Award-winning Nigerian geologist, Abdulsalam Omuya Lukeman has successfully pioneered a geological foray to the summit of Mount Kilmanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and highest single free-standing Mountain above sea level in the world.
The mountain stands tall at a recorded 5,895 meters above sea level and 4,900 meters above its base.
The successful ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro comes a couple of years after the Geotourist led inquisitive minds on a result-oriented adventure to the crest of Chappal Waddi-Nigeria’s highest peak, a geological adventure that arguably situates him as the first indigenous pioneer Geologist to register the staggering maiden milestone on the mountain which stands at 2,419 meters situated on the extreme eastern flank of Taraba State, on the border with the Republic of Cameroon.
Speaking on the adventure, he said, “The essence is not just to get to the peaks of these great mountains, but to travel with an inquisitive mind and evolve new knowledge on these geological edifices of nature,” he said on telephone to LEADERSHIP Friday, adding, “I made very resourceful documentation of these adventures and I am working on a book that will contain the findings.
“As part of my contribution to the development of geology in Nigeria and Africa, I look forward to presenting my book of novel geological opinion to the public when I return to Nigeria, soon.”
Omuya’s professional passion for new discoveries and creative dissemination of newfound geological knowledge inspired the founding of the popular earth science magazine, The Rock Post, where he doubles as editor-in-chief. This is besides anchoring about the most vibrant social media geological platform in Nigeria which is growing to become a reference point for all egg heads in the sector.
He described his adventure to the summit of Mount Kilmanjaro as “a testosterone-filled six whooping days of daring endeavor through the Marangu route,” revealing that the incursion ran through montane, rainforest, the Heathen Moorland, semi desert, desert and afforded him ‘a good chance to see Mawendi and Kibo craters, the Alpine desert, the rocky screes and bone-chilling arctic glacial-packed ice caps.’”
He stated that due to altitude sickness and sharp contrast in climate from Nigeria, the sub-zero temperature proved resistant; he was disoriented, lost speech coordination and focus, while his limbs were completely dysfunctional and numb. According to him, “I could not afford failure, so I relentlessly kept my eyes on the trail and my heart on the prize. In the end, I practically crawled to the point and was only barely able to, with national pride, hoist the green white green flag, to the Glory of God and the goodwill of teeming followers.”
