Oyo State has called on local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities and the favorable business climate that abound in the state to key into its tourism industry using its unique natural wonders and rich cultural heritage to attract investment and visitors alike.
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, who spoke on behalf of the state government at the grand finale of the event, made the call on Saturday, November 17 at the 2024 Iyake Celebration held at the foot of Iyake Hill, Ado Awaye in Iseyin local government.
Westernmirror.com.ng reports that Iyake Lake, which is globally recognized as the only naturally suspended lake in the world has continued to attract more visitors annually to the wonder site which is about 2,000 ft above sea level.
The Iyake Festival, which took at the scenic town of Ado-Awaye, drew hundreds of visitors, including local residents, international tourists, and business leaders.
The festival, which spans several days, combines traditional music, dances, local cuisines, and religious ceremonies, all celebrating the ancient history of the Oyo people and the mystical qualities of Iyake Lake.
Suspended at the top of a hill at about 2,000 ft above sea level, westernmirror.com.ng also reports that the lake defies conventional understanding by appearing to “float” over the surrounding landscape and providing visitors with an astonishing views from the hilltop. Local legends surrounding the lake add an air of mystery to the site, making it a popular spot for tourists seeking to experience something extraordinary.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the event, the Commissioner, who stated that the enabling environment already created by the Makinde’s administration will readily guarantee adequate Returns on Investment (RoI) saying: “We have two suspended lake in the whole world; one is artificial while the other is natural. But the only natural one in the world is the Iyake Suspended Lake, which is domiciled here in Ado Awaye.
“When we came in, we realized that few people know about Iyake and I took it upon myself, in conjunction with Alado of Ado Awaye to create awareness so that people would know that there is a place like this somewhere in Oyo State. We also believe that in order to create more awareness, we should have a festival that we will be doing every year.
“In as much as Iyake is synonymous with Ado Awaye, if we decided to do a festival to commemorate that annual event, we are using one stone to kill two birds; one is to celebrate the festival and the town, while the second is to call the attention of the world to the suspended lake.
“So, we call on investors who would be willing to invest or have enough funds to invest in the lake.
“The state government believes that there is no need for government to be in business but to create conducive environment for businesses to thrive. We have done that already and now calling on investors because we want to leave a sustainable legacy to make things easy for any government coming after us.
“We are rewriting history in all our tourist sites and have started seeing many investors but it is only proof of funds that is delaying them. So, immediately after our international summit, many investors started coming to the state to invest, though we have them more in hotels, eateries and nightclubs business for now.
“We are still expecting to have more people who have the resources to finance the site and others across different parts of the state.”
Also speaking to newsmen, the lawmaker representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju state constituency at the state House of Assembly, Honorable Bamidele Adeola, commemded governor Seyi Makinde for yielding to the call of the state legislature to grant approval for the annual celebration of the historic Iyake tourist site and others in the state.
Speaking on his role as a state legislator representing the people of Ado Awaye and Iseyin as a whole at the House of Assembly, Hon. Adeola said: “In the past five years at the House of Assembly, we have made it loud, and our position made the executive governor of the state to react positively on how we can upgrade this. Not only upgrading for social attraction but for the economic expansion of the state through improved internally generated revenue.
“Under first term of the present government tagged ‘Omituntun 1.0’, the governor had his footprints cutting across agriculture, infrastructure development among others, on the note to ensure that the economy of the state is expanded. During that time, I stood up and made it clear that we need this place (Iyake Lake) and that brought the governor’s attention to it.
“That’s why under the current ‘Omituntun 2.0’, one of the main areas of focus for the expansion of the state economy is tourism, and if that has to be done, there’s no way to develop tourism sector without ensuring that necessary infrastructures are put in place and that’s what led to the construction of many roads from the capital city down here so that everybody will be able to access Ado Awaye where we have this tourists site.
“And on that note, that’s why we now have that upgrading of tourism to be captured in the 2025 budget. Not only that, what we have here, even government spent the entire 2025 budget on this tourists site, I want to assure you we would still need more, so that means we have to start somewhere, that’s why we opened up our feathers to invite private investors.”
Others who spoke and paid glowing tribute to the Iyake tourists site at the event include the Aseyin of Iseyin, HRM Oba Sefiu Oyebola, Alado of Ado Awaye, HRH, Oba Reverend Ademola Olugbile and other eminent personalities.
While the Aseyin of Iseyin disclosed in his remark during the event that he was already exploring his personal network and relationship with influential people within and outside the country to facilitate tourism investment to the area, Alado of Ado Awaye said, the tourists site, if well harnessed, has the capacity to improve the revenue base of both Iseyin local government and the state at large.
The monarchs, in their separate submissions emphasized the importance of developing the state’s tourism sector as a key driver of economic growth assuring that all necessary local support would be provided for interested investors coming to develop the site for social and tourism purposes.
Highlights of the event were the foundation laying for the construction of a Green Estate near the Iyake hill, unveiling and presentation of award to winner of a cultural contest; the Omidan Ado Awaye, and the commissioning of a newly constructed Hall by a National Youth Service Corp member serving in the area.