Embark on a journey with me as I take you on an exciting trip to Osun State during Easter! The much anticipated trip tagged (Easter in Osun) was finally a success as over 100+ tourism enthusiasts were sponsored to spend a night in the beautiful town of Oke-Ila, Osun State.
According to the Co-Initiator of Nigerian Tourism Lovers, Mr. Ibrahim Makanjuola, the aim of the sponsored tour is to create awareness of the rich Nigerian culture, food and heritage of Osun state and promote domestic tourism. In 2022, the group sponsored Over 100 tourism enthusiasts to Idere Hills in Oyo state. This is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and commitment to promoting the growth of the Nigerian tourism industry.
This trip was packed with thrilling activities such as a visit to Ayinkunnugba waterfall, an exhilarating bonfire night, and an amazing road trip. We set off from Maryland Mall in Lagos, and the excitement could be felt in the air as everyone was given tags and instructed to bring a gift for the gift exchange during the trip. The tour buses were filled with music and fun activities, and the tourists introduced themselves to each other as we passed through Ojota to connect to the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
We had a stop over in the city of Oshogbo, where we spent about 30 minutes enjoying some delicious food before continuing our journey to Oke-Ila Orangun, which was an hour away. Upon arrival, we visited the palace where we were welcomed and entertained by the palace talking drummers.
READ: Africa: Nigerian Monarch tasks Osun State Gov. Elect Adeleke On Tourism Development
We then proceeded to set up camp at the campground and prepared for an amazing bonfire night. The bonfire was a magical experience as the tourists chanted and danced around the fire until late at night.
The next day, we packed up our tents and headed to the Oba’s palace, where we met with the king (Oba Prof Abolarin Adedokun) who shared words of wisdom on how to make sure we make hay while the sun shines for us to live a prosperous life of our dreams in the future and encouraged us to strive for success in our lives. Our next stop was the Ayinkunnugba waterfall, which was a long narrow road away. At the entrance of the narrow road, we saw a statue of the hunter who discovered the waterfall.
We had to climb over 200 steps downward to reach the waterfall, and we were greeted by the tour guide who explained how the waterfall was discovered by a hunter who shot a strange animal called Kunugba. The shot animal rolled down and the hunter searched but could not find it, instead, discovered waterfalls and named it: Ayinkunugba (Where an animal Nugba, rolled and died). The name of the hunter is called “Alaba”. The waterfalls are in the thick forest and it is the opposite of Olumirin Waterfall where you climb to appreciate it, but in Ayinkunugba, people will descend to discover the wonderful work of nature that is in the beautiful landscape of mountains, caves and trees.
The staircase is 236 down to the waterfall and very strong to climb up and down. The descending order is sweet because the ascending is something else so make sure you are with enough water inside your bag.
The community is very safe because of the police academy in the village and they are security posts where police with guns hang around to secure the community. Actually the waterfall did not run as heavily as I was expecting, maybe because we’re not really into the rainy season.
We took a refreshing bath under the waterfall, had fun, and took some incredible photos before making our way back up the steps. The community is very safe, thanks to the police academy in the village and the security posts where police with guns hang around to secure the community.
After about an hour at the waterfall, we started our ascent, which was tough, but the safety team was on standby to help. Finally, we exchanged gifts, which brought a lot of excitement to the atmosphere. We boarded our bus, passing through Eripa Land in Ila Orangun, and connected to Oshogbo road on our way back to Lagos.
In summary, the Easter in Osun trip was an amazing experience, filled with fun activities, beautiful landscapes, and great memories.
By Patrick Wisdom
