ExplorewithFelixEse: Ngwo Waterfall and Cave: The Wonder of Milliken Hills

Ngwo Waterfall and Cave: The Wonder of Milliken Hills

My friend and I stood restless while we contemplated on how to get down to the cave. The Ngwo forest still held it surreal appeal on us both our thoughts wandered to cave. Finally, the park ranger approached us with some men. We exchanged greetings while a bird tweeted past.

The opening

“I can’t take you to the caves today, come another day, I have places to go to , beside am an old man, the hike downhill will wear me down.” The old man rambled on.

We pressured him the more that we weren’t sure we will make it the following week because of our busy schedule yet he was persisted. We turned to the younger men loafing around but they also declined that they cannot afford to go down there.

After an hour of pleading and haggling over the amount for the supposed tour, “Eche” (the park ranger) finally agreed to take us there.

Ngwo forest

The hike downhill

“Thirty minutes”! He shouted. “After thirty minutes I go leave una, no be say una go come talk say una wan take photo o”. He sternly warned us in pidgin.

How happy I was that I was going to see my first ever waterfall/cave, the hike down was slow because Eche was old and tired and he didn’t want to wake up the next day with rheumatism. We stopped intermittently to take photos, while Eche hurried us up.

the rolling hills at the background

The ruggedly valley sloped here and there like a dancing cobra, over the horizon the rays of sun shone down on a particular hill and it gave that part of the hill a nirvana kind of feeling, the adjoining hills were not overly vegetated and we could see some patches all over it.

view

picture time!

Eche stopped to scratch his ears. He looked carefully for a landmark so he could identify the road that led to the cave as they were two trails clashing over each other were we stood.

the clashing trail

“It been long I came down here, I don’t know who created another path here." He hissed. “They have even started cultivating crops here. The old man mumbled on.

A smiled crept on his face as he recognised a tree down the path, he urged us to follow him. I decided to get stories from him to while away time.

looking for landmarks

the path to the cave

“I have been a park ranger for many years now, when we were small the waterfall was the only source of water, we had to climb up and down the hills every day. It was tiring and fun too. The government has promised to link the road down here so people can see this wonderful gift God has given us.

We got to a T junction, and then he stopped by a palm tree stood at the centre. “Remember the road at the left trail lead to another forest reserve (I can’t recall the name) the other one leads to a school down the hills, then the road at our front leads to the cave. We were excited when we learnt we were closer to the caves.

the second forest reserve

Some groves of bamboo trees blocked our way; Eche had to slash it down with his cutlass to make way for us.

“Eche, why are you holding a cutlass?” I hadn’t noticed it until now.

“Well, it been a while I came down here and we are in the bush, we can run into snakes, wild animals and even bad people”. He placed more emphasis on the bad people that a mental picture of wild men clothed with leaves and raffia armed with crudely made weapons flashed in my mind.

bamboos on the way

“Listen”. He said. We heard tiny splashes that sounded bell-like. “We are close”. He affirmed. He led us through an opening, and there were huge rocks bordering a little stream of water that clashed with it.

rocks at the entrance

“Is this the waterfall?” my friend asked disappointedly. “No, look up”. Eche replied. Slowly, we lifted our gaze high and we saw the mighty cave, a huge opening was at the front of it while miniature caves adorned it sides.

miniatures caves by the sides

Joy gathered down from my belly and erupted as a scream. Eche looked at us with a smirk on his face. He was however nonchalant about the place, well that because he had been coming down here all his life. It didn’t hold any magical spell on him.

“You have to pull your shoes so you will be able to wade through the stream to see the waterfall inside.’’ We hurriedly obeyed him.

wading through

The splashing sound resounded all over the cave and it gave it a surreal kind of feeling. From the little opening at the top, the rays of the sun sneaked through it and reflected on the walls of the cave giving it a rainbow-like glow. The cave housed mosses on some part of it wall while creepers dangled from above. The wall was wet; and I could trace the lines of the water that flow down this prehistoric cave. I couldn’t help but wonder how the first man felt when he discovered this place, and how many battles he fought to protect it and how it became a place of pride for the Ngwo people.

creepers corner

the reflecting walls

amazed

The water fell many feet above us through the small opening; it crashed down on the ground while we stood at sandy part of it. I asked where the water came from and he said it from heaven!

From heaven! I couldn’t help but laugh. I bet if we follow the rock uphill we would be able to trace the source of the waterfall but sadly Eche was not in the mood for adventure. “No, no, this water is from God.” He insisted. He later confirmed that the stream flow down the hill and the coalmine to join Mmri ocha.

the waterfall

He walked out of the cave because he felt claustrophobic. “He be like say the rock go fall for my head. ’’ He said as he stood outside. I also felt some kind of sensations which I couldn’t explain, the cave had a dull like, otherworldly, sleep inducing aura around it. I felt like something or someone was watching us. I felt it in my vein that there is a story behind this cave. Then Eche called out that it was time to leave.