Zuma Rock, The Dome with a Human Face

Tosin’s Gángán

When God loves a Nation
by Tosin Gbogi

Evil tickles the armpit,
The armpit,
The armpit of laughter,
...and linger,
So do bad memoires.

And who does not know,
That when enmity keeps too long..
In the open cold,
It enters a cubicle of curses?

And who does not know?
Evil tickles the ribs,
The ribs,
The fragile ribs of peace...
and longer,
So linger bad memoires.

And who does not know,
That the emperor who raises a war song...
Is not the one who will finish it?

And who does not know,
That war is good,
Peace is good,
But too much of everything is bad.

And who does not know?

Evil tickles the cloud
The sky breaks in-to two,
Who does not know...
That when god loves a nation,
The devil always loves her more!

Zuma Rock, The Dome with a Human Face

Posted on March 14th, 2011 by Folarin Kolawole

A dusty veil hangs over Zuba. The Sun had slipped into her night gown of romantic crimson, saying goodbye and goodnight over the jagged skyline of granite inselbergs.
A mighty rock stands bold, undaunted by the coming dusk. It bears a face: one that looks straight ahead, starring at the setting sun.It is never distracted. Since centuries past, her gaze has remained unchanged; a gaze that threatens to swallow its admirer, one that looks you in the eye if you look it in the eye. With a slightly opened mouth, it proudly declares its royal location.
This is Zuma Rock, the ‘monolithic’ rock that marks the center of our Nation’s landmass with a human face. The massive inselberg which is depicted on the N100 note, is located in Niger State, just north of Abuja (F.C.T.).
It conspicuously appears to swallow the Abuja-Kaduna express way, rising ostentatiously to an height of about 700m. The Zuma Rock Nigerian village constructed behind the rock has constitutes a vantage spot to servour the the wonders of Zuma; it’s also fitted with chalets and other facilities for relaxation.

Zuma Rock remains the unquestionable watchman of the F.C.T. as long as her face remains.

The Abuja-Kaduna Road appears to disappear into the mighty Zuma

Zuma Rock (from Zuba area)

Zuma Rock with the etched face traced out

Zuma Rock captured at 230º

Zuma rock captured at 265º

Zuma Rock Silhouetted by the fires of Sunset

Zuma Rock at Sunset

A Video of Zuma Rock

Filed under: Travel, Travelogue

me

hahahaha!!!! Now i can see it better…… that was what i saw too…just that i thought it was upside – down and that the eyes is where the mouth should be (thought it was an alien).

Any scientific / layman’s explanation for the etched face??

Great work Fola, keep at it.

http://www.naijatreks.com Folarin Kolawole

@ me…thanks… well, for now, there’s been no known explanation for the etched face… just one of those wonderous works of nature in Naija!

Ella Osondu

i love the Zuma Rock…always lost in admiration whenever I drive by it….the short movie reminds me of the last time I travelled that road…nice one naijatreks.
fisayo ajewole

bravo!!!

http://www.naijatreks.com Folarin Kolawole

@ Fisayo…thanks for dropping by.

Abdullahi

yeah Zuma has a human face…I have driven past it a million times…lovely article.
Togun Adigun

What is the big story behind this rock?

http://www.naijatreks.com Folarin Kolawole

@ Togun…well, there are different myths behind the Zuma rock, but it has been said that the rock stands at the center of Nigeria and that makes it very important…also, in the past, some people who used to live near the rock complained of hearing some kind of noise from the rock every night. Thanks for dropping-by.

http://Www.facebook.com Sandra

I like the story,pls send me more information
ogunmodede oluwatamilore

It still baffles me about the zuma rock,I was told the human face was annoyed and that was what made me to research about it.please if I may ask
1)Who annoyed him?
2)Was he a god?
3)Was the rock there before or he just entered it?
Though,this might look weird but pls if you have answers to my questions,pls answer it and I’ll be glad and satisfied
http://www.naijatreks.com Folarin Kolawole

@ Ogunmodede…various myths have been told about the origin of the ‘human face’ etched on the Zuma Rock, and as at today we do not know anyone that perfectly explains what caused the “wrinkle” (annoyance) on the ‘face’. Nevertheless, if we able to place our hands on any useful info, we will let you know.
Thanks for dropping by.
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Miketouristhome

wow naijatreks,had to travel all the way from Cameroon just to be an eye witness to zuma rock ,long live naija

Folarin Kolawole

Thanks Mike…Zuma Rock is indeed an awesome sight…keep trekking Naija.

Tim Holt-Wilson

Evidently a major feature of the mythic geography of northern Nigeria – dramatic music conveys a sense of the numinous.

http://www.naijatreks.com/ Naijatreks

@ Tim Holt….yes, I guess you caught the drama I tried painting in the short article…talking about the “mythic geography of the Northern Nigeria”, do you really believe that there is something mythical about the geography of this region?

Tolu’s Bàtá

Africa is in me
By Tolu Akinyemi

Fill the sea with precious stones
Make it all mine to own
Rip Europe into two folds
bestow me a fold and a throne of gold
Promise me fame, with all lips on my name
I will not trade my skin, not for a day.

On the shores of this seas;
On the land of the southern sphere
I stand proud; Africa’s stalwart,
I soar high like a sea eagle
High above the sea's wrinkles

I’ve run on the streets;
An African child,
Amidst rows of sun-burnt mud huts
A thin strip about my loins.
I have played with loamy soil
Building domes without a scaffold.

I have fought in a thousand wars
fearlessly, with the strength
Of a Masai warrior.
My black skin glowing with the heat
A heavy spear in my proud fist.

I have combed the tropical bush
Welcoming romantic danger
In the eyes of a leopard.
I’ve greased the bumpy trunks
Of the mighty Iroko tree,
With the fat of the hide
Of the leopard I skinned

I have watched magical moonlight
hiding and seeking on my skin
I have bathed in enchanting sunset
As the end of the ageless Nile
Kisses the gold-tapered sky.

I have toiled this fruitful soil,
With the edge of my heirloom plow.
I have watched juicy maize shoots,
Springing from my mound,
Filling my soul with hope.
And I have eaten hope,
From the seeds that I sowed.

Africa is in me
I’m a trueborn to the skin.
Would curse that day I was born,
Were it on some other shore.

-www.poetoria.com

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