For those who are not aware, Lake Ampidong is the only known Volcanic Crater Lake in West Africa.
Also known locally as Pidong Lake, the lake is a natural volcanic crater lake located in Ampang West, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria, further giving the state one of its natural wonders that has the potential to turn Plateau into a tourism heaven.
Lake Ampidong is not only celebrated as the only known active volcanic crater lake in the West African sub-region that holds water perennially without drying up, but has continued to confound visitors and even residents of the area in which it is located.
One of the mysteries of Lake Ampidong is that all year round, its water does not dry up even in the dry season and no one has been able to discover the source of the water.
The area around the lake is perennially lush with green vegetation, with well-manicured grass that no one can tell how it is maintained as well as producing a scenery of ravishing beauty.
Lake Ampidong is a collection of water in the crater of an extinct volcano with the crater formed as a result of a volcanic eruption there so many years ago.
From available records, the crater is approximated to be about 12 kilometers deep with a circumference of just about 500 meters, and the water body is perennially known never to have dried up even in severe drought conditions.
According to local history handed down from generation to generation, the Ampidong Lake holds a mysterious significance that is as old as the community itself. To add to the mystery, there is an olive tree (Atili) located at the edge of the Lake believed to be so sacred that nobody dares to climb the tree without throwing seeds into the lake.
The site is also believed to be home to ancient giants who had plenty of gold, but were swallowed with their wealth by a god because of their disobedience.
Geological Features:
Apart from being a great place to visit if you want to experience the beauty of nature, Lake Ampidong is a volcanic maar lake formed during the Pliocene epoch said to be roughly 2.5 to 5 million years old, when rising magma interacted violently with groundwater with a surface circumference of roughly 500 meters.
Local accounts and tourism records often describe a massive subterranean caldera structure up to 12 kilometers deep, while targeted bathymetric scientific studies record its immediate shallow water depth around 6 meters.
Water Hydrology:
The lake is perennial, meaning it never dries up, even during severe seasonal droughts. Remarkably, it holds water without an obvious primary inlet or outlet stream draining it.
Cultural Significance and Folklore:
The local community considers the lake a sacred, mystical site enveloped in deep-seated legends:
The Sacred Olive (Atili) Tree:
The solitary olive tree stands at the edge of the water. Local tradition mandates that anyone wishing to approach the lake or harvest its fruit must first throw seven premium olives into the water as an offering to appease the lake.
The Tale of Disobedient Giants:
According to local folklore, the crater was once home to wealthy, proud giants but they were swallowed by a deity along with their gold because of their disobedience.
Mystical Water Properties:
Local myths state that if water is fetched from the lake, it will refuse to pour out if taken away from the surrounding region.
It features lush, green manicured-looking grass environments and cool high-altitude weather and also serves as a focal point during the Ampang community’s annual Yaghal Kopshu Festival.