• Ekiti natural wonder with eye-catching features
From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Arinta Waterfalls is located in the quiet community of Ipole-Iloro, Ekiti State. It is a natural wonder in a serene environment surrounded by lots of green, healthy plants, trees, rocks, mountains and beautiful landscapes that evoke a sense of admiration.
The Arinta is few kilometres away from Ikogosi Warm Springs, Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti State. It is a tourism site where large amount of water falls non-stop all year round from the seventh floor, source of the water, to the ground floor with every floor producing unique rhythms and sounds.
The blend of the tranquil atmosphere, healthy vegetation, rocks, high mountains and other eye-catching features explain tourists from far and near continue to visit the place and most tourists call in again after first visit.
The stunning environment provides a natural setting for picnic, relaxation, hiking, mountain climbing, bush trailing and other fun plays. One of its unique features is that the more the noise of the people bathing in the water, the heavier the water falls.
While some tourists remain on the first floor taking their bath, enjoying the scenery, the cosy ambience and the beauty nature has to offer, for mountain climbers and hikers as well as tourists who want to satisfy their curiosity and experience the uniqueness of each of the cascades, climbing to the seventh floor is a journey they must embark on. While some tourists are able to navigate their way to the seventh floor, others only manage to get to some of the floors before returning to the ground floor.
Ipole-Iloro is in Ekiti West Local Government. The major occupation of the people of the community is farming. They plant cassava, yam and other farm produce.
Olupole of Ipole-Iloro, Oba Ezekiel Babatola Oladele, is the 43rd traditional ruler of the town. He is spending his 12th year on the throne. Ipole-Iloro has six quarters, namely, Iloro, Iwaji, Ijale, Okesa, Ileya and Inuta. There are three ruling houses in Ipole-Iloro, Oba Oladele is from Ekitikalesibe Ruling House. The remaining two are, Arakalesibe and Obaleyakin.
Oba Oladele said: “Ipole-Iloro is an ancient town. Our forefathers migrated from Ile-Ife. The town was formerly called Apa Ipole. The name was changed in 1956 to Ipole-Iloro because of the way some people in the neighbouring towns were pronouncing it. They were pronouncing it as ‘Apa’ meaning prodigal, wasteful. ‘Awon omo apa’ meaning wasteful children. So, our fathers decided to change the name to Ipole-Iloro.
“Alapajalorun was the first monarch. He migrated from Ile-Ife, Osun State. He was a grandson of Oduduwa. He migrated through Igbo Ijesa to Obake down to Ipole-Iloro here. And when he got here his title name was Alapa of Apa Ipole. We migrated here around 10th century.
“In those days, many people passed through this community to settle in other towns. Many people who migrated from Ile-Ife passed through this place because Ipole-Iloro is located at the centre.
“Before you settle in a place, one thing you need to first look out for is water because everyone knows that water is life. You will not like to settle in a place where there is no water. In our town here, there are many streams that pass through our domain.
“When our forefathers settled here they discovered that they could hunt. One day, one of them went into the forest for hunting, on getting to this area, he was so surprised to see this wonderful work of God.
“When he returned home, his people asked him where were the animals he killed. He replied: “Mo rin, mo ri nkan ta.” Meaning, “today, I trekked a long distance in the forest and came across this wonder.” That was how the people arrived at the name Arinta. We tried to change it to Ipole waterfall but we believe that the story must still be kept.
“Arinta waterfall is a blessing to the community. It has some healing properties capable of curing skin ailments. Apart from people going there to see how it makes noise, there are many things it can be used for.
“Our people brought the late Tai Solarin here. What did we call him for? We called him for development. We wanted to expose the waterfall to the world. We wanted to expose Ipole-Iloro community to the world that was the reason we called on Tai Solarin then in 1965.
“The waterfall has some medicinal values. It can cure skin diseases. It is not only Arinta waterfall that can cure skin diseases we also have other streams that can cure skin diseases. If a teacher or anybody is brought to this community and he has any skin problem, we will tell him to always bath in this waterfall and within few months he will be a different person.
“There is no taboo or festival attached to the waterfall. But there are some special areas in the town that strangers cannot get to, though it is very far from the town, except during our festival. If the person can climb hill, then he can follow us there.
“We call the place Oke Ogbaja. Oke Ogbaja is a cave. If the priest wants to enter this place, he will tie chain around his waist in case there is a danger they will use the chain to draw him back. It is only during festival that strangers can go there.”
“In 1965, some of our people living in Ikenne and Ibadan, invited Tai Solarin to this place. The road to this place then was a pedestrian road. He trekked from Ikogosi down to this place. He was the first person who published this place in some national dailies then.
“Also, former governor Niyi Adebayo came to this place. He expanded the road and former governor Kayode Fayemi tarred the road. Fayemi developed this place to this level and gave it to a private investor. Unfortunately, the investor didn’t do what we expected of him.
“I have made some frantic efforts. I have written to Governor Biodun Oyebanji. I told him this place is concessional to one investor and the man isn’t doing anything. When you get here you cannot even get water to drink. And since then the governor has started working on something. He is going to give it to a better investor.”
Dr. Peter Adewumi, one of the concessionaires said: “Ekiti State Government concessioned Arinta Waterfall to ROAG Commercial in 2021. We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with government and the duration of the concession will last 10 years.
“Arinta Waterfall is a beautiful tourism site. The waterfall is three kilometres away from Ikogosi Warm Spring, Ikogosi-Ekiti. According to history, in the days of old, people used bush paths to get to other towns and villages.
“Before the construction of the modern road leading to this place, this area where Arinta waterfall is located used to be a major route to Osun State.
“The water falls from the seventh floor. When you are able to navigate your way from the first floor to the seventh floor where the source of the water is, you will be able to see the whole of Osun State. And when you descend through the other side of the mountain you will find yourself in Erin Ijesa in Osun State. There is this general belief that at the back of every mountain there is a town.
“Arinta Waterfall is a beautiful place to behold. It is surrounded by beautiful vegetation. The water falls non-stop throughout the year. It is suitable for picnic, relaxation, hiking, mountain climbing, bush trailing and a whole lot of other exciting stuffs.
“Tourists, particularly, those who love nature should try and visit this place. Individuals, groups, schools and organisations can come around and have a true sense of nature.
“We have tourist guards who will conduct visitors around. We have made it easy for tourists to navigate themselves from the first floor to the seventh floor. We engaged the services of the Man O’ War to make climbing ropes. Tourists who prefer it can use the climbing ropes for easy navigation to any of the floors.
“We have camp tents for individuals and families, love zones for lovers, children castles, mini basketball court, table tennis court, badminton court, local games like Ayo Olopon, indoor and outdoor games. We also have bush bar where you can eat local delicacies like pounded yam, Igbemo rice (local rice) and take palm wine.
“Tourists from within and outside the country who have visited this place marvelled at this natural wonder. The place is secured as we have local hunters, like the Amotekun, forest rangers, Man O’ War to provide maximum security for tourists.”
There is no electricity in the place, which has negatively impacted patronage. We urge government to fulfil its own part of the concession agreement by providing electricity and other necessities so that the place can be more developed and attractive.
“On the part of the government, as regards the MoU we signed with the government, we have done 80 per cent of our own side. We expect the government to also do their own, because they promised electrification of this place. They promised security. They equally promised sensitisation of the public as far as Arinta Waterfall is concerned.”
“I think off grid electrification will be better here than connection to the power source. It will be very difficult for an individual to connect from here to the main town. From here to the main town is around three to four kilometres, it will be too expensive.
“We are expecting government to at least give us a checkpoint where we can have joint taskforce that will comprise the police, Amotekun Corp and Civil Defence Corp. Though, we the concessionaires have on ground operatives of the Amotekun, the Forest rangers, and the Man O’ War, they are always in the bush. We have their phone numbers and they too have ours. If there is any distress call from them we quickly notify the nearest police station.
“As for the sensitisation, government needs to help us in this regard. Ministries and government agencies can hold their conferences and retreats here. Our bush bar can accommodate 50 to 60 persons at a goal. This place is natural and the environment is quiet. There is fresh air here. They don’t need air-conditioners.
“We are also looking at collaboration with Ikogosi Warm Spring so that when they have tourists, they can tell them to also visit Arinta Waterfall. Just as we have been directing those who come here to also visit Ikogosi Warm Spring to go and see the cold and the warm springs and whenever our tourists ask us for accommodation we direct them there too. If the government can help fix all these, it will help to bring Arinta Waterfall into the limelight.”
Director General, Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, Wale Ojo-Lanre said: “Arinta Waterfall is one of the tourism sites that we have in Ekiti State. It is a wonderful tourism site that cascades from seven floors. Each of the floors cascade has different rhythms and sounds. The sound you obtain from the seventh floor is different from the one you obtain from the sixth floor.
“The sound you get from the fifth floor is different from the one you get from the fourth floor. So, it is different sounds and rhythms. These are the unique characteristics of Arinta Waterfall from other falls in Nigeria.
“Arinta Waterfall is one of the best in Nigeria and it has been concessioned to a private sector. They are the one handling the branding of the place. It is the belief of the governor that such corporate entity like the tourism site is better handled by private sector or private individual because tourism is private sector driven.
“Government has no business in doing business. The only business government has in business is to provide the conducive economic atmosphere for business to thrive. What are the conducive atmosphere for such? Security, non-encumbered for Arinta Waterfall. Government has provided the security for Arinta.
“Arinta Waterfall is not encumbered. It was concessioned to that company at the presence and in the palace of Olupole of Ipole-Iloro. There is a community linkage between the government, the concessionaire and the people of Ipole-Iloro. It enjoys absolute access to Arinta Waterfall.”
Rev. Fr. Augustine Olanrewaju, who brought some youths of his church from Osun State for picnic said: “The experience here is very enticing, very captivating, very wonderful and very amazing.
“I am happy I found myself in a natural environment like this. Sometimes, it is good to admire nature and to find a place like this to relax. Getting out from the working environment, changing environment, finding a relaxing place in a natural environment for that matter.
“God is wonderful! God is great! When I look at the water and the way it has been falling, you will know that God is marvellous. Many people have not discovered the natural endowment that God has placed in this environment. Arinta Waterfall is a beautiful site that every tourist within and outside the country should visit.”