Zuma Rock: A Monstrous Home Of Mysteries

The imposing rock is visible to everyone that passes by, but each person comes and goes with his own tales and impressions. It is like the proverbial elephant and the twelve blind men. ABDULWAHAB ISA, who was recently at Zuma Rock, reports...CONTINUE READING

Everyone passing through the west- ern bypass on the Abuja/ Kaduna highway would notice a huge geo- graphic feature, towering above its surroundings and dominating every other item within its reach. It is a massive rock , whose age might be as long as human memory can go. It has a human face carved on it by some invisible hands……CONTINUE READING

As one approaches its domain, its monstrous looks evokes some kind of fear in the hearts of mere mortals, particularly those who dread the environment of mysteries and strange phenomenon. It is Zuma rock, one of the features on the back of the One Hundred Naira (N100.00 ) note. It was once thought to be in the Federal Capital Territory but actually located at the upper end of Madalla, a rural settlement in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State. Zuma Rock which measures about 725 metres (2,379 ft) above its surroundings. It is twice as high as the world famous Uluru Rock in Australia and more than four times as high as NECOM House, Nigeria’s tallest building. Zuma rock has been dubbed the “gate-way to Abuja”, due to its proximity to Nigeria’s capital city. It is about forty minute drive to Abuja metropolis. The huge dark rock represents everything mysterious to an average visitor or resident of the community. Travellers on the route from Abuja to Kaduna and other states in the north- west geo- political zone are usually cofounded by its scary looks. Some say the rock is evil personified while others claim it possesses some magical powers.

The origin

According to Jibrin Mamman of the Zuba Youth Development Association, the history of Zuma rock is older than the history of Zuba and the Koros that settled around the rock. “It had been known that by the 15th cen- tury the Kwararafa (Kororofa) had started to spread all over the northern areas of Nigeria. We, the people of Zuba today were part of the Kwararafa that are called or identified today as Koro. Our history says we are part of the Jukun that are in diaspora. Our forefathers spread from the Kwararafa empire, travelled to the western direction through Lafia (but Lafia was not there as at that time), then through Keffi area (but there was nothing like Keffi as at that time), then into the old Abuja area which was not in existence then too. But before they reached the Zuma Rock, their soothsayers told them that they are not to settle down permanently until they reached one wonderful rock, far ahead of them. They continued to move approaching the Zuma rock till they came to meet the Zuma rock in the middle of a thick forest. When they entered into the forest, they settled within a mile radius around it and found- ed settlements like Shinapa (where their leadership was), Chaci, Luki, Esa, Zumwa, Yeku,Huntu,Wagu of the upperland and Wagu of the lowerland.

Value essence

“When they got to the Zuma Rock, they found out that the rock had got strong spirits. This group of Koros, that is, our fore- fathers were purely pagans and therefore they took over the ownership of the rock and began to worship it. When they made sacrifices, wonderful things used to happen. It became the strongest idol in the old Abuja area (there was nothing like Abuja as at that time i.e in the 15th century). Whatever thing that tried to displeased them, they would immediately visit the Zuma Rock and make sacrifices. So also anything pleasing, they would go and make sacrifices to the Rock as thanks-giving. As at the time they were making the sacrifices, they were seeing positive results and if war was to take place, once they visited the Zuma rock with sacrifices, automatically the war was won. It is one of the rea- sons, since our forefathers established near the rock, no war against Zuba by any group, has ever been successful, both within and outside Zuba chiefdom. ” In the forest, they found there were many Guinea-Fowls around the Zuma Rock, and started to hunt them and named the rock, “Zumwa”, meaning “The place of catching Guinea-Fowls”. Initially, in the Koro language it was called “Ezumwa ba” that is, “Place of catching Guinea-Fowls”. That is how the rock got its name originally as “Zumwa” when it became shorten, not “Zuma” as people know it today. Our fore- fathers gave the rock the name as early as the time they settled near the rock. There was no history of settlement of any other people around or by the Zuma Rock. We were the first people to come into the forest and near the Zuma-Rock. “As they were calling the rock “Zumwa”, when the Hausa people started com- ing around, they could not pronounce “Zumwa” so they just say “Zuma”. The Europeans too, when they came, they could not also called it rightly as “Zumwa”, they also used the Hausa pronunciation, “Zuma”. So the popular name that went into the literature was “Zuma” instead of the original name in koro, “Zumwa”. As they continued to live, Shinapa (where the leadership was), found a safer place called “Dubwomu” where they moved to, while others remained by the Zuma-rock. Dubwomu is not far away from Zuma-Rock.

Modern day mysteries Several centuries down the line, Zuma Rock still has multiple mysterious stories woven around it. Some natives have tales of unseen evil spirits dwelling in the belly of the rock. Others regard it as a den for ritualists, a hidden temple for initiation into the world of the occult and an abode for dare – devil armed robbers who seek temporary refuge there whenever the conclude a successful operation and want to share their loot or when security agencies are on their trail. Not far from the rock , is an uncompleted white edifice known as the Zuma Rock Hotel. Some residents of the area believe that the hotel was a haunted zone hence it was abandoned by its owners. In the course of exploring the area and trying to fixe the jig-saw puzzles of the rock , residents living within the radius of the rock gave varying accounts. Some are of the opinion that , the evil spirits had re- located, giving people a respite to now to begin to farm on the parcels of land near the rock. Yet, some residents said evil the spirits were still living in the bowels of the rock and do exhibit strange powers especially during odd hours of the night.

Safer, effective arena

To Sam Peters, a police officer, the spirits in Zuma rock have long vacated to another abode. He is of the conviction that the once dreaded zone is not only free but now safe for other productive activities, including farming. This belief lured him to carve a portion of land around the rock for farming. ” I am a civil servant. I came here this year to start this farm to see how life would be because we can’t depend on monthly salary alone. At least, we need something that will be a backup for us. I came close to Zuma rock to farm because of the his- tory of what we heard about Zuma rock . This place is peaceful and not as fearful as was previously reported. Previous fear centered around existence of bad spirits . Some of the reported bad things that used to happen here are no longer happening again. This abandoned project( Zuma rock hotel) is due to evil spirits that used to affect the engineers hired to develop this big hotel,” he said. The security operative told Inside Abuja that in those days, the evil spirit that dwelt in the rock made frequent appearances and killed some workers at the hotel site. “A man that assigned this portion to me , who claimed to be part of the workers on this project narrated the story. He said the project was commenced during former president Shehu Shagari regime. I have not encountered any evil spirit since I came here . God might have pursued the spirits because there is time for everything. From what we heard, rituals occur here. But God has taken control. I am a police officer. The community arranged for vigilante team to curb the atrocities around Zuma rock,” he said.

Spirits

However, this picture of an entirely serene vicinity painted by Peter was punctured by some members of the vigilante group in the area. They claimed that, as a group hired by the Zuma rock community to ensure safety of the entire environment both day and night , they have experienced the presence of Zuma rock spirit , encountered ritualists and engaged in gun battle with armed robbers. Narrating his experience with the assistance of an interpreter , Mallam Salisu Musa simply known as ‘Commander’ probably for his role as head of vigilante team, told Inside Abuja that, he was engaged five years ago by the Suleja Local government council to provide security for the community. “In the years before we were engaged , kid- nappers and armed robbers used to come and hide in the Zuma rock building to kill and cut off peoples” heads. In the last three years till now, there hasn’t been any problem of such because youths organized to secure the area. When the criminals see that we are united, they don’t come here. In the very late hours of the night , we do enter the Zuma rock building sometimes to check if some of these bad people are hiding there. “This building was built as a big hotel in 1976, but I think the building is owned by the government and it was built by white men. People were living there before and the windows were made of glass, so one day all the windows just got blown up and nobody touched it. Honey bee entered the building to pursue the people there, and many people died in the process, and there was a very big anaconda snake here in the building . We don’t see it again, meaning it has transferred .

“Last year , we caught many armed robbers that came to share their stolen money here. We confronted then fire for fire. At night , when we go out to patrol, you’ll be hearing strange but scaring voices humming right from the rock. But because we are prepared and fortified for this job, we are not scared. The zuma rock spirit is real.

A portion of the rock close to its zuma rock eye just peeled off following a very big bang that occurred at the wee hours of the night. This was an indication that Zuma rock spirits are still here. ”

Licensed to kill

Mallam Abdulrahaman Aliyu , another vigilante operative collaborated the story thus: “I’m one of the security officials engaged by Zuma community . I can guide the Zuma rock with only just my strength and the help of God; everything I do, God has been helping me. The owner of this place also engaged us . We are plenty but some are working here and some are working on the road. They engage us to be security because the owner of this place come to farm here and when they come to farm they have problems with themselves. We have spirits here but we are living with the spirits and there is no problem and no body has been harmed by spirits . “Before now, bad boys used to snatch bikes around this place. They will lure okada peo- ple from Madala to Zuma rock only for them to slaughter their victims and run away with their motorcycles . So we are securing this place because of our people and we are permitted to kill any one who commits okada theft.We caught some of these people sometimes ago and they are not coming here now, but they are still running on the express. “Ritualist used to be much here before, but since we resumed as security guards here , there hasn’t been any of such occurrence. We have a spirit here, if you don’t know and you come here you will run mad totally. All you hear in the night is scaring breeze on your left right and back. I have experienced it before but was not affected because I have knowledge from the Quran to chase it away and when I read it, it runs away from me. I am from Maiduguri,” he said. Yakubu Abubakar is a tiler and a landlord in Zuma rock. As house owner , he gives a helping hand in providing security for zuma rock. He told Inside Abuja that , ” since we formed vigilante movement to fight the anomalies in the area like ritualists and okada snatchers, crime level has reduced. The criminals and ritualists have run away. Getting to one or two months now okada thieves were apprehended, and we were able to catch the lady among them. We are doing all these to safe guard ourselves because if you sleep with two eyes closed here, you will die because the thieves and ritualists come to attack us. All we cannot say is whether the ritualists are rich or poor men. All the ritual things that happen here we cannot see it because spirit is different from humans. “As for me , we used to experience the spirit that goes on in this Zuma rock before, I have a strong head and I hear some noise whenever I’m passing by in the night around 8.00pm. You can’t pass here, if you do, it means you want to endanger yourself. Now you can pass at any time because those of us securing this area move around at mid nights without any thing happening to us. The extra power we have in securing this place is our belief in God because we know God can do anything. Any time we are coming on duty, we use to pray hard before we come out.

Tourism potentials

In spite of the dreadful tales of spirits, the Niger State Government has designated Zuma rock as one of its special sites slated for development into a world tourist centre. Speaking on phone with Inside Abuja, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abubakar Sanni Bello of Niger State, Mallam Jibril Ndace said there is a blue print on tourism development to give tourism in state a face- lift. According to him, Zuma rock and Gurarra water falls are top priorities. But pending when the blue print is translated into actual work by the government, Zuma rock remains a mystery to its beholder.