Umbreblog : Idanre Hills Tourist Centre I Visited

IDANRE HILLS(OKE-IDANRE)

Located in Idanre Town, about 24 kilometres southwest of Akure, Ondo State capital, the ancient Idanre Hills had been a home for the Idanre community for almost 100 years.

One of my most tourist-demanded sites on the hills is the Agboogun foot print, which is described a human foot print naturally carved on a rock surface. The foot print is said to fit the size of any ones feet except that of people with witchcraft . 'Seeing is believing' for it has been used by the indigenes to detect “witches” in the Idanre community.

History made it known that indigenes use to live at Idanre Hills Tourist Center. This area called the old magistrate court, the first primary school which was established as far back as 1896,an intiative led by Rev. Gilbert Carter, a missionary, the Oba’s palace and the market square hold their original place and location at Odeja Village, Old Oke-Idanre. It was also recorded that the old Idanre people descended the hills and resettled at the present foothill location of Idanre town. It has also been noted that every street in the new Idanre town has a replica at the Old-Oke Idanre and every family has been given the right to retain ownership of their family houses at the Old enclave. The people are known to be very proud of their heritage in culture and history and these have never ceased to draw tourists of all ramifications to the hilltop site. However, in order to reach the hilltop village site, one will have to ascend 653 steps that leads up the hills.

Olofin cave is another awe-inspiring cave situated at an highly inaccessible location on the hills and as a result it is rarely visited by tourists. It is said to be the burial site of Olofin, Oduduwa’s son, who was the first Oba of Old Oke-Idanre. It was also said that special spiritual rites have to be performed for the cave to be opened up for tourist visits.

Omi-Iho cave is a picturesque but smaller cave located at the base of a massive outcrop within the present foothill Idanre Town. It has a spring emanating from within it which is said to possess therapeutic powers. People travel down to Idanre to obtain water from this spring for medical purposes. The villagers reiterated that the water can also be used for healing purposes if taken at dawn (just before 6am).
The eye-catching Aghagha inselberg is another site worth seeing on the hills.

Idanre Hills stands out well among all other places, due to its natural and cultural landscape, UNESCO listed on their chart as one of the World Heritage Sites.

see photos below;