James Sowole in Abeokuta

The Aare Ona Kakanfo and National Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Gani Adams, yesterday, tasked both the federal and state governments to improve on their investment in promoting the country’s rich diverse cultural heritage to drive tourism and boost foreign earnings for the country.

The Yoruba leader also called on the government to tackle headlong the problem of insecurity, which  he said is a major challenge to development of the tourism industry.

The OPC leader, who spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the celebration of Olumo Festival, which was part of activities to celebrate Year 2025, Lisabi Festival, said there were abundant economic opportunities in the tourism sector.

He commended the people of Egbaland for celebrating the annual Lisabi Festival as this year’s edition has been projected to contribute about N10bn to the nation’s economy.

The OPC leader described tourism sector as a gold mine that can be mined forever and managed to bring huge foreign earnings to the country unlike other mineral resources that are exhaustive while some of them are even limited in supply

He said this is the reason why the government must tackle the problem of insecurity and create an enabling environment for businesses, particularly the tourism sector to thrive in the country.

The Yoruba leader said “Both the federal and state governments must increase their investment in tourism. 

“They must create historical places of tourist attraction around the country that people can visit  for pleasure and recreation.

“And one of the problems we are having is insecurity, if the government can provide an enabling environment, particularly security and reorientate our youths to do away with all these nefarious activities, Nigeria has great potential for tourism.

“Thailand generates 40 million tourists every year, and Britain generates 45m visits and we are moving from mineral resources to tourism.

“Tourism sector remains a gold mine that can never be exhausted. You can finish mining other mineral resources but the economic potentials of tourism are inexhaustible, you can always package it to create more job opportunities and also boost foreign earnings for the country.”

He described Olumo festival as a unifying factor and homecoming of sorts for Egba sons and daughters all over the world adding that it has become an annual massive celebration of unity.

Adams said that he would always support every effort and initiative that is tailored towards promoting the country’s rich culture and tradition because it helps to promote progress, unity and cohesion of the country at large.

The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, while rejoicing with the people of Egbaland on the auspicious celebration of this year Lisabi Festival, urged them to keep living in harmony while contributing their quota for further development of the state and the country at large.

The monarch thanked Governor Dapo Abiodun who recently promised to give the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre a facelift and ensure that the faulty three elevators roared back to life. 

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