The Nation Newspaper

Category: Travels on Saturday

  • Raking in more revenue through tourism

    Raking in more revenue through tourism

    THE global crash in world oil price has negatively affected the country. The income that the country had hitherto generated from sales of crude oil has dwindled drastically. This has affected the government’s ability to carry out projects and fund its expenditures. It is, therefore, exploring means of earning income outside oil that currently contributes more 90 percent of the country’s GDP.

    Recently, the New Telegraph newspapers in their maiden economic summit titled ‘Nigeria: Beyond the Oil Economy’ brought in experts to look at how the country can generate income through other sectors of the economy. In the light of the huge figures tourism generates every year in the world and manifest transformation it has brought to many countries, it was no surprise that tourism was among the economic sectors discussed as possible areas the nation could diversify into.

    The former governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, chaired the tourism session with a paper presentation by the ex-Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, titled: ‘Our Heritage, Our Destination in a New Economy’.

    The paper and the discussion brought to the fore the huge tourism assets the country has and how the country could tap into them to help in transforming the economy and earn income.

    In his paper, Runsewe said the country, through tourism, could generate millions of jobs since tourism is human labour intensive. This, he said, could solve the high rate of youths unemployment and create millions of jobs in the country.

    He said: “With over 350 ethnic groups, Nigeria is the most culturally plural and most culturally diverse nation in black Africa. The richness of her natural environment and her culture and diversity of her people readily makes the Nigeria a potential tourist destination of choice in Africa. “

    Runsewe said areas such as eco-tourism, cultural cum historical tourism could be developed to attract tourists.

    His words: “Nigeria is generally known to have the most fascinating and most cultural festivals in the whole world. These cultural festivals are expressed in songs, dance, drama, incantations and so on. Festivals are an integral part of Nigeria’s culture, depicting the country’s custom and tradition in a very colorful way. These offer tourists unique opportunity to sample Nigeria’s culture in its undiluted form.

    “In fact, Nigeria has comparative advantage over other African countries in cultural tourism. Many of the cultural festivals in Nigeria have gained international prominence and have continued to capture the fancy of international audience.”

    Runsewe said nations like the United Arab Emirates who also have oil, new that oil does not last forever and as such started planning for post oil economy by diversifying to other sectors to generate income. The sector they turned to was oil. He said Nigeria could equally do the same.

    He concluded: “The reality of today requires that hitherto neglected sectors like agriculture, manufacturing , mining, solid minerals, among others, must strengthen in order to evolve and consolidate the economic base of our nation.

    “Above all, specific attention must be placed on our tourism sector in the process of diversification. This sector has shown greater prospect than oil. While the oil is good, tourism is better; while oil is exhaustible and has some negative effects on our environment, tourism is sustainable and environmental friendly.”

    In his contribution, Uduaghan said it was because of period such as the one the country was in that during his administration, he was harping on the phrase Delta beyond oil. Other discussants on tourism were Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, Tourism Consultant to the Ooni of Ife and proprietor of La Campagne Tropicana, Ikegun, Lagos and Mr. Ashamu Fadipe, former Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations.

  • NHTIC condemns attack on Ivorian hotel

    Organizers and the advisory board of the Nigeria Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (NHTIC) have  condemned  the attack on a hotel in  Grand Bassam, Côte d′Ivoire.

    They also conveyed their sympathy to the families of the victims.

    They said: “We are disheartened by this horrible act of violence and senseless killing of tourists.  Our prayers at this difficult and trying moment are with the families and friends of the victims and the people of Côte d’Ivoire”.

    NHTIC used the opportunity to  reaffirm its full support and confidence in the tourism sector in West Africa and in particular Côte d′Ivoire which has been growing over the last years.

    “As part of our commitment to ensure a safe place for tourists in West Africa. We have included in the 2016 edition of Nigeria Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference a think tank panel of security experts who will be reviewing the various attacks on hotels and beaches across Africa and exploring ways of mitigating future occurrences.

    “ We are hopeful that tourism will continue to play a key role in advancing development in West Africa   sub region and Nigeria in particular. We are very much looking forward meeting you in Lagos this November.”

    Nigeria Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (NHTIC) is an annual event of international level aimed at promoting the hotel and tourism business and related real estate projects in Nigeria and the West African region.

    It is a meeting place for tourism and hospitality experts and offers you opportunity to meet top  influencers in the sector within and outside Nigeria.

  • Nigerian tour operators to issue Ethiopian visas

    Travellers to Ethiopia can now get their visas easily through the help of registered tour operators in Nigeria.

    This was revealed in Kano, Nigeria by the Area Manager, Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria, Solomon Begashaw, while addressing Kano-based travel agents at the annual agency seminar.

    Before now, all travellers have to visit the Ethiopian Embassy in Abuja to procure a visiting visa. As the headquarters of African Union, Ethiopia is joining the move by the AU to simplify travel within Africa by Africans

    The new arrangement will see selected tour operators and travel agents assist their passengers in approaching the embassy for visas. Thus new arrangement will take away one of the obstacles for travellers to Ethiopia.

    Ethiopia, the land of Queen of Sheba, is home to the largest number of the UNESCO heritage sites in Africa.

    At the very successful seminar that was attended by leading agents in Kano, issues involving passenger handling and hajj operations were discussed.

    Ethiopian Airlines started its flight to Kano in 2014, but has been flying to Nigeria since 1960. Today,  ET flies to Lagos, Abuja and Enugu. Founded  December 21, 1945 but started operation on April 8, 1946.

    It operates its major hub at Addis Ababa, a second hub in Togo, Lome and a third hub at Lilongwe, Malawi.

    The ownership is by Government of Ethiopia and the Chief Executive Officer is Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam.

  • The allure of Destination Calabar

    The allure of Destination Calabar

    For those who value beauty, touch of nature and cleanliness, they will definitely fall in love with Calabar. Of recent, there has been so much hype on the flagship product of  Destination Cross River-Carnival  Calabar- that holds every December. Calabar, as a destination, can stand on its own.

    On a recent visit to Calabar for the National Association of Tour Operators (NATOP)  annual general meeting, we had an opportunity to tour Calabar on an open roof, double-decker bus owned by Nova Rosta, an innovative  city tour company in Calabar.

    Calabar is a town with rich history and landmarks that are tied to the overall history of Nigeria. These are hidden for casual observers and visitors. It takes such trip like the city tour to discover the essence of the city and enrich our knowledge of the town.

    The take-off point was the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar. The bus navigated its way through the old Bricksfield Prison compound built in 1890 to the entrance of the famed Hope Wadell Training Institute. The school was founded in 1895 by Rev. Hope Wadell of the Presbyterian Church. It is not just the name that  resonates,  but top past and present leaders of Nigeria passed through the school.

    People like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. Akanu Ibiam and so many others were products of the school. The school compound still has many of the old structures standing and in use. Their sight further cements the school’s grand patrician vestige.  The buildings are built with bricks and stones with aged red roof tops. On the right of the school entering from the back gate is the Calabar lagoon.

    The bus tour exited school through the main gate and headed to the Millennium Park built by former Governor Donald Duke. For many years, this reporter has been visiting the Calabar for Carnival Calabar and so, the Millennium Park was not actually new. There used to be an imposing larger-than-life flag of Nigeria. It was the biggest Nigerian flag hoisted in the country. But it was no longer there. The Millennium Park apart from the well manicure lawns and the glitz of the fountain, has on display old war appurtenances from the First and Second World Wars.

    Lokoja also has such a place, but in Calabar Millennium Park, it is more elaborate and at the centre of the town. Old machines guns, mortar and so on, are all on displayed. Most important of all, there is an arcade with the list of some of the fallen soldiers that fought in the wars.

    The tour bus moved to Calabar Marina passing the first police barracks in Nigeria, old health centers and so on.

    Calabar’s earliest colonial rulers were the Portuguese who coined the name “Old Calabar.” The name existed until 1904. The Portuguese were attracted by the rich supply of food resources. During this time, Calabar also emerged as one of busiest slave-trading depots in Africa.

    The middle of 19th century witnessed Calabar losing its position in the African slave trade. During this phase, it progressed into being a major trading port for palm-based products such as palm oil and kernels. Somewhere around 1883, the Portuguese control over Nigerian colonies weakened due to the increased militarization by the British forces. Calabar became a part of the British regime and served as the capital city for some of the surrounding provinces from 1885 to 1893. During the early part of 20th century, Calabar lost some of its commercial significance due to the robust development at the nearby Port Harcourt terminus.

    The city once served as the seat of Government of the Niger Coast Protectorate, Southern Protectorate and Oil River Protectorate (effectively the headquarters of modern day Nigeria).

    Due to her early role in international trade and colonial administration, Calabar hosts the earliest military barracks, the first Presbyterian church (Church of Scotland Mission) in 1846, the first Monorail and the first modern road network in Nigeria. The city also boasts of the first public (general) Hospital in Nigeria  St. Margaret Hospital, the oldest Post Office and one of the first two Botanical Gardens in the country.

    There is so much to discover in Calabar and the structures  enrich one’s knowledge of Nigerian history. The Calabar Marina is a leisure spot for relaxation. It has a jetty and an open view of the Calabar brackish lagoon.

    One could take a speed boat ride from there to different parts of the city. From the Marina we could have an expansive view of Duke town further. The Marina as a leisure spot is well kept and has a way of lulling one into reclining on the chair watching the water monotonously bop up and down.

    However, here at the Marina houses what could be considered one of the best attractions to the city-the Calabar Museum.

    Entering the museum, there was nothing special or different from other colonial museums like the Badagry Slave Museum or the Colonial Museum in Aba. It was a shocker that many on our tour who had hitherto considered themselves knowledgeable about what tourism assets Calabar have.

    There were routine pictures of the items used during the slave trade, things like coins, hand and lips cuffs, items used in exchange for slaves, personalities that were part of the slave trade and so on. There was no excitement in the group because there nothing new. Then we were treated to a live experience.

    Passing through what looked like a witch’s coven,-dark and grim, we were thrown back in time into the slave trade era, 300 years back.  Still life size image of slaves, slave raiders were on display, but that is not  what made the Calabar Slave Museum interesting. At the press of a button, the place was filled with live voices of people in despair, cry of women, children and adult as they are captured and taken away to the new world. There was a sculpted work of the slave ships with their human cargo.

    With the supporting voices from the speakers cleverly positioned, the horror of slave trade becomes real. Within that period inside the museum, we were lost in time. It was if we were living through about 200 years back. The slave auctions, with the auctioneers in their fast tempo voice were all wafting through the speakers.

    It is one of the most evocative visits to any slave trade museum, while places like Elmina Castle, Cape Coast Ghana makes slave trade real to visitors, there is something that the Calabar Slaver Museum captures that no other slave  era site in West Africa captures.

    Many of us were surprised that an interesting place exists in Calabar and it was never included in the package tour to Destination Cross River. It was either those that packaged the tour were unaware of what was on display there.

    The bus tour was really interesting, but the Cross River State government needs to do more by carving out an open bus tour city route. The biggest impediment to this educative trip was the large number of live electric wires that litter the route and such the bus driver had do so much careful navigation to avoid them. It is important that the live electric cables should be re-routed passed underground on the tour bus route to avoid accident.

    Having said that, for those visiting Calabar, the tour would not be complete without an open bus tour. Go for it.

  • Soyinka calls for retrieval of Ife antiques

    Soyinka calls for retrieval of Ife antiques

    Professor Wole Soyinka has called on the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ojaja II, to accord attention to the retrieval of Ife antiquities and art objects illegally carted away to foreign land, especially the Ori Olokun.

    Speaking recently in Ile-Ife at the declaration of the city as a free tourism zone, Professor Soyinka, who was represented by Professor Wale Adeniran, stated that steps must be taken to ensure that they are not given replicas in place of the original ones.

     

    Nobel laureate: “Some names have been mentioned, names like Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth; Koffi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations; Henry Leegate, a distinguished Africanist at the Yale, who owns a university; Professor Bolanle Awe; Prof Oyayi; Mr Edison Arantes do Nascimento, Pele of Brazil and the representative of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments.”

    He noted that when these artifacts must have been returned to their original home, the pilgrims will never cease to leave Ile-fe with the dynamism, energy, drive and solomonic wisdom of Oba Ogunwusi.

    Soyinka expressed the confidence that this feat can be accomplished.

    He explained that what is happening now at the palace ground is long overdue given the status of Ife as the city of  art and world’s famed tribe of ancient and modern art.

    He observed that it is the belief of many that Ile-Ife is the centre of the world, and that Olodumare has made Otu Ife a focal point of the universe.

    The erudite professor stated further that with the infrastructure being put in place by Oba Ogunwusi, one can foresee an endless procession of pilgrims and tourists continually converging on the ancestral home of Ile-Ife from far and near.

    He commended the efforts of the Kabiesi, stressing that if this is adopted and supported, it will contribute in bringing back the golden days of 1970s when the then University of Ife used to organise the Ife Festival of the Arts which attracted participants from far and near, including the Negritude poet and the then President of Senegal, Léopold Sédar Senghor, who participated in one of such festivals.

    Soyinka maintained that the Obafemi Awolowo University still has a major role to play in strengthening the organisation of the festival of arts by engaging in sustained research into the history of Ile-Ife.

    In the light of this, we have to bring back the programme of the study of archaeology at the undergraduate and post graduate levels, he said.

    Speaking earlier at the event, Oba  Ogunwusi called for a concerted effort to take the continent out of impoverished level of poverty, “because God gave us everything.”

    He said it is important “for us to come together as one happy family and channel the course and make Africa a better place, not only Ile-Ife, not only Osun State, Yoruba land or Nigeria, but the entire Africa.”

    He explained that today our traditional religion is the fastest growing in the world, faster than Christianity, faster than Islam.

    The Ooni maintained that the entire world is moving towards the African traditional religion, while the custodians do not even appreciate it nor value it.

    He disclosed that it is evident that every square metre of Ile-Ife is full of mysteries.

    The Ooni said the alternative we have is to keep all those mysteries that have been existing for million of years or open them to the world for them to know and experience those mysteries.

    “Out of that, we are going to have movement in terms of tourism because any development in life is all about tourism. Movement of slave trade is now our past, but it was a movement at some point because some humans moved all the way from Africa to Europe, South America and other places. Movement brings every other thing. It brings development, prosperity and progress, so we need to focus well on movement in the entire Africa because every part of Africa is full of mysteries and I will start from Ile-ife”, he said.

  • Ethiopian All-Female Flight: Daughters of Lucy fly to Kigali

    Ethiopian All-Female Flight: Daughters of Lucy fly to Kigali

    Ethiopian Airlines  marked International Women’s Day, March 8, with an All-Women Operated Flight dispatched on the Addis Ababa  Kigali route.

    The flight was aimed at further strengthening Ethiopian corporate conviction of “Women Empowerment for a Sustainable Growth”. The Sky Lucies  operated the flight fully on the ground and in the sky from flight deck crew members and Cabin Operations to Airport Operations; Flight Dispatcher; Load Controller; Ramp Operations; On-board logistics; Aviation Safety and Security; Ticket Offices; Catering; Air Traffic Controllers and Global Call Center.

    Group CEO, Tewolde GebreMariam , said, “We are thrilled to mark March 8 with an All Women Operated Flight, which reaffirms nonexistence of gender specific profession, if equal opportunity for education is ensured for all. We sincerely believe that education is the greatest equalizer in the 21st century and that is the rationale for us to build an internationally recognized training centre, Ethiopian Aviation Academy, which has the capacity to train 4000 students annually with all the latest and next generation aviation technology training machines and facilities.

    “ We are now in a position to better serve the continent’s young men and women and equip them to win in the 21st century African Aviation development.

    “Above all, we want to inspire African girls to seriously think about careers as pilots, aircraft technicians, Cabin Crew, aircraft Engineers, aviation leadership etc.

     

  • Lagos to drive development with tourism

    The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode,  has said    the state plans to use  tourism, hospitality, entertainment and sports to drive development of the state.

    Ambode said this during his official tour of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.   Ambode also  announced plans by the Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to collaborate to redevelop the National Museum situated in Onikan, Lagos. The redevelopment will include a new museum complex to be ready before next year’s celebration of Lagos at 50.

    He averred that the expected gains of the partnership with the Federal Government on the National Museum will further reduce gaps in job creation with the engagement of artisans and other related skills.

    In the long run, this will cause a leap in the State GDP while other positive multiplier effects will be recorded in the State economy.

    The governor in company of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, during the tour expressed optimism that the collaborative effort of the state and the Federal Government will be beneficial to the country in terms of development and preservation of monuments.

    He referred to an on-going multi-storey car park complex being undertaken by the state government near the National Museum as a project that will complement the envisaged collaborative arrangement.

    Alhaji Mohammed expressed his joy at the interest shown and demonstrated by the state government and refered to the partnership as “a dream come true”

    In his own reaction, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Folorunsho Folarin-Coker, noted that the synergy between the Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture under Alhaji Lai Mohammed will take the tourism and culture sector to the highest level ever witness in the country.

    Mr. Folarin-Coker expressed optimism that the partnership on the National Museum project portends a good omen for the entire country in terms of the deliverables and long term socio-economic values .

    The federal and the state government teams led by the Minister and the Governor included the Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mallam Hamdala Usman, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Folorunsho Folarin-Coker, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Arts and Culture, Hon Adebimpe Akinsola, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde  and permanent secretaries.

  • Women Festival: ‘Why we celebrate our women’

    Women Festival: ‘Why we celebrate our women’

    Women’s Festival, an event that celebrates the virtues of women in the south western part of the country, is said to have crucial roles in the development of every nation.

    The festival, according to the promoters,  is an equivalent of the  Halloween Festival in Europe and America.

    Highlighting the importance of the festival during the  2016 edition held at Epe recently, the Chief Promoter of the Olokun Festival Foundation, Chief Gani Adams, said: “This festival is held to celebrate our women. They are our mothers and have been empowered by the Almighty with special spiritual authority to oversee the affairs of men in the world. Though as a result of ignorance, some people have wrongly labelled women as the weaker sex. But the truth is that women are stronger than their men counterpart, especially in spiritual matters.

    “If you look very well, you would see that most successful societies in the world are those that give women a special preference in the order of importance. It is, therefore, not surprising that there is visible prosperity in countries like the USA and UK, where women are treated with much respect.

    |”Unknown to ignorant people, women form part of the instruments God uses in carrying out his plans for humanity. For example, if you see anybody that is tormented by witches, it is because God allows it to happen, either as a punishment for that person or to teach some lessons which may never have been learnt if that thing did not happen.”

    He dismissed the insinuation in some quarters that the festival is evil, saying: “It is surprising that those who condemn witches and relate them with evil have continued to celebrate the Halloween festival in Europe and America. It is funny that these people have failed to realize that the Halloween festival is celebrated in honour of women with spiritual powers.

    “The special place women occupy in our society cannot be overemphasized. In those days, women were generally regarded as wives whose only roles were to cook, clean, and take care of the kids. They were not accorded any better role, simply because the world was seen as a ‘Man’s world’.

    “But you will agree with me that, perhaps the most difficult job to do in the home is to raise a child. And for me, raising a child is not an ordinary task. Look around you, any successful man you see around you is the product of a hardworking woman and mother. Please, join me to give a loud ovation to our women and mothers.”

    Going down history lane, he added: “In medieval Yoruba society, we have stories of women who contributed a great deal to the development of their communities. The exploits of Moremi Ajasoro, Madam Tinubu, Efunsetan Aniwura and several others continue to evoke great feelings from us. I want to challenge our women to take a cue from these great women and stand up and take up the challenge to contribute to the development of their communities.

    “And back to the issue of Grandmothers. Researches have shown that they are capable of doing good things. We have heard stories about some mothers who deliberately become witches in order to offer protection and prosperity to their children.

    Witches can be very benevolent and helpful to humanity if they find very good reason to be. While it is true that there are bad witches, but the truth is that there are also good witches who carry out assignments given to them by the almighty. Their being good or bad to you depends on what you have done and what you deserve.

    “Witches work with the spirits and air. And that is why most of what they do cannot be physically seen or attributed. You will agree with me that it is same with science and technology.

    “ In several ways, witches and technology work in similar ways. And the only reason why we continue to see their bad side is because we have failed to realize their beautiful powers and accord them their due respect.

    Be that as it may. Whatever treatment we give to women, who are our mothers, is part of the larger negligence that our culture suffers today.”

    He pointed out that many people are suffering today simply because they have neglected the culture and traditions of their fathers, adding: “ To the best of my knowledge, every Yoruba son and daughter come from a particular home that has some form of traditional rites that are performed for new born babies. But because of civilization, they have forgotten about these things, and making such children suffer from the sins of their parents.

    “The Yoruba is a race that puts high premium on culture. Unlike many other races of the world, the Yoruba has kept their culture alive in every aspect of their daily lives.

    “At this point, I think it is important to know what culture is and its importance to man. Culture is defined as the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought. These patterns, traits, and products are considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community or population.

    “Culture is the unique possession of man. Man is born and brought up in a cultural environment. Man is not only a social animal but also a cultural being. Man cannot survive as a man without culture. Culture fulfils our needs and represents the entire achievements of mankind.

    “It is with these constantly at the back of our minds that we have constantly rededicated ourselves to the promotion of Yoruba culture anywhere in the world. Our children must know their heritage, speak our language, eat our foods and wear our clothes.”

    As a very good student of history, he said: “ I have taken the time to study Yoruba history. And I stand here without any fear of contradiction that the Yoruba are not as intellectually poor or backward as some people may want us to believe. The African, particularly the Yoruba, possess a unique and robust understanding of the world long before the Whiteman stepped on our soil.

    “From now on, I implore you, Yoruba sons and daughters to carry yourselves with pride and hold your heads very high anywhere you go because you are noble children of the great Oduduwa.

    “As we gather here today to honour our mothers, I pray that they begin to smile on us and bring us good fortunes. May we continue to experience peace and development in Epe, the entire Yoruba land and Nigeria in general.

    “And finally, I want to use this opportunity to once again call on our governments at all levels to begin to see culture as a veritable tool to drive the people and the economy. More than any natural resources, human resources is the best of all the resources a people can be blessed with. It is the human that will make every other natural resource work in the best interest of the nation.

    It is in this light that I want to plead with our governments at all levels to begin to promote and invest in the culture of the Nigerian people.“

  • Southern Sun sponsors 2016 NPA Polo tournament

    Southern Sun Ikoyi has collaborated with 2016 NPA Lagos International Polo Tournament as a major sponsor for the tournament. The  tournament which brought together international players of repute had Southern Sun Ikoyi alongside other luxury sponsors, draw inspiration from the sport’s rich culture and heritage in delighting the taste buds of the esteemed guests and inproviding an exclusive hospitality experience for all VIPs at the event

    The annual tournament which is steeped in tradition, attracts hundreds of spectators throughout the duration of the event, in addition tothe world’s elite polo players. In emphasizing the hotel’s continued commitment in supporting the growth of sporting activities within its community, Southern Sun Ikoyi lent its support in sponsoring and bolstering the rich heritage of the sport. Hailed as one of the premium event in the city’s annual sporting calendar, the prestigious Majekodunmi cup established in 1949 was this yearwon by the Lagos Fifth Chukker/Access following a 15-7 victory over Lagos Ironclad/Trojan.The exhilarating tournament also saw Lagos Aerovote defeat Lagos Zippy 5-3 to emerge champions of the low cup.

    Speaking on the phenomenal success of the recently concluded 2016 tournament, Mark Loxley, General Manager Southern Sun Ikoyi, expressed great delight at supporting the efforts of the Lagos Polo Club in hosting its annual competition. Mr. Loxley continued that “our commitment at Southern Sun Ikoyi is to keep the sport of Polo alive in Lagos as we lend our support even in the coming years to expanding the true spirit of the game and to have more Lagosians enjoy this unique sport and stylish event”.

    Since inception, Southern Sun Ikoyi continues to play an instrumental role in establishing and evolving Lagos’ thriving hospitality industry as it is known today. Nestled in Ikoyi, the heart of the Nation’s bustling metropolis, Southern Sun Ikoyi prides itself in offering the most distinct business services in premium hospitality. Boasting the finest cuisine and relaxation experience on the Island divide. The award winning hotel continues to maintain its service of remarkable quality and excellence through the years. Southern Sun Ikoyi offers a haven away from home for business and leisure travelers alike.

     

     

  • Ooni opens up on mysteries of Ife

    Ooni opens up on mysteries of Ife

    It was all glitz, drumming and singing at the Palace of the Ooni of Ife in Enuwa, Ile-Ife. It was a special day that transformed the status of Ile Ife.  For the first time, a city in Nigeria has been declared as a Tourism Zone. The aim is to make the city a  tourism friendly city aimed at welcoming tourists on she discovery and adventure. The status was achieved with a declaration by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

    The tourism zone declaration also saw a display of the rich culture of Ile-Ife with different gaily dressed cultural troupes, performing for the appreciative guests who had trooped to the palace to witness the declaration.

    Oba Ogunwusi talked about the rich culture of Ile-Ife and its mystery. He said: “We have Yoruba all over the world. We want to bring out the mysteries of this land, and we want to connect all the dotted lines.  Although a committed son of Ife, I know the history and mystery, right from my childhood that whoever you’ve been married to, your first wife in this palace, you need to go and pay her the honour.

    “ I was wondering, my wife in the palace?  Are they going to give me another wife? But when I went further, it was actually true. I went to see my wife in the palace. Guess who I saw? I saw one of the mysteries of creator, the King of Kings. A typical queen was in this palace many years ago.

    “ She never had a child and said: ‘God, I cried unto you and you never gave me a child. I will convert to become a martyr that would be useful to the entire mankind’. She prayed to God and God answered her prayers. She became a living well in this palace. That is my first wife in this palace. There is nothing you ask from Yeye Molu that she will not give you. What do we not have in Ile Ife? God blessed us with these mysteriess.

    “ We need to bless the entire world with it. There is nobody that takes that water and ask God for anything that it will happen. It is the mysteries of Ile Ife. The mysteries of water go on and on. I will encourage each and every visitor here today to go and have a look at one of the mysteries of God.

    “If you dare the water, and you fall into it, as small as it is, you will never come back. But, if you get into the water by mistake, she will protect you and take you to the nearest bank of any river or sea that your family members will find you. All these things have been established in the history of Ile Ife. The water is so jealous that she wants to be in this palace alone and no other well, but it is full of life.  This and so many other mysteries are what we want to turn into tourist attractions together with Motherland Beckons for all of us to trace our roots back to Africa.

    “ In North America, you have a lot of descendants of Yoruba race. If you go to South America, more than half of the entire major countries of South America will tell you categorically that they are Yoruba and they keep the culture intact, but we that are custodians, we don’t even appreciate what we have. That why we are putting together, with Motherland Beckons, to call on people of this world, to come and establish their roots and their origin.

    “The mysteries in Ife land keeps growing. We are discovering several mysteries. I mentioned to the entire world that he Tower of Babel is in Ile Ife. Some said it cannot be so, it is in the land of Egypt. It is not in the land of Egypt. We are proud to say that it is indeed in Ife land. The story of the Ark of Noah, the entire world have been looking for it.

    “The truth is, the Ark of Noah, is still alive in Ife land. It is one of our pride; it is one of our heritage. It has been in existence for millions of years.  The pre-Genesis world happened in Ife land . There was a life before Genesis. There was a life before mankind, the spirit life, which actually existed before mankind came into existence. The western people will call it esoteric world. All these facts are there, and by the grace of God, we are working towards putting them together. We urge each one of you to keep following us as we are progressing.”

    The oba continued: “There are too many mysteries. You know God thrives on mysteries, not even one.  Ife has so many mysteries and we will be given some of these mysteries to companies, corporate organisations to brand them and people will be coming to see them, starting from the palace and so many other places. That is the essence of tourism, so everybody in the world will come and see mysteries.

    “ You know tourism is movement, so when people move, tourism is moving. So they will take you there, they will explain the Imole to you, she is alive and am proud to be associated with her. She doesn’t like to be covered, she want to have the nature and the world directly, the more you cover it, the more she gets annoyed and breaks it before the next day morning, if you put bulldozer there, she breaks it. You cannot take the water out, but you can drink it, wash your hands and it will cleanse your spirit. Since all of you are tourism Journalists, all of you will go and see it.

    “What is driving Ife is very simple, too many mysteries in this land, and I tell people, we are not talking about supremacy here.  Ife in the English language means land of expansion. There is no land that has that name in the world. The meaning of Ile-Ife is the land of expansion. And I will tell the journalists to watch a very powerful documentary being put together by the western world.

    “It is called the story of oracles, very powerful. When you watch it, you will be very proud to be an African man. Everything started from here. There was another world that was pre Genesis world. I will give you the documentary to watch.

    “It is a fantastic documentary and today, the fastest growing religion in the world is the African religion, faster than Christianity, faster than Islam, all over the world. Why, because everybody is realizing that is from tropical Africa and we have been trying to pinpoint it from the source in Ile Ife. And as God will have it, God left mysteries for us to see those landmarks.

    “The landmarks are there, they have been here for millions of years and we still have them and I am glad to showcase it to you, the tourism journalists and the resort, what is driving it is bigger than what we have in Lagos, like I told you last year in Lagos, am like a visionary.

    “I foresee things and I like to project in a very strategic manner, the resort in Ife is very strategic because people will come from all over the world to see the mysteries, they will ask questions, what’s happening, I granted an interview recently where I just mentioned two of the mysteries and everybody said no, it is impossible, it can never be here, but the truth is that is here.

    “I mentioned the story of the tower of Babel in the Bible. It is in Ife land, the second one I mentioned is the Art of Noah. It is here, but people say no way, but the truth is it is here, the tower of Babel they said it is in Egypt, no is not in Egypt, it is here because the two stories are very synonymous.

    “God created the world and destroyed it with the great flood, you all know the story of the great flood and the art of Noah story, the ark built to save some souls, plants,  animals etcetera, but the Art of Noah is here, is a mystery place, is along Okeora, the entire Okeora is more than 1000 miles in stretch, if you are not careful you will get lost, it is there, it along the belt of Okeora, it runs all the way from Ife to Ondo State, Edo State, it gets to Benin, it is a mystery mountain all the way, all the mountain till the end of Benin, Edo state is full of mystery. “

    The new status of Ile-Ife was brought about by Motherland Beckons, a project initiated by Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, aimed at creating a platform that would open up the continent of Africa to the Africans in the Diaspora and help them to reconnect to their roots where their forefathers were taken from to the New World, the present day America.