Ondo State government raised the bar at this year’s Mare Festival, with the construction of more facilities for tourists and fun seekers, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme.
Unlike past editions, this year’s Mare Festival offered tourists and enthusiast bountiful menu as they converged on the hilly town of Idanre in Ondo State for 3 days of sport tourism. From the newly built serene shelter at Habit 1 Tourism Zone, to Idanre Hills Resort that boasts of tree-houses, recreation halls, Ampitheatre and relaxation spots, tourists and athletes and artistes had exciting experiences.
For Governor Olusegun Mimiko, this year’s Mare Festival was more than exciting. He said the introduction of golf tournament added more colour and glamour to the festival.
“Next year, there will be two golf tournaments- one in Smoky Hills and the other at the Atosin Golf Course, which is in completion stage. The golf course is unique in terms of its topography.
He disclosed that the amphitheatre at the resort will host artistic events every month as a way to make Ondo State number one tourists destination. He assured that the state is doing all within its capability to bring Idanre to global tourism map. “This Idanre will no doubt next year be a preferred destination for tourists and fun seekers. In fact, more of the tree houses will be built while the Mare festival will be bigger,” he added.
Governor Mimiko who was honoured by Guild of Tourism Journalists of Nigeria, with the Best Domestic Tourism Brand award, commended the organisers of the festival for their performance.
The Director General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Sally Mbanefo who was special guest lauded the efforts of Governor Mimiko for his commitment towards uplifting the status of the state into a major tourist destination in Nigeria. She said Ondo State is one of the states in the country that has demonstrated serious commitment to developing the state as a tourism hub.
According to her “as a result of the level of development in the state’s tourism sector, I have continued to promote the various tourism potentials to the global community. Ondo State people are great in hospitality, each time I visit the state, there is always something beautiful that makes me feel at home. As an advocate of domestic tourism, the changes in the state and particularly Idanre hills since the last time I visited it are so dramatic.
Ondo State is today the shining light in the Medical Tourism in the country. I commend the level of work carried out at the Idanre Resort, which has employed more than two hundred workers.”
Mbanefo described Ondo State as a major tourism destination because of the large deposit of tourism potentials. The government, according to her, has worked so hard to improve the status of the state economically. “Within my short stay in the office as the Director-General of the NTDC, I have tour more than 20 states and participated in many festivals but south West particularly Ondo state is the best, the development of tourism particularly the resort is an awesome and amazing experience which will be fascinating. The resort is another testimony of the transformational work of the state governor and his team”
She hinted that Overland Airline has indicated interest to commence commercial flight from Akure-Abuja and Lagos in order to facilitate the movement of tourists and fun seekers to various tourism destinations in the state. She noted that NTDC would ensure that domestic tourism remains the best approach to promote Nigeria tourism and create wealth for the nation and people. “Hence, the corporation is investing on promoting domestic tourism to empower local government at the grass root level and create jobs at the local government level,” she said.
The Mare Festival featured motorised floats, cultural performances, mountain climbing, fast walking, musical concert and golf.
Akinbolade Praise emerged first prize winner in the mountain climbing competition while Adekunle Adedoyoin and Sunday Akinwumi won the second and third position respectively. In the female category, Ayodeji Folashade won the first position and a cash prize of 30,000 naira while Oyebade Oluwaseun and Olawoye Damilola won second and third prizes respectively.
For fast walking competition, Oluwafemi Dele got the first prize. Olowoniyi Abiodun got second prize while Isaac Ayokunle emerged third.
