…As Ministry Staffers Visit Local Tourist Sites
The
Oyo State Government, over the weekend, called on Nigerians to explore
local tourist sites in the country and invest in the nation’s tourism.
The
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr.
Oyedele Oyesola said this during a visit to local tourist sites in Oyo
State.
The Permanent Secretary, who led about
52 Information Officers to the Oke-Ogun region, seat of Ado-Awaye
suspended lake and Osoogun, home town of late Bishop Ajayi Crowther,
said the trip was organized in order to explore some of the tourists
centres in the State, especially as the Ministry is the custodian of the
Tourism sector of the State.
The Ado-Awaye Suspended Lake is the only natural suspended lake in the world.
Mr.
Oyedele Oyesola said, “the essence of this trip is to expose the
activities of the State Government as civil servants, which is the core
function of the Ministry”.
He said that the State is abundantly blessed with about 163 tourist sites all across the different zones of the State.
“The
Ado-Awaye Hill is unique which is why it was the first point of call
and it needs to be exposed to the world. As a Ministry, we’ll do it.
This is an exciting trip, because it gives room for interactions among
officers regardless of their positions”, he said.
He
charged the State Government to think outside the box on possible ways
to turn tourist sites in Oyo State into money-spinning sites, calling
for partnership with investors so as to turn the Ado-Hills and other
tourist sites into world-standard tourist centers.
Speaking
in Araromi LCDA, the Political Head, Hon Timothy Olugbade Ogunleke,
appreciated the visit of the delegation to the tourist center which he
described as a right step in the right direction.
He
however called on well meaning Nigerians and the Government to
prioritize the beautification of the Iyake tourist centre, so as to
encourage more tourists.
“The Iyake mountain
is in need of aesthetics, for easy maneuvering of the mountain and
relaxation centres for people to relax after descending the mountain”,
he said
The Team also paid homage to the Alado
of Ado-Awaye, Oba Ademola Olugbile Folakanmi, Makuledoye II, who
appreciated the visitation of the Team to Ado-Awaye.
The
Monarch said Ado-Awaye is answering a lot of questions as regards the
economy of Oyo State, with the latest establishment of the Sorbitol
Cassava Factory and the Iyake suspended lake, all in Ado-Awaye.
Oba
Ademola Olugbile Folakanmi thereafter presented a book written by him
to the Team which was titled “Iyake suspended lake, the pride of Africa”
The
team visited Osoogun, the ancient town of the late Bishop Samuel Ajayi
Crowther, famous for the translation of the English version of the Bible
to Yoruba version. In the words of Chief Bola
Bambi, the Basorun of Osoogun Town, the Baobab Tree to which the late
Bishop was tied to is synonymous to the Town, such that if rain refuses
to fall and prayers are offered to the tree, rain will fall.
Chief
Bola Bambi therefore called on the Government to kindly see to the
challenges bedeviling the community such as lack of good roads and
electricity.
E-signed:
Hon. Wasiu Olatubosun, Ph.D.,Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism,Oyo State.