Nigeria, Aug. 13 -- Zuma Rock has loomed large in my imagination for as long as I can remember. I first encountered this colossal monolith in the late 1990s, passing by on trips from Abuja to Kaduna.

Zuma Rock is an igneous intrusion made of gabbro and granodiorite located in Madalla, Niger State, just west of Abuja along the Abuja-Kaduna road. Despite common belief, it lies outside the Federal Capital Territory.

Back then, the sight of an immense wall of stone erupting from the earth always struck me silent. Its sheer size, with that "face" bearing what looked like the features of a guardian watching over the land, always struck me silent.

Depicted on Nigeria's One-hundred-Naira note, Zuma Rock towers approximately 725 meters (2,379 f...