What will you do if you chanced upon a “bearded rock”?
Well, somewhere in the Eastern Region at Kodidi, a small farming community about eight kilometres drive from Donkorkrom in the Afram Plains North District, lies a huge rock with human features.
History has it that the rock was discovered about 103 years ago by a group of brave hunters led by one Opanin Atakora, who hailed from Abetifi-Kwahu.
Hunters
The hunters were said to be eagerly searching for game during a hunting expedition when they sighted the wonderful rock.
The terrified hunters were said to have abandoned the hunting expedition to break the news to the now Kodidi community.
Human features
The rock, which has features similar to two human eyes, a nose, a mouth and a chin, was considered sacred for the Kodidi community.
In view of its unique human features, the rock, which was then worshipped by the people of the area, was given the name Obuor Abodwese (the bearded rock) and the entire community and its surrounding communities continued to call it such a name.
Calamities
Narrating the rock’s history and connection to the Daily Graphic, the Chief of Donkorkrom Number One, Nana Akuamoah Boateng Tano II, said in times of war in years past, the people consulted the Obuor Abodwese on exactly what to do and the outcome of the war or misfortunes and performed the necessary rituals to avert such.
He said the rock had since become a sacred object of worship for the people and was, to date, not only a place for consultation, but also a tourist site that attracted hundreds of people who came to observe the amazing rock.
More tourists
Nana Tano II further indicated that the number of tourists, especially foreign visitors, as well as the indigenes, kept increasing each year, particularly during the Easter celebrations at the Kwahu enclave, during which many of them crossed the Afram River to the site.
He said the site had the potential to boost both local and foreign tourism when properly harnessed and developed to generate revenue for the community and the district as a whole.
In that respect, Nana Tano II, therefore, called on the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and many others to help develop the site to help boost local tourism and generate revenue for the Afram Plains North District Assembly.
The Afram Plains North District Tourism Development Officer, Aminu Germi Abdulai, stated that although the rock had become one of the tourist attractions in the area, little attention had been given to it by the assembly and his outfit.
According to Mr Abdulai, if given the needed attention, it would change the GTA narrative, as well as make it more attractive in the near future.
He said trees could also be planted around the entire enclave so that the rock would be properly preserved.
Mr Abdulai stressed that, in addition, reception facilities should be provided at the site to serve as resting places for tourists who might visit for sightseeing or relaxation.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Kate Mawusi Babanawo, told the Daily Graphic that the site would be developed to attract a lot of people, both in Ghana and abroad, to help generate revenue for the assembly.
She said her outfit had already visited the site as well as other tourism sites in the district to ensure its proper redevelopment to make places look good.
Some residents of the district, Frank Nelson and Mohammed Issah, were of the view that the area around Obour Abogyese at Kodidi should be given a facelift to enable both foreign and local tourists to visit the area.
Although the place had not been properly developed, they stated that every holiday people thronged to the site of the rock.
They said when properly developed, it would create employment opportunities for the teeming youth of the area, as well as in the district to help reduce the unemployment situation there.
You can decide to visit the “bearded rock” site to see one of nature's wonders.
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