By Emmanuel Gandu
Reverence to the hill
“Oefan Oegworok (Kagoro Hill) is next to God”. According to the Oegworok, this statement is probably an understatement.
Before the advent of Christianity, Kagoro hill was the most highly revered in the land.
This hill was and still is looked upon as a divinity, a deity, a god.
The Kagoro hill was adored, worshipped, and glorified.
It was the foothold, the seat of their god, it was the personification of God, it was a god.
This reverence and total submission backed up by the role of the Oebwok (chief priest) may be comparable to the Biblical Moses who went up the mountains severally to seek God’s face in the lives of the Israelites during their journey to the Promised Land.
Why the reverence to Kagoro hill?
In pre – Christian era, and to some extent even up to today’s contemporary period, the Oegworok (Kagoro people) held this hill in such high esteem as a god.
The following reasons are a testimony to this reverence:
(1) The Kagoro hill assumed the role of a god to the Gworok community.
(2) The hill served and still serves as a fortress to the people just like the bosom of a mother to her baby, from as far back as the 16th century when the Kagoro people arrived and settled on this land.
(3) The numerous caves on the hill provided shelter from wild animals and enemies.
(4) These caves served as sacred shrines for their religious rites, rituals, and practices.
(5) The many springs and streams from the hill provide abundant sources of water supply all year round for domestic purposes.
(6) The fertile rich soil in the hill valleys is a source for good cropping for both cash and domestic purposes.
(7) The lusty grass on the foot plains and valleys is conducive for animal rearing.
(8) Bee farming for harvesting high-quality honey as a lucrative business thrives better with the abundance of flora on the hill.
(9) The beautiful temperate climate encourages the production of various varieties of fruits and vegetables comparable to the Mambila.
(10) The beautiful scenery is a major tourism potential for investors.
(11) The abundant special grass on the hill is utilized for many purposes and as an alternative for corrugated iron sheets.
(12) The abundant special bamboo is utilized by architects and builders for construction purposes.
(13) The rock is crushed for building projects.
(14) Solid minerals of different types are embedded and waiting for mining purposes.
(15) The abundant species of wild animals are a source of the game reserve, a source of revenue for hunters, and protein content for family consumption.
Nnwan Oegwaza nyin nshio a’a
