Gov Amosun: Yemoji Natural swimming pool, Imagbon is crying! Written by: Wale ojo lanre
April 27, 2016
Written by:
Wale Ojo Lanre
Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has been commended for the wonderful packaging of the first ever Ogun State Drum Festival which attracted thousands of tourists and an impressive number of diplomats with the attendance of His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi , Ojaja II, who also came in company of his Olori and Dr Sally Mbanefo, Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC.
The Drum festival has added value of importance and has elevated the status of Ogun State from a low performing tourism state to a hope rising state of action, this is because the Drum Festival was spectacular, beautiful, exciting and great in concept, packaging and celebration.
At least the people of Ogun State will be better for it for the two days the event lasted as it attracted multitude of tourists who must have parted with money before leaving the state.
And I am sure if the department of statistics has conducted a financial survey on what came in during the two days , it will further help the Governor in getting a proper insight to what tourism activities and events are capable of doing and achieving for the economy of the state .
It is needless to be telling the public that Ogun State is a paragon of tourism. There is no contention in this going by the numerous tourism sites which the state is blessed with .Right from the ever famous Olumo Rock , the first Church in Ake, the Centenary Hall, Bilikisu Sugbo Grove, Alake’s Palace, Itoku Market, Omo Forest Reserve, Hilltop Golf Resort, Yemoji Natural Swimming Pool, Ijebu Ode, Oyan Dam in Abeokuta North, Iwopin Boat Regatta, Oronna Shrine in Ilaro, Tongeji Island in Ipokia, Old Manse at Ogbe in Abeokuta, Ota and Ijamido river shrine, so many that the state just need to enhance these sites to boost the economy of the people .
Inasmuch those events like Drum festivals are good; their shelf span is short and could only be elongated if the state has several interesting places which could lure the attention of the tourists to extend their stay in the state with the hope of visiting these places.
Ogun State has many places which can retain the attention and cultivate the interest of those who hurriedly left the state after the close of the Drum Festival.
For, most of them would have gone back with half of the money which would have been spent in Ogun State if there are many other places to visit.
Yemoji Natural Swimming Pool, Imagbon, located on Kilometre 6, Ijebu Ode- Epe Road is once upon a time an exciting tourists spot which hosted tourists all over the country not just because it is a naturally built swimming pool neither because its water has therapeutic and medicinal impact on the body just like the Dead Sea in Israel and Jordan but also because the site was kept in proper condition conducive for tourism activities.
For many years Yemoji Natural Swimming Pool was it then must visit port for fun loving tourists, swimming buffs and picnickers for the private managers ensured the fitting of facilities and provision of infrastructures which made the place an attraction to many.
However, tragedy befell Yemoji Natural Swimming Pool when the Ogun State Ministry of Culture and Tourism on one hand, which is the leaser and the lesse, the private company managing the site could not come to reach an acceptable term of agreement on the site.
Thus, the lesse was asked to vacate the premises on the term agreed which he did thus stripping the site of all the facilities and infrastructure which it bore to bear.
Immediately the premises were vacated, the hoodlums took over and for five years, Yemoji was the den of armed robbers and cultists.
This was the situation, until recently when Mr Taiwo Adigboluja, an indigene of the Imagbon, who was propelled by altruism and love for tourism summoned courage to clear the premises of the site and opened the place up. This was done with the tactic approval and permission of Ogun State Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Governor Amosun will not only add value to the tourism assets of Ogun State but also create avenue of employment and mobilise wealth if he can just pay little attention to Yemoji Natural Swimming Pool which is crying and calling for enhancement.
The name of Governor Amosun will never go into absolute forgetfulness in the history of tourism development in Nigeria if this wonderful, once exciting and fascinating attraction could be enhanced.
God bless Governor Amosun
God bless Ogun State
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