Nwaekpu Natural Environment: The Hidden Oasis of Mmaku

I have lived a greater percent of my life in Mmaku but have never noticed the beauty within Nwaekpu forest and and environs. I have been to and passed through the area, I have also heard stories of the place but never have i imagined the beauty hidden within the area.

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On my recent visit to Mmaku i added Nwaekpu as one of the places to visit, i didn’t add it because of the attractions as i never knew any existed, i added it because of the stories i have heard of the place and for the fact that i use to be afraid of that place. I also wanted to know what lies beneath the hill and within the gully but there is this look you get when you tell someone you want to go to Nwaekpu, i guess that’s the reason why my cousin was sceptical about escorting me to the place. instead of telling someone you want to go to Nwaekpu, just tell the person you want to go to Ndahe nka, Ehuku or any of the surrounding or nearby forest just to the look..

From Ajaba to nwaekpu is about 45 to 60 minutes trekk.  After my cousin accepted to escort me to the place, I got ready and we took off, on our way to the place i met an aunt who was surprised that i came back and didn’t come to say hi: Believe me when i say i never knew i saw going to see her on my way because that wasn’t how i wanted us to meet not after bumping into her husband few days before that day and knowing that her husband must have told her that he saw me. Imagine my surprise when i heard ”Nnaa oo” i looked over and it was her, i went over to greet her and and she asked where we were going to but we didn’t say anything, maybe because of our quietness, she asked if we were going to Nwaekpu and i said say, Defensively my cousin said “Anyi Agawokwe kaw ichu eja” Anyi cholu iga se photo, meaning we are not going there to offer sacrifice, we just want to go and take some pictures. she smiled and said she know… After a little chat with her we continued our journey..

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Getting to Nwaekpu took us close to 50 minutes… As we walked down Ehuhu valley, i kept imaging what i was going to see at Nwaekpu and why i was desperate to visit the place. why was it even in my list of places to visit? there are other places i can just explore and beside, Nwakpu i know doesn’t strike me as a place with any attraction but anyway, even if it’s just going down and up the the hill, it will still be fulfilling to me. It’s not just about the attractions, I love Hiking, I love long distance trekking, i love exploring and sometimes just being with nature can be gratifying.

When we finally got to Nwaekpu, we didn’t see a part that leads down the stream or how to get to the western section of the place  so we kept going north, my cousin was surprised that i wasn’t taking any picture so he stopped and kept looked at me.. I wasn’t sure why he was looking at me so i asked him what? He said, Am just surprised that you are not taking any pictures, i thought i told you a while ago that we are now at Nwaekpu.. Well, i know he might not understand what i was looking for and even i didn’t know what i was looking for but i wasn’t yet satisfied. I told him am trying to figure out how to go down the ditch which is about or between 3.8 to 4.1 meters deep to see the water way but he said i was crazy and instead he kept going up until we left Nwaekpu area and entered Ndahe Nka.

His intention was to lead me through Ndahe Nka up to the hilltop where we can connect to Ekwe Eju through Okobo but that wasn’t part of my plan so i asked him to take me back, instead of climbing the hill why not follow the water way and see where it takes us to but again he refused..

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I suggested we follow the eastern section since we have already crossed the water through the section that isn’t deep, we can always turn back and go home if we can’t make it to the water way in the valley.. While we explored the environment, i noticed a place that had a slop and decided to go down through there but he refused to follow me..

Making my way down the water way

Making my way down the water way

Making my way down the water way

On getting down, a whole new feeling just took over me.. First i saw something that looks like a cave but on getting close i noticed it was a rock formation, A natural rock formation that formed a bridge, connecting the western section of the forest to the eastern section while the stream passes through it.

Forgive me for not being able to capture the true beauty of the place but it was simply magnificent. While on the water way, I headed up following the water path and sound, while going up i noticed that my cousin was behind me, I was carried away by the serenity and beauty of the place that i forgot i was with someone and besides, he told me he was never coming down with me. when i looked at him, he seemed more excited than i was as he kept taking selfie. According to him, he never imagined to see something like that with the Area.

Walking through the water part way, we got to the fall area.. As the water cascade down the rock, it formed a pool at the bottom with the aid of the surrounding conney shaped rock creating a part way for the water to escape from.

While we explored and took pictures, i thought of swimming but because we still have a lot of place to visit i decided not to.. Instead of heading back through where we came from, i suggested we just follow the water way and explore the area more.

On crossing over to the other side of the bridge we noticed another waterfall coming down  from a rock with a height of About 3.6meters although it did not carry much force..

After exploring the area and taking few shots, we continue heading south but not too far from where the second waterfall is, we saw the third one with a height of about 2.8meters. Among the three waterfalls the third one which is located south east wards of the Nwaekpu bride and south of the second fall has the seconds highest height and the second heaviest force.

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While we were at the third waterfall, i noticed the opening in the rock where the water was coming down from but couldn’t investovat how far in it was and beside we didn’t have any touchlight. Although i still want to keep heading south to explore the forest more but it will be very selfish of me since my cousin has started complaining to me that he is hungry, he was obviously enjoying himself but there are other places i needed to visit before leaving the village and he is my only key to getting there so after a few picture he headed out.. We took the nearest possible root and found ourselves in Ehuku from where we headed to our next destination.. Am general Experience and and exploration will on on my next post…