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Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state has revealed his plans to resuscitate and refurbish the famous Ojukwu Bunker, which provided a sanctuary to the great Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu during the Biafran War for tourism purposes.
Obiano made the revelation in Awka on Tuesday.
The Bunker is located in Amorka village in Uli, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The governor also explained that the Light-up Anambra Campaign would install its dazzling streetlights on the roads and footpaths leading to the Caves and the Bunker in the state
Acoording to him, there are also plans to open a window into the attractive tourism offerings of the state by constructing access roads to the famous Ogbunike Cave in Ogbunike town in Ayamelum Local Government Area as well as the Ogbaukwu Caves and Waterfalls in Owerre-Ezukala town in Orumba South Local Government Area of the state.
He said he planned also to construct concrete footpaths that would lead into the bowls of the caves to make them more accessible to tourists.
“To demonstrate his administration’s resolve to harness Anambra’s tourism potentials, some heavily branded two 30-seater buses would soon be deployed to operate shuttle services to tourism locations in the state.
“Anambra is home to most of the historic sites of the Igbo people and home to some of nature’s amazing works. Apart from the two awe-inspiring caves in Ogbunike and OwerreEzukala, Anambra is home to the famous Igbo Ukwu Bronze which has not only been described as the oldest bronze artefact in West Africa but as a more distinctly advanced bronze work than the contemporary bronze casting in Europe. The Igbo Ukwu Bronze is dated in the 9th Century.
“Anambra is also home to the ancient kingdom of Nri and Aguleri which together offer a rich historical insight into the ancestral roots of Ndigbo. Both Nri and Aguleri provide an array of historical sites and symbols that make for interesting scholarly enquiry whileoffering a rich tourism experience.
“For instance, Aguleri town in Anambra East Local Government Area is the home of Father Cyprain Iwene Tansi, the only Nigerian Saint who was beatified on March 22, 1998 by Pope John Paul II,’’ Obiano affirmed.
The governor’s drive into tourism is therefore a bold attempt to draw attention to Anambra’s layers upon layers of historical, religious and cultural endowments and make them accessible to the rest of the world.
