Evaluation of Three Geosites Within Ilesha Schist Belt Southwest Nigeria as a Potential Geoheritage Site for Sustainable Regional Development

Olumirin, Arinta and Ikogosi warm/cold springs are three magnificent geosites located within the Effon Psamite formation in the Ilesha schist belt of the southwestern basement complex of Nigeria. The proposed geoheritage area is blessed with two massive cascading waterfalls (Olumirin in Erin-Ijesha, Osun State and Arinta in Ipole Iloro, Ekiti State) that exists at various levels which has been described as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Modern World” and a warm and cold springs (Ikogosi, Ekiti State) flowing side by side with a meeting point within a close proximity. The aesthetic, geological and ecological features present within the study area have made it imperative to showcase these unique natural environments to the world and to propose a possible upgrade to an international geoheritage site in order to maximise the tourism and economic potentials of the area. This paper deals with the unique geology, tourism/economic potentials and water resources of the study area. The geology of the study area reflected a highly fractured and faulted quartzite within the Effon Ridge system which serves as sources of numerous springs and waterfalls within the area. Geospatial analysis showed a very close proximity between the two waterfalls located in different states as belonging to different flanks of a ridge. Ikogosi warm and cold spring is a warm spring flowing in a valley rising from the surrounding Effon and Ikogosi a ridges with unique ambient and natural environment. Apart from the tourism potentials of these geosites, the sites offer potable water for various domestic and economic usage; physico-chemical parameters, cations and anions are all within the recommended limits of WHO and NIS except for Cr 6+ found in very few of the water sampled. Other potentials of the study area include as follows: health and energy potentials. The study area in every standard meets the requirements of being a geoheritage site of high conservative significance judging from its numerous geological, aesthetic, ecological and unique environmental features.