The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ikogosi

  • Ekiti communities hail Fayemi for ending four-year blackout

    After being in darkness for four years, public power supply has been restored to three communities in Ekiti West Local Government Area to the relief and excitement of the residents.

    The towns, known locally as Ekameta, are Erijiyan, Ipole Iloro and Ikogosi, the site of the famous Warm Spring resort which had received tourists from all over the world.

    Electricity was restored to the communities on Christmas eve as Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) engineers who had been working round the clock to meet the target given by Governor Kayode Fayemi.

    Unable to hide their joy, residents of the communities are hailing Fayemi for keeping his promise.

    The excited residents who spoke with our reporter on Friday promised to vote for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming general elections.

    Fayemi, as APC candidate in the last governorship election, had promised to do everything possible to restore power to the communities if elected at the poll.

    The governor also charged BEDC to work out modalities for the restoration of light to the communities while playing host to the company’s management who paid him a courtesy visit few weeks ago.

    A youth leader in Erijiyan, Mr. Akinkunmi Abimbola, commended Fayemi for championing the restoration of power supply to his community which he said would bring businesses back to life.

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    Abimbola said: “Infrastructural development and especially electricity is the catalyst of development, and for us in Ekameta its being horrible living without electricity supply in the last four years.

    “Several small-scale industries were abandoned and some had to relocate which negatively affected the economy of the environment.

    “Ikogosi warm spring resort centre naturally deserted and became a shadow of itself, the total blackout even affected sons and daughters not wanting to stay at home when they visited.

    “The news and joy witnessed by the communities really show how important electricity supply is to us. We are very grateful to the government of Dr. John Kayode Fayemi that made it a priority to get this done for us immediately he assumed office.”

    A member of the royal family in Ikogosi, Prince Tayo Olajubu said: “Congratulations! Electricity has been restored back to Ikogosi after four years of total darkness.

    “We bless God that Ikogosi is witnessing a new dawn after four years
    of total neglect.”

    Another resident of Ikogosi, Mr. Tobi Oyeleye said: “My heart is thankful to Governor Fayemi and I must thank him for he has restored our lights.

    “Electricity restored within two months in office, Ikogosi, Erijiyan and Ipole say many thanks JKF. For that’s but a step to the beginning; Gossy Waters and the Warm Springs Resorts are still groaning.”

    A resident of Ipole Iloro, Mrs. Yemisi Adewumi, described the return of electricity as a “special gift Christmas and New Year gift from Governor Fayemi which has brought joy to our town.”

    “We thank Governor Fayemi for fulfilling his promise to end darkness in Ipole Iloro and the entire Ekameta communities.

    “During the campaign, he promised to ensure that light returns within two months of being sworn it. We thought it was one of the gimmicks of these politicians but it has now become a reality.

    “With this gift of light, we will pay back with votes for his party in the general elections in 2019. We will not go back to a party that neglected us for four years,” she said.

  • Going! Going!! Going!!! – Ikogosi hot spring project must not die

    It was conceived as a cash cow for willing investors. But the state government and other shareholders are yet to get any dividend on their investments on Ikogosi Spring Water Company. One of the shareholders, Aare Afe Babalola feels stakeholders must spare nothing to keep the dream alive. The founder of the Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) is suggesting how to revitalize the company.

    Before the advent of the missionaries in Ekiti, we were told stories of the mythical goddess of Ikogosi where hot and cold water ooze out from the same source and at the same time. The natives worshipped the presumed goddess of Ikogosi warm spring. Pregnant women flocked Ikogosi where they applied the mysterious water to cure pregnancy problems. The warm water was used to cure guinea worms, a prevalent disease at that time. It was also used to cure eye problems, sores, body ache, stomach pain and different skin diseases.

    When the Baptist missionaries from Europe came to Ekiti some 100 years ago, they constructed two swimming pools one for warm water and the other for cold water. Ikogosi became instant tourist attraction and holiday resort, mostly for white men.

    One of the first Nigerians to appreciate the enormous potentials of Ikogosi warm springs was the famous billionaire at that time, Chief E. A. Ashamu. In 1986, Chief Asamu addressed a letter to Nigerian Tourist Board for permission to develop Ikogosi Warm Springs into a tourist centre. In my capacity as his solicitor, we also approached the Government of Ondo State.

    As a follow up to our discussion, we travelled to Belgium where we saw what government did to make the Spa an international tourist centre. We later went to Sidel of France and discussed joint venture agreement on Ikogosi Spring Water project.

    The company planned to build a helipad, establish therapeutic treatment centre, manufacture soft drink of all types and manufacture saline and drip water and battery water. We also planned to establish a mini zoo, hot and cold water swimming pools, modern mart, kiddies’ wonderland, modern motorway and electricity.

    While working on the actualisation of Chief Ashamu’s vision, the military government in Ondo State attempted to hijack the company from Chief Ashamu. This led to a series of court cases which I filed against Ondo State Government (seven in all) from High Court, Akure, to Court of Appeal in Benin. Before the conclusion of the cases, Ekiti State was created and the Ikogosi natural endowments were saved for Ekiti State. Thanks to the cases instituted by Chief Asamu.

    In response to persistent agitations for the creation of more states in Nigeria, General Abacha set up the Mbanefo Panel on the creation of new states. I presented and defended the memorandum for the creation of the state before the Nbanefo panel in Akure. I recalled with nostalgia when the panel asked me whether Ekiti as a state would be viable. My answer was in the affirmative. I hinged my submission on the fact that Ekiti is endowed with highly educated and dynamic people, tropical climate, fertile land and of course, Ikogosi Warm Springs. I submitted that if properly managed, the income from Ikogosi Warm Spring as a tourist centre and relevant industries would earn the country millions of dollars annually.

    Unfortunately, when Ekiti State was created, the Ikogosi warm water project started on a wrong footing. In countries like Belgium which are blessed with the rare gift of warm spring, people are made to understand the uniqueness of warm spring water before going to market. A bottle of warm spring water costs more than a bottle of ordinary water. However, before the Ikogosi warm water was released for sale, no effort was made to make the people appreciate the uniqueness of the bottled warm water.

    Worse still, the Ikogosi Warm Springs Water Company was made a subsidiary of Swan water Nigeria in the North which manufactures and bottles ordinary water.

    Consequently, right from the beginning, Ikogosi warm springs water lost its special status which it could have enjoyed over and above all the other bottled waters in the country and beyond.

    For instance, the warm water from Spa of Belgium cannot be found on the shelve. In England and other countries, Spa water is only available on order. The demand for it is so much that the water is sent by badge to America and by air to Saudi Arabia.

    In addition to other destabilising factors, it was a matter of time that Ikogosi warm springs water company would fold up. Indeed, by 2014, the company had to close down production due to poor returns on the sale of the Ikogosi bottled water. To make it worse for the bottling company, all the access roads to Ikogosi are so bad that most of the haulage vehicles carrying the heavy finished products broke down. The factory was disconnected from public power supply since 2014 due to outstanding debt of N37 million. The State Government and other shareholders, including my humble self, have not been paid any dividend on our shares. None of the shareholders has been paid any dividend.

     

    Move to wind up the company

     

    Faced with all these seemingly insurmountable problems, the company had no alternative but to commence court action to liquidate the company. In an advertisement published in the Punch of June 22, 2018, the liquidator invited interested persons to bid for the purchase of the assets of the company. Indeed Ikogosi warm springs water project is going, going, going. The question is: Should we fold our arms and allow the project to die?

     

    Way out

     

    Firstly, the water bottling project must not be seen as the only project that can be profitably established at Ikogosi. There are many ancillary and profitable industries which are connected with the warm spring and which can be established at Ikogosi. They include: therapeutic treatment industries; soft drinks of all types; saline or drip water; battery water; mini-zoo; hot and cold swimming pools; first-class hotel with warm water piped into each room for therapeutic treatment and for relaxation for tourists as it is done in Spa of Belgium.

    If properly managed, Ikogosi Spring Waters can become a world class tourist destination for both Ekiti State and the Federal Government from which both can earn hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

     

    Short-term solution

     

    Now that the Ikogosi Spring Water had filed an action in court praying for winding-up. I understand that UACN, the major shareholder is not interested in injecting more funds. To avoid the liquidation of the company, a meeting of the founding fathers of Ekiti State, Obas, present and past governors, legislators at all levels, businessmen and university dons, among others, to save the project from dying by injecting more funds into the company by one or group of people, or by outright purchase of the company or by increasing the share capital to accommodate more funds.

     

    Long-term solution

     

    Ikogosi warm spring international should be upgraded as a tourist centre for the whole of Nigeria.

    Ikogosi can only become an international tourist destination if necessary infrastructures are put in place. These include; constant electricity, modernised and motorable roads, railway and airport. To achieve these lofty goals, the conference of Ekiti indigenes which I have suggested, should appeal to the Federal Government, particularly the minister for Tourism, to revisit the airport approved by Federal Government for Ekiti on Ijan Road and start immediate work on the airport.  After all, the other three airports which were approved at the same time namely: Gombe, Bayelsa and Asaba have been completed. It is common knowledge that comfortable transportation to any state or country is the key to development whether economic or otherwise. The federal and state governments should be advised to construct a modern motorway from the airport to Ikogosi which is about 17 miles, thereby ensuring comfortable access to Ikogosi both to encourage tourism and also for conveyance of Ikogosi products.

    Above all, the conference should appeal to both the federal and state governments to secure the motorway roads from armed robbers and kidnappers as no investor would be attracted to Ikogosi unless he is sure that their investment would be secure. This is a new phenomenon which must be addressed as we plan for economic development of Ekiti State.

     

  • Fayemi’s Ikogosi School

    Fayemi’s Ikogosi School

    For two weeks, 50 graduate students gathered at the scenic Ikogosi warm springs to learn. That in itself was counterintuitive for Nigeria. We usually see such resorts as ambience of vanity. But there is room for that. Kayode Fayemi, the governor who knows, made it sublime. He brought bright Nigerian professors from Europe, South Africa and the United States to tutor Nigerian graduate students of Ekiti State origin in a wide variety of subjects. This was a tour de force for graduate schools in the country.

    I learned that there was a huge contrast between what the students learned in the summer school and the daily digests from their local teachers. The students also privately admitted that. This is the tragedy of brain drain, and the summer school is designed to teach them how to keep abreast of the latest in research, thinking, debate and access to the higher reaches of knowledge in contemporary world.

    Graduate school is about rigour, and they got loads of that at the summer school from our local imports. We cannot keep them here, so the summer school is the smartest to eat our cake and have it, to let the professors teach abroad and also teach here.

    If we have this in the most elite of education, we can wonder what we have at the foundational levels. Education in Nigeria is our greatest tragedy today, and unless we tackle the quality of mind of the young in their malleable stage. That is why we must support moves like the summer school.

  • The Ikogosi graduate summer school:

    Fayemi introduces another paradigm shift in education

    Post the PDP locust years, 2003-2010 in the entire Southwest, but more poignantly in Ekiti, we can, with more than considerable justification, thank God as the Holy Writ enjoins us in 1 PETER 2: 9: ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light’.

    When, between 2007 -2010, Ekitis rooted for Dr Kayode Fayemi and swore to stick by him whatever the odds; when men, both within the state and outside it were playing god; when then President Obasanjo believed he could turn daylight to darkness, we were counting on nothing more than the almighty God and the young man’s democratic pedigree, his good moral upbringing, his well-known erudition and scholarship, the fact that we know this one is in good political company and will never lie to us and, indeed, that which we knew of his exertions in the cause of democracy and human rights. Even when ‘Mama’ was suborned, by the powers that be, to eat up her Christian conscience and ran, Awol, from her duty post in Ado-Ekiti, we stood firm just like we did as Fayemi and his illustrious Deputy, our own late MOREMI, Mrs Funmi Olayinka, went all through the judicial acrobatics and shenanigans a thoroughly misbegotten Nigerian judiciary could manufacture. Ekiti stood ramrod behind Fayemi until when The Nation’s highly perceptive columnist, Dele Agekameh called ‘Fayemi’s Final Triumph’, in his column of Wednesday, June19, 2013. That was at the Supreme Court on May 31, 2013.

    Now, there can be no going back as we see every stratum of the Ekiti society endorsing him, asking him to continue the good work even the blind can see -4 More Years for JKF – they say -Just Keeping the Faith. Fayemi’s good work is seen in every nook and cranny of the state. That, he ensured simply by deriving his government’s annual budgets bottom up. How?

    The governor, ahead of his budget preparations, goes on a state-wide tour of the Local Government areas during which the peoples’ immediate and preferred projects are presented to him by the people themselves. And, in clear contradistinction to our friends of the other party, Fayemi will let the constituents know that all the projects cannot be accommodated in a single budget, and that what could not be taken immediately will be included in the next. That way, there is no single Ekiti community that can claim not to have felt the government’s presence.

    I am happy; even ecstatic. Last week, it was: ‘Aregbesola waohs them’, during the past week it was a woman of real conscience, Mrs Bose Adedibu, widow of the late strongman of Ibadan politics, Papa Lamidi Adedibu, who could not , like other PDP members in the state, continue to live in denial, celebrating the Oyo state governor, Abiola Ajimobi for his great strides. Said Mrs Adedibu: ‘I remember vividly that at that time, the people of Oyo state lived in perpetual fear of insecurity. But now, everywhere is peaceful and people are going about their business without fear or molestation’. That was aside her good words for the governor in other areas and we do hope she will help drum that to our Accord friends.

    Like his Oyo state counterpart, Fashola continues to dazzle, now building institutions that will immortalize him , just like Ibikunle Amosun and Adams Oshiomhole continue to receive rave reviews of their sterling performance. This is what I call being in a good political company; one that does not deceive the people.

    And this is where Governor Kayode Fayemi and the Ikogosi Graduate Summer School initiative comes in. Just like the Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, once said: ‘The buildings will come down in 20 or 30 years time. It is the institutions and the policies underlying them that will remain and once those policies are there, whoever is there in future can erect other buildings’. Fayemi has by the IGSS programme once again demonstrated that building institutions is the fulcrum of his administration, thereby erecting for himself, imperishability. This man will be remembered and celebrated long after many an Ekiti state governor had been forgotten. Of that, I haven’t a scintilla of doubt.

    What then is the Ikogosi Graduate Summer School?

    From his first day in office, Fayemi has agonised over the state of our education, at all levels in the country, but more pointedly, in Ekiti. He has been tortured to no end, for instance, about the loss of the culture of inquiry and moderation that the university represents in other climes, about journal articles that are everything but scholarly; to publications that are driven solely by quest for promotion and so add nothing to real knowledge as well as to the menace that VCs without CVs represent to the university system. Of course, says he, there are VC’s that are still eminently worthy of that name. I should know these concerns of his because I served on his Education Committed – one of his first set of committees – established very early in the administration to interrogate all the issues accounting for collapsed education in Ekiti. The IGSS is another building block to re-mediate that albatross. The IGSS is a bold move to turn Nigeria’s endemic brain drain to brain gain. In the words of the two co-coordinating directors of the programme, the suave and seminal Drs Wale Adebanwi and Ebenezer Obadare: ‘higher education has, from the period of the regime of structural adjustment, suffered so much depreciation from which it is yet to recover. A glaring consequence of this is brain drain with Nigeria now exporting what it so desperately needs, namely, it’s human resources and mental capital. This hemorrhaging of human resources, they assert, has in turn led to the loss of high quality manpower in our universities. The IGSS is therefore designed to provide access to highly-trained and accomplished Nigerian academics abroad to interact with graduate students in Nigeria alongside the home-based but no less accomplished and highly-trained scholars thus leading to the blending of global and local scholarship of the highest standards for the benefits of graduate students, first, of Ekiti origin. It will give the students an opportunity to access free and fine grain mentoring from foreign-based scholars in addition to local supervision which will constantly expose them to world-class research as well as engage them with ongoing global discourses not only about their particular disciplines, but also the place of Africa in the world’.

    The programme which has an inaugural 50 Ekiti graduate students spread over the liberal arts, social sciences, law, education, banking and finance, and that rallying ground and crucible of diverse disciplines – Africa Studies – kicked off on Monday, 16 June, 2013, to a wondrous keynote address delivered by my friend of many decades, the world acclaimed poet and teacher, Professor Niyi Osundare, on what he titled: THE SPIRIT OF IKOGOSI and there could be no better way of ending this article than by quoting Niyi at some length on what the government of Dr Kayode Fayemi has made of Ikogosi Warm Springs in its single-minded determination to make Ekiti the tourist’s destination of choice.

    Wrote Professor Osundare: ‘Consider the very location of the Ikogosi Graduate Summer ‘School’. Ikogosi. A place of near-Edenic serenity tucked away in the awesome flanks of Ekiti hills, made popular by the differing temperatures of its springs. Until recently, Ikogosi was nothing more than a promissory mantra in political campaigns and recurring decimal in the arithmetic of annual state budgets. Half-executed projects littered its landscape. Giant mosquitoes and dragon-like reptiles played host even in the most executive of its executive suites. Government after government extolled its potential as a tourist money garnerer, but fell tragically short of taking adequate care of the goose that was expected to lay the golden egg. But as we look round today, a terrific difference arrests our gaze: gleaming access roads, enticing swimming pools, cozy chalets, capacious multi-purpose halls, spacious amphitheatre (with dramatic intimations of the famous Christ’s School Quadrangle), wood-terraced tour walks, etc. A world-class golf course is rearing to tee off into existence to the pastoral astonishment of a sleepy Ekiti terrain, etc. A world-class golf course is even teeing into existence much to the pastoral astonishment of a sleepy Ekiti terrain. There is every indication that Ikogosi is beckoning to the world; the tourist naira rain is about to fall.’

    My last word though: those packaging Ikogosi Tourist Resort for the world should go no further than Osundare’s keynote address to carve its profile from the Advert nuggets he gave, pro bono.

    Without a doubt, God is good to us in Ekiti state.

  • Ikogosi Summer School: A goldmine

    Ikogosi Summer School: A goldmine

    The Ikogosi Graduate Summer School (IGSS) was declared open on Monday, by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State.

    The school, which is the first in Nigeria, is one of the immediate measures to tackle the prevalent problem of brain drain in our higher education sector. The main thrust of the Summer School is to enrich and expand the training of postgraduate students, provide greater scholarly opportunities, as well as introduce them to the state-of-the-art research and scholarships.

    The idea was hatched by the trio of Fayemi, Dr. Wale Adebanwi of the University of California, United States, and Dr. Ebenezer Obadare of the University of Kansas, Kansas, United States.

    The first set of 50 students in the programme was carefully selected after written and oral interviews by a board of reputable scholars. They are being groomed by renowned Nigerian scholars from around the world.

    In his welcome address, Dr. Adebanwi, the Director-General of the Graduate School, stated two reasons for the conception and establishment of the school. The first is the depreciation of higher education which is a corollary of loss of quality manpower in our higher institutions otherwise called ‘brain drain’.

    “It will afford the post graduate students the opportunity of mentoring from international scholars,” he said.

    The second reason is that a Summer School is a global phenomenon and the IGSS may be the trail blazer in Nigeria.

    He added: “Even if there is no crisis in our education sector, it affords the students to cover lost grounds and learn new things from the world acclaimed scholars. Ekiti is the most befitting state for this noble venture because of its antecedent as a fountain of knowledge and home of Professors. The two-week intensive training, among other things, will encourage interaction between the scholars as well as among the postgraduate students. It is to offer the students modern scholarly materials, how to access research funding and how to publish scholarly articles in international journals.”

    Prof Niyi Osundare, a world acclaimed poet and author of many books and plays from the University of New Orleans, United States, was the keynote speaker and one of the facilitators.

    He recited a poem he wrote about the new Ikogosi. Prof Osundare, whom I have heard and read a lot about, dazzled me with his command of English and clinical use of poetic expressions for analysis. I was spellbound like the rest of the audience.

    The title of his speech was, ’The spirit of Ikogosi’. He first rendered it in the Ikere-Ekiti dialect and thereafter translated it to English. He marvelled at the wonder of the Warm and the Cold springs of Ikogosi where the two met and yet flow side by side and separately. He was amazed about the magic employed to transform Ikogosi to its modern state that competes with any international resort centre which he described as a jaw dropping wonder! He said he did not believe he was in Nigeria when he spent the first night at Ikogosi on Sunday.

    He described the IGSS as romantically futuristic. With the school, he said Ekiti is getting back gradually to where it used to be before the blackout. He took his audience back memory lane by putting our immediate past horrible history into proper perspective so that we can know the limitless importance of the IGSS.

    Osundare recognised the intellectual prowess of Dr. Fayemi and declared that all the good things happening in Ekiti State, especially the transformation of Ikogosi and the IGSS, are possible because of his intellectual depth as no society can develop beyond the intellectual capacity of its leader.

    He warned that as the Southwest governors are rebuilding infrastructure they must equally rebuild our lost values of honesty, tenacity of purpose, integrity, deep passion for the book, the simple, the straight forward and humble Ekiti person (Omoluabi).

    In his speech, Dr. Fayemi reiterated the commitment of his administration to the advancement of education. He said the Summer School is a way of connecting our Diaspora academic with the home-based. It is a remedy being applied on a small scale to address problems with complex, diverse dimensions.

    The Governor advised the students to make use of the opportunity given them free of charge.

    The IGSS is grounded in the best traditions of scholarship, networking and mentoring. It seeks to bring back the universe to the university in Nigeria.

    The IGSS Class of 2013 comprises of participants from a narrow band of disciplines namely the Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities. In subsequent editions, IGSS would aspire to select participants from wider disciplinary and territorial bases.

    •Hakeem Jamiu writes from Ikogosi, venue of the Graduate Summer School.

  • Ikogosi: Emerging tourists’ haven

    Ikogosi: Emerging tourists’ haven

    After nine years in the doldrums, the Ikogosi Warm Springs Resorts is back on track and full of life. Ekiti State government is investing about N1.258 billion to turn the site into a world-class tourists’ destination, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme

     

    Some metres away from the gate leading to Ikogosi Warm Springs Resorts were hundreds of students. They lined both sides of the road in their school uniform.

    Also, on the sides of the road were beautifully dressed old women and men, some drumming as they walked happily towards the resorts, defying the increasing heat of the morning sun. That was the spectacle that preceded the arrival of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State to the Ikogosi Day celebration, last Saturday.

    Nine years after being moribund, the Ikogosi Warm Springs Resorts has received a fresh breath. It hosted the first-ever all-female international bata dancers, Obini Bata from Cuba, as well as performances by a cultural troupe, from Ekiti State. The Obinin Bata performed with their hourglass-shaped drums accompanying various Yoruba songs.

    From the Ekiti troupe, it was a drama presentation of Mich Yomi Longe’s Building Our Own House by a 23-man cast, which left no one in doubt of the mission and vision of Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration. The message of the drama was clear and simple: Rebuilding time is now.

    The drama was also symbolic of a nation that is rich in resources yet remains in doldrums due to negative innate tendencies, which have grown into a monster that constantly impedes meaningful development. Building Our Own House is a tool for social change, especially, to promote attitudinal change and approach to issues of common good.

    The presentation was in celebration of Ikogosi Resorts Day, which was part of activities marking the second year in office of Governor Fayemi’s administration in Ekiti State. Building Our Own House centres on a group of people within a geographical location called Okiti land. The people of Okiti land unanimously accept Akinlabi to lead them to the promised land because of some exceptional leadership qualities they saw in him. In his acceptance speech, Akinlabi solicits for their support and enjoins all hands to be on deck, which, to him, is a panacea for Building Our Own House.

    However, hardly did they start the journey when the dreaded monster rears its head again. The people of Okiti land in their usual manner start condemning Akinlabi. At this point, Akinlabi seeks the face of the Lord and he was told to embark on cleansing rites among his people. The cleansing rites bring out the spirit of collectivity in the people, thus, helping them to cage the monster and its total derobing to the state of purity. The reconstruction of the House goes on uninterrupted because of attitudinal change and approach to issues of the people. They appreciate Akinlabi, while celebrating their victory as the journey continues.

    The Ikogosi Warm Springs Resorts, which was allegedly looted and abandoned before the Fayemi-led administration was inaugurated in October 2010, is being repositioned to serve as a money-spinner and employment hub for Ekiti State.

    Fayemi said the first phase of rehabilitation and reconstruction has been completed at the resort, which would be fully opened in December while work is ongoing on the second phase.

    Fayemi, who noted that the resort once had a zoo, added that 10,000 hectares of land have been set aside in the host community for wild life while the resort will also get a golf course and apartments in the third phase.

    He said the vision of his administration for Ikogosi would turn the place to a destination of choice for local and international tourists, stating that the resort has all it takes to divert tourists from Obudu to Ikogosi.

    Fayemi said tourists visiting Ikogosi should worry about transportation hardship as the roads leading to the site are now motorable, from all gateways that lead to the state.

    He assured that Internet facilities for tourists to have access to their families and offices during their visit to the wonder hot and cold springs would be put in place. He added that the resort, on completion, will not only be a place for “leisure but also a cash-cow”. The governor stated that the resuscitation of the resort is a fulfilment of his promise, expressing optimism that the state was nearer to the new dawn he promised during his campaign.

    A walk round the awe-inspiring resort shows that Ekiti State is endowed by nature. Long stretch of green valleys, vast rain forest and colossal mountain range dot the landscape; Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort will take your breath away. The once abandoned tourists’ site is emerging into a choice destination for tourists given the massive construction at the resort.

    To give tourists and visitors a long-lasting experience, a well-landscaped 116-hectare resort is now the flagship of Ekiti tourism. It has one executive VIP chalet, three VIP villas, 12 western suites, 70-five standard rooms of various styles, themes and offerings and seven support staff quarters. All accommodation facilities are undergoing redevelopment to turn the place to an international standard resort. Other facilities are nature spa / beauty centre; gym/fitness shop; herbal shop for local medication; arts and crafts shops for souvenir items; 300-seat multi-purpose conference hall, 120-seat and 50-seat meeting and function rooms; variety/shopping mall; amphitheatre; double standard rooms for students on excursion and campers and 300-car parking space.

    Also on ground are brook walk lanes, waterways, relaxation spots, open green areas, external area beautification and gated exclusive areas for tourists.

    Its General Manager, Mr John Dixon said in December, the first phase of the development would witness the opening of a three-star hotel, among other facilities.

    “This is a tremendous investment by Ekiti State government. There are huge potential and it is about developing the market and making sure it is operational, staff deployment and training, marketing locally and worldwide and providing a wide range of services. We have a very strong marketing plan in place for all these. We are also very strong on standard and we do things right.

    “Every site, whether in South Africa or Europe, has its own challenges when you carry out development. Our job here is not as a developer but to do a technical review on behalf of the state, give advice on what can work and what cannot work,” Dixon said.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor (Bureau of Tourism Development), Mr Segun Ologunleko, said the first phase of development cost the state about N1.258 billion, which was raised from bonds at the capital market. According to him, five per cent of the funds raised at the capital market were dedicated to tourism development which is a catalyst to economic development of the state.

    “In fact, we have something different and we are serving it. Very soon, Ekiti will emerge as the melting pot of fun seekers,” he said.

    Ologunleko noted that the driving force of Ikogosi Warm Springs Resorts is economic emancipation because the state has abundant natural resources. “But how to translate them into wealth, dignity, employment and self-respect for the people is the fulcrum of the vision of Fayemi. This is to ensure that Ekiti tourism corridor, which is about 400 square kilometre, is developed. This comprises communities, such as Aramoko, Erijiyan, Iloro, Okemesi and Efon Alaye,” he said.

    According to him, in phase two, the government would allow private investors to have majority shares in the funding.

    “Government will sit back and will only own about 10 to 25 per cent of the equity. And there will be a special purpose vehicle, Ikogosi Warm Springs Resorts Limited, to drive the project. This is the path to sustainability which is the plan of government,” he added, noting that the government has brought in Mantis from Port Elizabeth, South Africa, to train workers in hospitality. He disclosed that private investors are approaching the state to build facilities, such as three-star hotel, golf course, and a games reserve.

    Already, art and crafts designers and marketers are showing strong presence at the new shopping centre at the resorts. Madam Oyebola Aderinsoye Adeboye, a farmer, arts and crafts designer and one of the occupants at the shopping centre, described the development as a boost to investors, especially, in tourism industry. She said beyond that, it would generate employment for the youth, adding that the resorts is a very serene location tucked in the heart of a rich forest.

    “The operators can in the future develop areas such as wild life. But I hope the services would be affordable to clients. More importantly, I hope there would be the basic amenities such as electricity and water,” she said.

    The traditional leader of Ikogosi, the Onikogosi of Ikogosi, Oba Deacon Abiodun Olorunisola and his subjects were full of appreciation to the Governor, but noted that the development of the site was long overdue.

    “The real development of the resorts as a tourists’ attraction is long overdue. The former military governor, Colonel Opaleye made efforts to develop the site but shortly after he left government the place was abandoned. We lost all the animals in the process. So it has been till the administration of Dr. Kayode Fayemi that turned the site around.

    “We thank Fayemi for this laudable initiative because Ikogosi spring meant a lot to us as a people. It is not only known to the nation but also to the world; and its development will rub off on the people in the environs as rent, small-scale business will receive a boost. In fact, it is economically useful to us than the state, and by extension, the country.

    “Ikogosi is a gift from God and we will be eternally grateful.

    “Apart from Ikogosi residents, communities such as Erijiyan are very enthusiastic about the tourism potential of the site. And we appealed to the government to construct the Ogotun to Ikogosi road to facilitate easy access from neighbouring communities,” he said.

    On the therapeutic benefits of the spring, he said the spring was worshipped in the pre-colonial days but was stopped by one of the early traditional rulers in Ikogosi, Oba Alagbogbo Danija following the coming of Christianity. That was around 1914 or earlier.

    “However, the water from the spring is medicinal as no one contacts cholera or other water borne diseases here in Ikogosi as a result of drinking the water from the spring.

    “Sometimes ago, a woman came here with a big duck as sacrifice to the spring. She said that was what she promised the spring if her prayers were answered,” the traditional ruler recalled.

    Ekiti west local government caretaker chairman, Barrister Tajudeen Akingbolu acknowledged the initiative of Governor Fayemi saying that at the completion of the project, the world would know that Ekiti State is the place to be. “After Mr. Governor is done with the project, the tourists site would be better than Obudu Cattle Ranch,” he noted.