Sights of Anambra, South East’S Commercial Nerve Centre

A visit to Anambra State reveals why it is known and called the home of hospitality. Bounded by Imo and Abia State in the south, Benue and Kogi State in the north; Delta State in the west and Enugu State in the east, Anambra State could best be described as the home of entrepreneurs in Nigeria. In all sectors of life, the state had produced famous personalities including the first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Anambra people are widely known to be very inventive and hardworking. They are friendly and sociable, they show great respect for visitors.

The language spoken is Igbo but English is widely used and a visitor can make himself understood even in the humblest hamlet if he can speak Pidgin English.

Ogbunike Cave

Some of the cultural legacy of the state include the Ogbunike Cave, which is located in Oyi Local Government Area. The cave is about two to three metres high and several metres wide, and it extends several metres long, it branches into several tunnels and contains a spectacular waterfall.

Nanka/Agulu erosion site

Another notable tourist centre is the Nanka/Agulu erosion site which is a deep and extensive gully erosion site covering several square kilometres and about 100 metres deep. It is located in Aniocha Local Government Area. A trip across the state yields rewarding insight into the cultural life of the N’digbo. Agulu Lake, which is fairly large and natural, is situated in a deep river valley. It is located in Aniocha Local Government Area and has potentials for sports, fishing, and boat racing, picnics, although, presently, it is used for only fishing, and irrigation.

Obudu Lake

Other cultural and tourism potentials in the State include Obudu Lake located at Ndikeronwu in Orumba North Local Government Area. It is expected that the lake should be used for activities such as relaxation, trade fairs, Mmanwu festival, and other activities the communities may wish to host. Other historical attractions can be seen in the museums at Nri, Enugu Ukwu and Igbo-Ukwu.

Igbo Ukwu and Nri Museum

The Igbo Ukwu and Nri Museum are the most significant, as an ancient town in Igbo land with abundant cultural artifacts. Also, the Odinani Museum which was formally run by the University of Ibadan, as a research centre, attracts many foreign visitors to the state. Cultural attractions manifest in the form of Mmanwu festival, which is, usually, celebrated at the state level every November. Other festivals include Ofala, Ahajioku or Iriji festival.

Iriji new yam festival

In addition to the aforementioned tourist centres, there are many hotels in Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi to take care of visitors in the state.