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Osun State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Tourism and Culture, Mr. Sikiru Ayedun, in this interview with TUNDE ODESOLA, bares his mind on how the state and the country can harness their tourism and cultural potential.
Despite being rich in culture, Osun State is not benefitting from the potential inherent in tourism and cultural sectors.
Yes, your observation is right to an extent but we have set machinery in motion to ensure that the state fully taps the benefits inherent in tourism and culture. The state Governor, Mr Rauf Agbesola, has prepared a roadmap entitled "My pact with the People of Osun," – a book he wrote some years before he even contested the Osun governorship election. The book spells out how the government will be run. Fact is Osun remains the cradle and the epicenter of the Yoruba people. Although we have no oil, God has deposited limitless human and material potential in Osun, needing to be tapped. Massive investment in, and, development of tourism are critical factor in the six-point agenda of the state government. Tourism has become an index in the development of Osun economy.
Do you have any particular sites you wish to develop?
Look at Disney World phenomenon in the US, Niagara Falls in Canada, Egyptian pyramids, Berlin Wall in Germany and many other natural and man-made wonders of the world. Many countries in Europe don't have oil yet they have been able to attract huge foreign investments through tourism. The difference between what we have in Osun and what most tourist spots worldwide offer is that we have natural and not artificial creations. We have the world renowned Osun Osogbo shrine, Kiriji War sites in Igbajo, Olumiri waterfall in Erin-Ijesa, Ayekunugba waterfall in Oke-Ila, Iwude festival in Ilesa, Olojo festival in Ife, among hundreds of others.
We have all these resources and we are going to develop them. Soon, we will have no need to look for federal allocation before we embark on gigantic projects. We have identified 63 tourist sites but in actual sense, we have more than 1, 000 of such sites. However, we are beginning with 63 sites. These are natural sites. Here, we are talking about the ones we are going to develop in the next few months. We have begun a study of the 63 sites, which we have started to develop. In arriving at these 63 sites, we took into cognizance, the interest of tourists and their comfort. We are not changing anything in the sites; we are only going to add a few conveniences where necessary.
In what other ways do you intend to develop tourism in Osun?
Tourism is not about sites alone. We have culinary tourism. For instance, there's an alcoholic beverage called ogoro. It is a special type of palm wine found only in Osun State. We also have breadfruit delicacy called iyan gbere or iyan jaloke; this is a special meal found only in Ife. The Chinese developed their culinary tourism and that's why you see Chinese restaurants everywhere. Our people now consume costly health damaging pastries in big restaurants. We will change this in Osun.
What's your projected annual income?
Our projection is to earn N18bn as internally generated revenue on tourism annually. Massive awareness programmes will be done to make Nigerians home and abroad know what we have in stock for them. Every state of the federation must look inward by reengineering their economies with a view to bringing the dividends of democracy to the masses. The Federal Government should ensure fiscal federalism, where more funds and powers would be devolved to component units. This is the solution to the stifling economic challenges bedeviling the country. The Federal Government, for instance, has no point in having a Ministry of Agriculture.Where are the farmers of the Federal Government? Where are the farms of the Federal Government? Agriculture and tourism are better administered by states and local government councils.
What are the challenges confronting tourism development in Osun?
Finance is our greatest challenge. But we are surmounting this through a fiscal re- engineering process orchestrated by the governor. We are employing public-private partnership to change the face of tourism in the state.
The government has solicited the support and cooperation of the communities where the sites are located. We have done the feasibility studies and have found out what tourists want to see at the various sites.