On April 12, 1942, a plane crashed in Ikogosi, a small town in Ekiti State, Nigeria. It was a military aircraft carrying weapons, but something went wrong, and it crashed on a hill over 740 meters above sea level.
The impact could have wiped out the entire Ikogosi community, but fortunately, it did not. Sadly, those onboard were not so lucky. Although, I do not know how many lives were lost in the crash.
Hearing about this historical event, I was eager to visit the site. In my mind, I pictured seeing a full airplane wreckage still lying on the hill. But after a tough 1 hour and 30-minute hike, with short breaks in between, I finally reached the top—only to find the plane’s propeller remaining. Surprisingly, I wasn’t disappointed. Considering the crash happened 82 years ago, it made sense that most of the wreckage was long gone. Just seeing the propeller and standing in that historical spot was enough for me.
The hike was challenging. Climbing up was tough, but coming down was much easier. I also discovered that there’s a route from the crash site leading down to Arinta Waterfalls. The Ekiti State Government and DG are working to develop this path, which will be a great addition for hikers and tourists. However, the road leading to the site needs improvement. At some points, we had to clear bushes just to find our way forward. But as I always say—determination is the key!
In my opinion, this site should be preserved as a dark tourism attraction, where visitors can learn about this forgotten piece of history. More people should hear about this story and experience the adventure of reaching the crash site.
It was just me and my tour guide, Babajide Ogbeni Fajuyi, on this journey. But I will continue to share the untold stories of Africa through my writing and videos.
I am Dennis Chukeuebuka Okeke, also known as Onyenjem One of Africa.
