Overview
The Ogbunike Caves are a linked system of caves and tunnels in a forested valley at Ogbunike in Anambra State, in the South East zone. A stream runs from the caves, and the site has long been treated as sacred by the local Igbo community.
History
Oral tradition in Ogbunike holds that the caves were known and used well before the community's present settlement pattern, and that they gave shelter in times of war, including during the Nigerian civil war. The site has an established ritual role, with an annual observance and customary rules for entry, including the removal of shoes. It was declared a national monument in the 1990s and has appeared on Nigeria's tentative list for World Heritage nomination, and conservation of the surrounding forest has been part of that process.
What to expect
A long flight of steps descends through forest to the valley floor and the cave mouths, where chambers and passages run back into the hill and bats are present in numbers. The stream emerges nearby. Entry follows the customary rules of the community, and visits are made with local guides; some practices connected with the site belong to the community and are not detailed here. Current access arrangements should be confirmed locally.
Connected history or culture
The caves are an Igbo sacred site, related to the masquerade and shrine traditions described in masquerade traditions, and their use as refuge belongs to the period covered in military rule and the Nigerian civil war.