Ogbunike Cave Fest 2023: The ‘Mentor Edition’ loading

By Orji Onyekwere

This year’s edition of the Ogbunike Cave Festival has been tagged the ’Mentor Festival,’ in honour of one of the founding members Mentor Chidiebele , who was laid to rest on December 11, 2023.

According to Chucks Nwanne , the founder and creative director of Ogbunike Cave Carnival, he said that late Chidiebele from the maiden edition in 2013 till the last show in 2022, was hyperactive and was always on ground for this festival. ‘’So, join us on December 31 to honour this fallen hero of Ogbunike Kingdom, it’s Mentor Edition guys’’.

Ogbunike Cave is associated with living traditions and are said to be used by the people for many centuries. The site still retains its historical and spiritual significance. There is an annual festival called “Ime Ogbe” celebrated in commemoration of the discovery of the caves.

Ogbunike Caves are situated in a valley with tropical rain forest behind the “Ogba” hills in which lies St. Monica College, Ogbunike. Descending into the valley where the caves are located is a lengthy walkway made up of about 317 steps said to have been constructed by the Anambra State Government in the mid 90s. At the end of the walkway, is an open space used as a reception point where visitors are by tradition to remove their shoes.

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The main cave consists of a massive structure with a big open chamber of about 5m high, 10m wide and 30m long at the entrance. There are ten tunnels at the main chamber leading to different directions. Within the tunnels are big chambers and other tunnels of varying lengths, some of which are inter connected.

The caves are occupied by a large colony of bats of various sizes. There are streams and body of water at various places. A stream flows out from one of the tunnels into a rapid flowing river (River Nkissa). At the meeting point of the river and the stream one can feel the warm water from the caves and the cold river water.

Ogbunike Cave is situated in Ogbunike, Anambra State.