THE Akwaaba tourism fair launched with cautious optimist 11 years ago with the aim of becoming the market place for tourism products and business in West Africa. There was a certain level of mooted pessimism on the ability of the fair to thrive considering the misadventures of those who tried to float travel fairs in the past. The list of fairs that could not be sustained included the Abuja Tourism Expo, WATTS, and many others.
In 2015, and eleven years down the line, the Akwaaba Travel Market has not only established itself as the most consistent industry-recognised fair in West Africa, it has been globally recognised as the fair for travel and tourism business in West Africa.
The 2015 edition of Akwaaba travel fair proved that the fair garnered acceptance in West Africa, Africa and beyond. About 15 countries from Africa and beyond were represented at the event, including United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Ghana, Gambia, Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Morocco, Benin Republic, Liberia, Sierra Leone and others.
The fair was declared open by former Nigerian ambassador to Spain and wife of the late Igbo leader, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu. The fair kicked off with the wedding expo.
Akwaaba demonstrated a rebound from last year’s Ebola scare when the scourge brought the nation’s hospitality and tourism industry to its knees. It also proved that the huge population of Nigeria and the insatiable appetite of Nigerians for travelling would continue to make the country a market for many destinations. Akwaaba also proved that it has become an authentic window into the Nigerian market. Top among the exhibitors were the Dubai tourism board who came to promote the city’s shopping fair and give Nigerians the opportunity to win free trip to Dubai.
Akwaaba 2015 underscored the need for intra-Africa travel and the need for Africans to visit other African countries. This point was made as most top African destinations have liberal visa conditions making travel to the destinations economical, less strenuous and authentic.
Destinations like Kenya, The Gambia and Rwanda also entertained visitors with national cuisines and cultural troupes at the event.
Top on the list of activities at the fair was the award night where the Akwaaba Award Committee honored Kenya’s Waturi Wa Matu with a Tourism Legend Award for efforts in making East African countries a single visa country.
The highpoint of the fair was, however, the visit of Cross Rivers State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade. He came as the special guest of honour and to promote the annual Calabar Festival billed to kick off December 1.
Ayade was full of praise for the fair and promised support. He said: “I am here to specially witness Akwaaba. It has been part of history and culture. I have known Ikechi (the organiser) for the last 15 to 20 years. If I recall, in 2003, I won his Tourist Man of the Year – the most travelled man of the year – because I have been in tourism. I have invested in tourism and I do recognise the value of tourism, and today I am the governor of the number tourism state of this country.
“Akwaaba has done great. Akwaaba has brought integration among African states. Akwaaba has created an opportunity for us to recognise the value of African travel. For most of us who have travelled round the whole world, but with very little travel
Dubai’s debut presence at this year’s African Travel Market (ATM), taking place in Lagos, Nigeria is to highlight the emirate’s interest in the continent.
Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) is promoting the emirate as a must-visit destination for African travellers in 2016.
Speaking at the ATM, Stella Obinwa, Head of Africa Region, Dubai Tourism, said: “Dubai already holds great appeal among African travellers, particularly those who love shopping, entertainment and family fun. We are here to show that Dubai is going to out-do itself in this regard in 2016, with incredible new attractions and opportunities that can’t be missed.”
Nigeria is one of Dubai’s best-performing African markets, with over 300,000 visitors arriving in Dubai from the region in 2014. Emirates operates three flights daily out of Nigeria, augmented by additional flights from within the region operated by Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Rwandair, Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and Royal Air Maroc.
Shopping is a major attraction among African travellers, and Dubai is highlighting its incredible retail offering to Nigerians in several innovative ways. Dubai Tourism recently rolled out an advertising campaign in Nigeria, highlighting Dubai Shopping Festival in January the month when shopping bargains and festivities can be found across the city, including the world’s most-visited mall, The Dubai Mall. Furthermore, Dubai Tourism is running an incredible prize giveaway for consumers, on radio with Soul & Liquid Lounges and with travel partners Tour Brokers International and World N Travel, offering 200 people the chance to win a trip to Dubai Shopping Festival 2016.
Stella Obinwa commented: “The scale of the competition is unprecedented and hasn’t been done by any other tourism board or company. We are working with our top travel agencies and radio stations to give Nigerians an amazing Dubai experience. When it comes to shopping, nobody does it better than Nigerians.”
Dubai Tourism is also enlisting style leaders to highlight its status as a fashion capital, and the Department recently worked with Nigerian-American artist Jidenna to highlight the city’s shopping and destination offerings.
The emirate’s ambitious plans to make Dubai the world’s number one family holiday destination will also be demonstrated during ATM, spurred by the openings of four major theme parks in Dubai next year. Opening in early 2016, IMG Worlds of Adventure will be the world’s largest indoor theme park, offering year-round fun and excitement for all ages.
Chief Promoter, Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams and a guest during the grand finale of 2015 edition of Olokun festival in Badagry
THE sleepy town of Badagry witnessed an unusual gathering of people from within and outside the country during the annual Olokun Festival that held last week in the Lagos State suburb.
Commercial drivers, motorcyclists and traders enjoyed brisk business with the tumultuous crowd that graced the occasion.
Some who spoke with The Nation wished the festival could be a weekly celebration. A commercial motorcyclist who identified himself as Mauho said: “I have not made the kind of money I made within this period in a very long time because we hardly have this kind of crowd in this area. Before now, I could carry one passenger and wait for another 30 minutes before seeing another one. But since yesterday that this event began, I have not been idle.
“I wish I could even take a break but I cannot because it is a rare opportunity. In fact, some of our people who left the business to do other things quickly rushed back when they heard the festival was going to take place. They did because they knew it was an opportunity to make fast money.”
His commercial bus counterpart who gave his name as Osawe said he was spared the stress of shouting for a long time in search of passengers. “I have not experienced the usual stress that comes with shouting to attract passengers since the festival started. This is because the huge crowd here for the festival made it very easy for my colleague and I. They have been coming in their numbers and boarding our vehicles without any of us shouting himself hoarse to attract passengers. We wish the festival could be a weekly thing because it boosts our income and living standard.”
Traders shared in the huge benefit flowing from the festival. Some of them said they repeatedly exhausted supplies and often had to go back fresh supplies. With a wide smile on her face, a trader who gave her name as Bose said: “Olokun has, true to its title, brought blessings to us. We had had a worrisome lull in our businesses, but the celebration of this festival has reversed that. Most of us have up to three times exhausted our wares and gone back to take fresh supplies.
“It is unbelievable because we hardly exhausted our supply in a whole week before now because of the state of the economy. I would be glad if there could be similar festivals from time to time so that we could be prospering in our businesses and not die of hunger.”
The chief promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams, said the presence of the mammoth crowd at the event is good for the development of tourism as an alternative revenue earner for the country.
He said: “The presence of people from different countries here today is a magnet that can attract the anticipated foreign investment that continues to dominate desire for national economic growth and development. Our traditional festivals can also be used as a tool of cultural diplomacy fast appreciating and showing preference for the use of soft and persuasive power rather than futile resort to strong arm tactics and gun boat diplomacy, our religious and cultural festivals given their wide acceptance and practice in the Americas are capable of improving Nigeria’s respect and influence in the world.
“They represent positive aspects of the Nigerian story that can improve our image. Our religious and cultural festivals can serve as a good medium to change negative mindset against our people and about our environment. Our decision to promote Olokun Festival through its celebration is further informed by the growing need to call attention to the development of numerous water bodies and the benefits they can confer on our quests for socio-economic development. It has the huge potential of promoting global peace, economic prosperity. This is why we chose “Traditional Festival and Prospect of Cultural Dividend” as the theme of this year’s celebration.
“Part of the reasons we celebrate this festival is the name Olokun itself. The word Olokun is universal. In Edo language, Olokun is called Olokun. In Urhoboland, particularly in Okpe, Olokun is known and called Olukun. Olokun is known as Ndem Mmo among the Efik and the Ibibio. In Gaa language, in Ghana, Olokun is Farr Ingmo. Beyond Africa, Olokun and its festival is celebrated in the Diaspora. Olokun is among the belief treasures of the Yoruba that survived among the descendants of enslaved Africans in the Americas.
“Like in these places, Olokun is widely held as the deity in charge of the seas and the oceans. You would therefore agree with me that irrespective of the location or clime, Okun and Olokun are concepts that pervade and unify the entire globe. You would also agree with me that no deity or festivity linked the Yoruba to its Daspora, particularly the Americas, as Olokun festival. “Consequently, our decision to foster global visibility of Yoruba culture is another important reason for our investment in Olokun festival. On the whole, the celebration of Olokun festival represents our people’s way of giving thanks for its benevolence, seeking forgiveness for our sins in past years and praying for favour and blessings of the goddess.”
Delivering his keynote address, Prof Muyiwa Falaiye, Professor of Philosophy and Dean of Arts, University of Lagos, said: “The religion of Orisha, which the Olokun Festival partly represents, portrays a spirituality of tolerance and peace. Its spiritual activities are devoid of pernicious tenets of sectarianism, intolerance of other’s doctrines and worldviews as well as horrendous carnage and bloodletting on behalf of a deity.
“The new generation of Nigerians, like the organisers of the Olokun Festival, forms part of those Africans which the Ghanaian economist and philosopher George Ayittey has chosen to call ‘the cheetah generation’. This generation of Nigerians must move forward to confront the challenges posed by the crises of development.”
He advised that Nigerians look inward for solution to the myriad problems confronting the country. “As it has been demonstrated in the area of culture, the Olokun Festival justifiably showcases this possibility of a cultural rebirth with its annual cultural celebration and rally. Just like the forward-looking energetic minds who form the face of the Olokun Festival, young generation of Nigerians must accept the reality that no one can solve our problems but Nigerians themselves.”
Some members of the high-table
The festival earned praise from Mrs Sally Mbanefo, the Director General of Nigerian Tourism and Development Corporation, who described it as progress in the promotion of cultural heritage of the Yoruba and Nigeria by extension.
“Tourism is the greatest employer of labour in the country. Out of every 11 workers that you see, six are employed in the tourism sector. The sector contributes about 10 percent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is not limited to Nigeria as it also does in other African countries. In Gabon, it contributes 17.7 percent of GDP, in Kenya, it contributes 11.9 percent, in Egypt it contributes about 13.3 percent and in Brazil, it contributes 13 percent of their GDP.
“Domestic tourism campaign of the NTDC is to encourage activities like the Olokun Festival. We are driven by the passion to encourage Nigerians to visit their local communities and promote the tourism potentials in those places. The Yoruba culture has been exported outside the country and as I am speaking to you now, Sango Festival, for example, is celebrated in over 40 countries today. Let us not forget our language and cultural heritage. A country without culture has no history.”
Elated by the mammoth crowd that thronged the beach to enjoy the enormous display of cultural heritage during the festival, the Director of Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, Sir Ferdinand Anikwe, urged the organisers to make it a national event. “I am to be part of this festival because it seeks to promote our cultural heritage. I must let you know that other carnivals across the world took off from here. It is people that were sold into slavery that are trying to replicate these festivals over there.
“Otunba Adams is playing a role in history by organising and promoting this festival. His action, I must say, is not by accident. I have seen the Hausa community here today. When the event takes place next year, I want the organisers to invite all the other tribes making up the country. The whites have beaten us to so many things but this is one area we have beaten them.”
The organizers of the Nigerian Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference, NHTIC 2015 holding from 25th -27th of November at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos has disclosed that their target is to attract over $20billion worth of investment into the country’s tourism and hospitality industry in the next few years.
This coming just as all arrangements have concluded for the second annual Nigerian Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference 2015 holding from 25th -27th of November at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos to brief the media on developments that have taken since the first briefing in Lagos, Brian Efa, managing partner of Jonel Hospitality Consulting said for now 15 foreign participants have confirmed participation at the event.
Mr Efa disclosed that out of the 15 participants, 10 are coming from South Africa, 4 from Europe and one from United States.
He said the event will declared open by the Lagos state governor Akinwumi Ambode.
He said the Nigerian Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference is working in conjunction with the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council and the Fderal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, to attract investment into the country.
Efa stated further that they organizers will also be bringing company from abroad to help facilitate on single digit financing to help the Nigerian investors.
Efa stated that the conference with the theme, Nigerian Tourism Industry, catalyst for Economic Diversification is aimed at growing the industry and create employment.
Managing partner of Jonel Hospitality Consulting said this year event is going to be bigger than last year with more foreign participation.
He based on demands, 10 exhibition stands have been created for some of the participants to exhibit.
According to him, the event will feature different breakout sessions, while there would be a speed networking which will allow delegates to meet each other, exchange business cards and move on to meet the next person on Wednesday 2th November.
The three day event is aimed at bringing international hotel and regional industry experts together to discuss and debate the changing landscape and to help identify intelligent and targeted investment opportunities in the country.
It was a thrilling experience at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos as Art Twenty One showcased works of photography tagged Another Congo.
The exhibition saw the gathering of lovers of art and photography who thronged the venue of the exhibition at Eko Hotel to see the photos of lives of average Congolese by Alex Majoli and his colleague Paolo Pellegrin.
The works were as a result of an artistic commission documenting contemporary life in the Congo. The acclaimed photojournalists formed an intimate portrait of Congolese culture through an immersive photographic installation.
Another Congo was launched during Paris Photo in France in November 2014 and travelled to the Rencontres d’Arles Photography Festival in Arles, France in July 2015 and this was its first exhibition on the African continent with Art Twenty One and the support of Access Bank and Eko Hotel and Suite.
Speaking on the exhibition and the photographs, Alex Majoli explained that “the exhibition is a body of work my colleague Paolo Pellegrin and I have worked for almost a year and half in Republic of Congo, that is Brazzaville, we went there freely not necessarily to talk about the country, is like a sketch, we were there working, encountering people, taking the photograph of their daily lives and altogether it became a body of work, we interviewed people in a different kind of way, you can go though the pictures and may not understand what is going on sometimes.”
On how long it took him to go round and the things he was looking for in capturing the images, Majoli said, “ I was not looking at anything in particular, I was trying to go round the country and when anything captures my attention, I will start work on that, for example, I was moving round and see this boy with Obama picture boldly on his Belt at the back, I found it really beautiful and interesting, so I photographed it, it was a hologram with double faces , even this guy (one of the photographs ) who was our fixer, he was on a bar relaxing and the picture was very nice, and coherent in a way, so I photographed it. “
I tried to capture a little of their culture, from weeding, political gathering, hunters going to the bush and trying to haunt antelopes, funerals, fishermen, I tried to capture all that.
He said the experience of working in Congo, taking pictures was great, adding that it was really a welcoming experience and nice country and I love to be there.
Art Twenty One , an art gallery dedicated to artists working in the fields of visual arts, photography and multimedia, in conjunction with Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos.
Art Twenty One is intended to contribute to and solidify the growing art scene in Lagos as well as position the city as a major force in the international art world. The gallery, an unprecedented and unique set up in Lagos, the space is designed to make art accessible to a large and growing audience who will be able to engage with a rich and diverse range of contemporary art, cultural practice and educational art programme.
Promoted by Cherry Tree Arts initiates which support and promotes contemporary artists working in the fields of visual arts, photography and multimedia. Through artist commissions, original publications and exhibitions, cherry Tree arts champions independent artistic production and dissemination in association with artistic and cultural institutions.
THE destination was Inagbe Grand Beach Resort on one of the islands that dot the Lagos lagoon waterway heading to Badagry. The take-off point was the jetty along Queens Drive, Ikoyi where a luxury boat latched to the jetty bobbed to the rise and fall of the waves on the lagoon. Each member of the team made his or her way to the boat, collected a life jacket and gingerly stepped into the boat.
The leather settee felt comfortable. The boat paraded a 1, 000 horse power twin outboard engine. The last person to come on board was a tall, young man in navy blue shirt and white chinos trousers. He had stayed back to ensure that everyone was comfortably accommodated. He boarded the vessel and glanced round to make sure everybody was comfortable and safe. Then he ordered the boat operator to launch the trip.
Ooni-designate, Oba Ogunwusi
In the course of the comfortable 15-minute cruise to the resort, some of us got to know that the person that courteously supervised the boarding was the resort’s owner, then Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi. Today, he is the Ooni of Ife.
At Inagbe Grand Beach Resort, right from the wooden walkway that extended deep onto the lagoon with the floating lounge on the water, everything about the resort was classy and special. It was also obvious that a broad-minded person who understood tourism conceptualised the resort.
Inagbe Resort is a statement on how to harness the tourism assets of Nigeria and create world-class facility comparable to any getaway anywhere in the world. The surprise as it later emerged, is that almost 90 per cent of the materials used in building the resort was locally sourced or got from the island itself.
Prince Ogunwusi, now known as the Ooni of Ife, shared his vision on how to provide affordable world-class tourism facility to an average Nigerian through Explore card.
He said: “We have a 1, 200 multi-purpose hall, we have a floating lounge and a floating platform that can take up to like 750. After the team-bonding event, you can have a small get-together at the floating lounge. When they leave, they can go back to their rooms and come back. We have facilities for parties and get-together. So, it is a perfect resort for our corporate clients. But over and above our corporate clients, we want to reach out to typical Nigerians, non-Nigerians and even Nigerians in the Diaspora. And another thing is to open up the tourism sector of the country. That is where our social media platform comes in which I will introduce later on.
“The Explore product is something we are launching to make an average Nigerian know that it is not for the elites. It is for a typical getaway destination for your honeymoon, for your marriage renewal, marriage vows and marriage proposals, or to take your family out for the day, maybe out on a weekend treat, if you want to have a day event, maybe a small get-together party. It is very close to the city, Victoria Island and all what have you. Just 15 minutes by boat ride. Even the boat experience by coming to this place is something that is very refreshing, something that is therapeutic, something Nigerians are actually warming up to do now. We have mostly foreigners who come in here. We realise that we have a very huge market, even people from outside the shores of the country, we know, come to see what is happening here. Outside countries like Gambia, Seychelles, even France; they depend on tourism. So, we have very huge potentials in Nigeria, and we realise that the potentials are enormous for us to actually capitalise on.
“The objective of this, like I said earlier, is to let it be reachable to a typical Nigerian. What do we mean? We are going to come up with a scheme that has actually been tested, we want to now come up with it and launch it for the public. It is going to be on point basis. The point basis simply means: when you sign on to have an Explore card, you want to come and have an experience and explore the entire resort. The minimum point you can access is the 25,000 points. Each point is being given at two naira. It can be converted for our foreign visitors to the dollar equivalent. What that means is that if you are signed up to it, we have three different categories of Explore card.
“The objective of the Explore card is for a typical Nigerian not to have that impression that look, it is elites that would come here. No, you can come here with as low as 25,000 points and experience everything that can be experienced at the resort because Explore card comes with some level of discount. It is going to be a loyalty package. From time to time, you gather your points as you keep giving commitments to the resort.
“We are not perfect, anywhere you think we are not doing well, we want to get a feedback from out clients. At the initial stage when we launched it last year, we had so much pressure on demand than even the supply that we were able to meet up vis-à-vis the demand, so we had to slow down, but now we are ready to open the market, we are ready to open it to the average Nigerian and non-Nigerians, for them to come and experience what you can obviously see for yourself. You have moved around, you’ve been to the rooms, you can see how the whole resort is, how refreshing it is when you wake up in the morning, breathing the clean air that is free of pollution; it is a typical getaway.
“It is a culture that we want to try as much as possible to encourage Nigerians. Of course we don’t need to depend on oil for everything we need. It is the non-oil sector that is going to boom because, like I said earlier, some economies depend largely on tourism. So, we want to focus on it and start on a gradual basis, and we will even implore other organisations to work towards how we can make a lot of other varieties of tourism packages that can actually encourage a lot of Nigerians to travel.
“A typical Nigerian likes to travel. The resort is an experience of actually travelling outside away from what you are used to on land. Just travel on top of water, travel for 15 minutes and come and experience nature. So, what we are doing now is that the holiday season is coming again and everybody knows what the foreign exchange is saying. It has really gone up.
“So, we want to encourage local developers in terms of tourism, so that a typical Nigerian could say, ‘okay, I want to come and rest; I want to have a getaway. Price of traveling abroad is too expensive, because a lot of Nigerians are used to when summer comes, when children are not in school, to actually take them out of the country. This is an environment that we want Nigerians to come and feel and experience nature. A lot of people that have been here don’t believe that we have such a place.
“So, for even children, we have a lot of different packages for children, teenagers and youths. It is more of a family-oriented environment, and even for young couples, for them to have a getaway. Like I mentioned, we are even strong with our corporate clients, we want to actually reach out with our tentacles the more.
“So, Explore card is a form of loyalty programme that, from time to time, you can be boost. And it is of three different categories. As you are boosting it, you will be gathering points, points that you can use to do a lot of things at the resort. You will get points for your accommodation and luxury chalets, for business meetings, parties, children fun games, and boat cruise for people to explore what Nigeria and Lagos has to offer.
“In horse riding, we have a lot of horses that we are bringing so that people can go on horse riding, jungle experiencing and quad biking because we have a large expanse of land. We have a floating restaurant right in the middle of the lagoon so that people can actually experience a very romantic dinner and go on the floating lounge to have and experience how to express love and affection towards your partner.”
The Ooni’s vision to provide Nigerians with a getaway resort extends beyond Lagos with plans to replicate the Inagbe experience all over the country. He said: “So, what we are here for is to let everybody know that this actually exists; this is up and running, and we are trying to work towards our objective as a company which is to set up this all over the country, so that we can do a lot of reciprocity programme.
“If you don’t want to come to Lagos, you want to go to the North for an experience of nature there, you can actually go. If it is the east this time round, you don’t want to go to South West. So, our strategy over the next five years is to replicate this resort all over the country and pick each state’s comparative advantage.”
The ancient city of Ile-Ife is rich in tourist attraction, maybe not as a destination in the real sense of the word, but with an Ooni very much experienced in private tourism practice and its importance as well as benefits to a place, it is obvious that Ile-Ife is bound to become a tourist destination in the real sense of the word. In the new Ooni, Nigeria has a ruler with the exposure and experience to help to develop tourism in Osun State and the country.
Ile-Ife is an ancient town with many historic tourist attractions,ranging from the Palace of the Ooni in Enuwa, the Ife Museum and many others.
One of the top attractions at Ile-Ife is the Oranmiyan Staff (Opa Oranmiyan). The staff is above 18 feet and has some intricate designs on it. It has myth, history and culture around it.
It is a must-see for tourists. A visit to the ancient city of Ife would not be complete without seeing the staff. The Oranmiyan Staff can be seen at the Oranmiyan Shrine at the Arubidi quarter of Ile-Ife. Although certain traditional rites are performed there, it is still open to tourists. But there are some parts of the shrine that could only be accessed by the initiates.
On entering the shrine, the staff could be seen just about 40 feet away. It has a square shaped elevated demarcation made with stones. From atop the demarcation, there are three steps to walk down and get to the staff. It is further demarcated by a metal chain. The base of staff is covered with white clothes. On the left is a small grove with tall trees shielding it from visitors. Walking further behind the staff will lead to the inner sanctum said to be for only the initiates.
The Oranmiyan obelisk is hundreds of years old and has history behind. Lawrence Omidiora, an Ife indigene, acted as a guide on the tour of the shrine.
“Opa Oranmiyan symbolizes the essence of Ile Ife, first as the traditional source of the Yoruba people because Oranmiyan is a descendant of Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba race. He was the grandson of Oduduwa,” he said.
“As at the time the other Yoruba towns were being established, Oranmiyan played a prominent role in the establishment of traditional rulership in these new locations in Yorubaland. It was Oranmiyan that established dynasties in Benin and Oyo. Benin was first before Oyo,” he said.
Although the Oranmiyan staff is said to have been used by Oranmiyan, the round obelisk does not look a staff a human being could carry. Omodiora said he was not aware of any known archeological research on the obelisk to confirm the veracity of this myth about the staff.
Omidiora explained the myth and story behind the staff.
“Oranmiyan was a great warrior and he had a sword. At the point of his death, he dropped the sword and it transformed into the staff as we see it today. The marks you see on it are letters that some scholars said have close relationship with Greek letters.”
Although tourists to the shrine are allowed to stand at the elevated demarcation and take pictures, they are not allowed to go near and touch the obelisk.
According to Omidiora, the obelisk still has strong supernatural powers: “There is a belief that the staff is a living soul and must be appeased. That is why members of the two families, Eredumi and Akogun, are involved in its worship up till today. In the period of the inter-tribal wars, the staff was always consulted before wars and the powers from the staff helped to secure victories over enemies,” he said.
Despite its age and history, the staff still plays an important role in the installation of traditional rulers of some towns and cities. He said: “Before some kings are installed, the sword of office for each of these kings must be removed from the the Oranmiyan Shrine and given to them.”
Also, according to the guide, the Oranmiyan Staff plays a role in the installation of a new Ooni of Ife since the staff, an embodiment of not just the spirit of Oranmiyan, but of all the other Ooni that had ruled Ile-Ife.
The guide further said: “The attributes of Oranmiyan must be embraced by the Ooni. He needs these to effectively function. Some of these attributes are within the shrine and with the staff of Oranmiyan. So it is important for a person ascending the throne of Ooni to be familiar with the shrine and staff.”
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has honoured theLa Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ikegun, Lagos.
This was at the 2015 Commerce and Industry Awards held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
The resort was honoured with the award of the best theme resort in Nigeria Reacting to the award, the head of the resort, OtunbaWanleAkinboboye
said the awards and recognition coming two decades after the setting up of the African themed resort, was something to be proud of and celebrate as the Pan African theme and culture that he had laboured to promote and market has finally gained the much desired recognition by the people.
Coming this far, he said, has not been an easy task as he had to endure different challenges but standing firm and focused on his belief as well as being consistent, factors which he said had helped in the realisation of the dream when he first step foot in the jungle of Ikegun Village as a 29 years old boy, brimming with energy and a vision to conquer the world with his love for His fatherland.
The vibrant culture and tradition of Yoruba will be on the front burner once again as the curtains fall on the 2015 edition of Olokun Festival on Thursday, October 22, at the Suntan Beach, Badagry, Lagos State.
The annual festival, organized by the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF), kicked off with a prayer session involving Chrsitians, Muslims and traditional religion worshipers on Thursday, October 1, held at the Airport Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.
Other activities lined up for the festival include arts exhibition, beauty pageant and Yoruba quiz competition, among several other beautifully arranged programmes.
The keenly contested quiz competition, which held on Wednesday, October 14, at the All Seasons Plaza, along Agidingbi Road in Lagos, witnessed a large turnout of secondary schools.
The quiz competition, according to Otunba Gani Adams, Chief Promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation, is part of the concerted efforts of his organization to promote Yoruba culture and tradition.
According to him, “We have come to the realization that our children are no longer interested in those things that matter to us and our fathers. It is very unfortunate that such thing is happening, and if care is not taken. With this kind of programme, we are gradually rekindling the interest of the youths in our culture and traditions.”
And indeed, the students did not disappoint, as they thrilled the audience to their understanding of Yoruba culture and tradition. At the end of the competition, students of Army Senior High School went home with the first prize and a cash prize of N70,000. Other winners are State High School and Estate Senior Grammar School, who won the send and third positions respectively.
The proprietor of the Brooklyn Tourism Centre and former President of the Association Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN), Alabo Mike Amachree, has called on the Rivers State government to encourage the private tourism developers to establish tourist sites and museums where artifacts, relics and monuments would be on display. He said it was the only way to make the state a tourist destination.
He added: “Organizing carnivals, night clubs, hotels and tour guide services are completely the function of the private sectors as was the case in Plateau state in the early 90’s. Government’s position is to provide the infrastructure for the private sector to operate. Amachree made this call when a group, the Niger Delta Cultural Entertainers paid him a visit.”
Amachree said tourism was not just about building hotels, fast food restaurants, organizing carnival festivals that will attract the desired tourists to Rivers State as these facilities are mere ancillary or support service for tourism promotion and tourist delight.
He said the state has to develop high class tourist sites and museums where our history and cultural relics, artifacts and monuments would be permanently exhibited for admiration by our visiting tourists. The tour operators would then market the sites and bring in visitors. He said also that development and promotion of tourism was entirely a private sector affair, and that government was to provide enabling environment.
The leader of the group, Professor Henry Bellgam of the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Port Harcourt, said the visit was to felicitate and encourage the proprietor of the centre, Alabo Mike Amachree , on his latest tourism venture, the Brooklyn Tourism Centre, Port Harcourt.
The group noted that Chief Amachree despite his age and years in industry was still enthusiastic and at the forefront of promoting Niger Delta in particular and Nigeria in general as a tourism destination. They noted that the Brooklyn Tourist Centre would not only offer relaxation facilities for residents of Port Harcourt, but would also be educative for pupils in both primary and secondary school as the have the opportunity to see both exotic animals and through the museum learn about the history of Africa.
The centre, located at the East-West Road, Rumuosi in Obio-Akpor council area of the state, has in addition to relaxation and accommodation facilities, the Museum of African History and Culture and a zoo. The museum had history of top monarchs that has left indelible marks in the history of Nigeria.
In his speech at the occasion, Amachree thanked them for the visit. He explained that tourism was major economic activity which generates income and create employment for the people. He said for a country or state to attract tourists both local and inbound tourists, necessary infrastructures and superstructures that are capable of attracting tourists have to be put in place in addition to the tourists attractions.
He said: “Tourism can only succeed in an environment where there is peace and security. I therefore express my sincere appreciation of the people of the Rumuosi community in the Obio/Akpor council area where the centre is located”.
Among those in the team were Dr. P.C. Chuku, Mr. Bright David and others.
