RELIGIOUS TOURISM: AWHUM MONASTERY IN VIEW

Tourism has an important place within the world economy and represents a basic branch in many countries with touristic vocation. In the context of the current world crisis, religious tourism is a complex phenomenon in a continuous transformation and diversification, though keeping the basic element which established it: religion. The contribution of religious tourism to the world economy development is accomplished directly by the registered incomes from the specific activities, through the regional development functions of the destinations, through the function of education and development of the culture and development horizon in general. Unlike other economic fields, it has been statistically proven that in the current crisis situation, religious tourism registers a constant growth. Religious obligations have become a fashionable trend all over the world as a means of expressing beliefs and faith in the ability of God to protect and guide man kind. It would amount to stating the most obvious that Religious practices both under the auspices of Christianity, Islam and traditional practices have in no small way contributed to the development of tourism in the world. It is a known fact that the Christian pilgrimages to Israel has formed an economic platform for the empowerment of the localities and contributed to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. Also, in the Saudi Arabia, where many Islamic faithful converge twice every year for religious rituals, has been of tremendous economic benefit to the country and her people. With these scenarios and many others around the world, it has become valid that religious tourism can become a source of economic revival to a country and its people.
          Furthermore, in Nigeria, beyond several allusions by government on the promotion of tourism, Religion has continued to play a pivotal role in the development of tourism in the country .Many dignitaries have in recent time found Nigeria the essential balm to many of their spiritual problems, with many heads of government visiting Nigeria to seek solution. The growth of religious tourism in Nigeria has been pivoted by Christians, Islam and Traditional believers, through various festivals, programmes that have become tourist attractions for many, both within and outside Nigeria. The Christian fold appears to be taken the lead in contributing to tourism development in Nigeria, thanks to the upsurge of evangelical activities in the Pentecostal fold, The many Christian crusades, seminars and festivals that are held in every nook and cranny of Nigeria have become an avenue for the development of tourism, especially with the crowd that normally throngs these venues.

     Among the mega place that attract tourist is the Awhum monastery which is located in Amaugwe village of Awhum town in Udi Local Council Area of Enugu State. The monastery was the first monastery in Nigeria and it attracts various religious pilgrims from various parts of the country. The monastery has healing water which is known as Awhum waterfall which is about 20mins trekking to the site; 30 meters in height and several caves lining the track to the waterfall. The track itself is actually a small stream with big rocks overhanging in some places along the track.

                                                Awhum water fall- The healing water

The water fall heals various types of disease as far as you have faith in God. The town is in a valley and bounded on all sides by beautiful rolling hills covered in grass. The community also boasts of numerous pristine lakes, some of them with beautiful white sand beaches. The numerous streams and lakes are still maintained in their natural conditions. More than 50 different species of fish are found in the streams and lakes of the community and some of the lakes have never been fished on before. The total number of pilgrims to the monastery very year is about 2000 in number and this has also contributed to the economic earning of the community and the people leaving near by.

Cave at the Awhum monastery

The statistics of participants at these religious festivals must be known, so that it can be factored into the Tourism Satellite Account, (TSA) which will make it easy for the country to measure the contribution of tourism to national economy. It is also believed by many that what Awhum monastery needs to become a Jerusalem or Mecca is to develop the infrastructures on ground to acceptable standard and also provide  adequate security for would be religious tourists to the monastery. Industry practitioners argue that if Israel and Saudi Arabia can garner enough economic benefit from religious tourism, Nigeria can achieve same with the level of patronage that most Nigeria churches have gained over the years. It is argued that beyond the alleged image problem of Nigeria, if these foreign heads of government, technocrats and citizenry can come to Nigeria on religious pilgrimage, it means the country can comfortably use it as a platform for economic revival.