Arochukwu Cave

The Long JuJu Shrine of Arochukwu Mask

Useful Information

Location:	Arochukwu 442103, Abia State. (5.395545, 7.905040)
Open:
Fee:
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:
Dimension:	L=1,000 m.
Guided tours:
Photography:
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Address:	Arochukwu Long Juju cave temple complex, Arochukwu 442103, Tel: +234-708-585-6017.
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History

2007	submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Description

Arochukwu Cave is a famous tourist destination with the cave of the famous Long Juju Oracle aka Ibn Ukpabi as a particular attraction. The official name of the temple is Arochukwu Long Juju Cave Complex. The cave is believed to hold the long metal pipe through which the gods speak to the people. This place is a religious centre with an administrative structure headed by a Chief Priest. The people at Arochukwu were known as Aros, and they operated the oracle site.

The cave houses the shrine of Ibn Ukpabi, whose oracle passed judgments in disputes among the Aro-Igbo. It seems the geology is similar to other gorges created by the retrograde erosion of a water, there is a 2 m deep gorge cut into the sandstone. Following this gorge a single chamber is reached which contains the main oracular shrine of Ibn Ukpabi guarded by the cult statute of Kamalu the warrior god. Then there is the throne of judgment with the waterfall behind, the loud sound of falling water was the prophetic voice of Ibn Ukpabi. Those found innocent returned through the gorge. The guilty were considered the property of the gods and were sold as slaves or kept as servants of the priests and gods. When they reached the hill of rags they had to undress and Leave their clothes. Here start several cave passages, actual caves not gorges. A dark passage named tunnel of disappearance was the exit for those who were found guilty, so they simply vanished. But there was also the red river for those who have been sentenced to death, the priests coloured the river red so the observers and relatives had the impression that the condemned had died. Through the Iyi-Eke the victims were blindfolded and walked to the beach named Onu Asu Bekee (European beach) where boats were waiting to bring them to Calabar for onward transmission to Ala Bekee.

Along the Nigeria coast were a number of major slave ports such as Calabar, Bonny, Brass, Opobo, Lagos and Badagry. Well-defined routes linked them to the slave markets and capital cities in the country. There was an efficient trade infrastructure for slaves, and it was actually operated by locals, not by Arabs or Europeans. However, this was the only site where religion was used to collect slaves, and also the only slave market which used caves, gorges and a waterfall.

The National Commission for Museums and Monuments proposed the site for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007. The topic of this listing would be the connection to slavery and Arochkwu Long Juju Slave Route. There is a slave memorial museum in the Ụlọ Nta Maazi Okoroji, the historic house which was built during the 17th century by Maazi Okoroji Oti. He was one of the most respected maazi’s then but also a slave merchant, who was active during the transatlantic slave trade. The house was declared a National Monument by the Nigerian Government in 1972. It was built of clay and has a tin roof, which is obviously younger. The museum contains a collection of historical artifacts like slave chains, brass manillas, swords and guns, but also various sacred shrine objects. The most spectacular exhibit is a great door that "50 strong men can't lift". The door is said to be won from war between Maazi Okoroji and the people of orumba north in Anambra State.