cleanse themselves in the cave’s waters.
One such individual is Patrick Ogbonna, an Awhum local who regularly visits the cave to pray and receive spiritual healing. After being poisoned by a coworker, Ogbonna fought for his life for more than two years, he told the Premium Times. He turned to numerous native doctors in other states, seeking spiritual help for his ailment.
One doctor he visited in southeast Nigeria’s Imo State told Ogbonna that he would not be able to help him. However, he directed him to a “superior power” that he said was located right in Ogbonna’s own hometown: the water cave. The native doctor directed him to visit the cave and immerse himself in the waters in order to be healed.
“When I got to the waterfall, I prayed according to directives I received, because I was asked to pray there with pure mind and narrate how the ailment started,” Mr. Ogbonna said. “I entered the water, and it washed me. That was how I got myself back. (I am now) healthy,” Ogbonna told the Premium Times.
Despite its merits, visiting the cave is an exhausting feat. It takes around an hour of walking to reach it. One must hike a rough footpath and two shallow rivers as part of the journey to reach the forest area in which the cave is located.
All Africa described the cave as, “a massive outcrop of granite rock forming a narrow space, provides a captivating sight. It is the first contact before the waterfall.”
It takes around five minutes to reach the waterfall from the cave. To access the waterfall, one must go traverse the footpath and the water flowing through it. Luckily, locals say the water remains warm year-round.
It is a beautiful sight to behold, however, it is much more than just a tourist attraction. The waters of the cave are believed to have the ability to “dispel” evil, according to nearby villagers. It is even collected and sprinkled in places people believe wicked forces need to be removed from.
Word about the cave’s alleged power spread, causing it to attract people of all faiths who come to pray in the cave and bathe in the water in hopes of receiving a healing miracle.
Statues of Biblical figures such as Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and others have been placed throughout the cave. Some visitors pray in front of the statues. Others have engraved their names on the cave’s walls. Some locals say this is done to attract miracles.
“People come here for exhibitions, picnics. People come for camping and prayers as well,” Uchechukwu Oba, Awhum resident and chairperson of the Awhum Youth General Assembly said to the Premium Times. “Couples who are looking for a child, they get a child after coming to this place. If you come to this place with a clean heart, your problems are solved.”
“A lot of people who have come to this place like blind or crippled people, as soon as they get into this water, the blind will see, the cripple will stand and walk,” Oba added. However, he said the water will not heal ailments that were “incurred as punishment for abominable acts.”
In addition to visitors from across the country and the world, the Awhum water cave has also served as a location for the filming of movies. The cave is being managed by the nearby Our Lady of Mount Calvary Monastery. Non-local visitors have to pay a fee before entering the cave and the monastery offers rooms for rent for visitors who need a place to stay.
Ugonna Ibe, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Enugu State, recommended that a hotel and resort be built near the cave to provide accommodations for tourists. He is among the many people who believe the cave has the potential to become a major tourist site.
“For tourism to thrive, like at the Awhum Waterfall, there should be security, power supply, and accessible road.” Ibe says the cave was visited by a delegation sent by the federal government, however, so far, nothing has been heard from them.
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