Massive sheets of weathered granite slide off a big rock, and forms a cavity at its base.
A cavity, so beautiful and so rare, it strikes you with an unbeatable awe; and with every look you cast in its direction, it pulls you closer as you marvel in adoration…. 
and the people call it “Aba Rock” because it takes the form of  a traditional hut.

Such caves as this, and many more amazing rock formations are scattered all over the hill tops of Akure Inselbergs in Ondo State, south-western Nigeria. Over the years, the northern outskirts of Akure town have been of special attention as lots of these caves and unique rock formations are found there.

Aba cave is an unusual and special rock formation because of its mode of formation and character of poise. It was probably formed by exfoliation weathering. It stands as a unique rock formation since exfoliation sheets (slabs of rock that peel off an exposed rock outcrop) rarely form caves because of a lot of factors. Some of these factors may include thickness, width, length and mechanical competence of the slabs as well as the accommodation space at the foot hill and height of hill slope.

The cave, which is located at the top of an over 200m-high inselberg, is 11.8m long, 6.3m wide and 6.5m high. For some years now, it is known to have been a favourite praying spot for some members of the celestial church. The interior as well as the external surroundings of the cave is often littered with congealed candle wax and wooden crosses.

This, therefore is a call to the Ondo State Government to rise to the rescue of these great and unexplored natural potentials, wasting away on the soil of Akure land.  Our subsequent posts shall feature these formations and highlight their potentials and significance for tourism development in Nigeria, as well as the various factors endangering their existence.

– The interior of Aba cave.

– The inselberg on which Aba Cave is located.

- Down-slipped exfoliation sheets that formed the cave.

Filed under: Conservation, Travel, Travelogue