* Governor Abiodun plans to focus on tourism

The Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) has said it will partner with the Ogun State government to develop the tourism assets of the state to drive tourism traffic. The association made the promised when the executives and members of the association paid a courtesy visit to the state’s Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Chief Sesan Abolaji Fagbayi. The courtesy visit, led by NATOP President Mrs. Bolaji Mustapha, took place during the association’s tour of Ogun State.

The NATOP president said the familiarization trip to the state was part of the efforts by NATOP to know better the tourist sites in each state in Nigeria, be familiar with the products and also be able to market and tell the Nigerian story better. “We, in the past, have been to states. We told the story of Ekiti, and the state has never remained the same. We have gone to kwara, Plateau, Imo, and different places. This year, we have signed with Ondo State. We are having our Annual General Meeting (AGM) in July, in Ondo State. So, we hope one day, we would bring our AGM to Abeokuta. We are looking forward to that. We want to partner with the government to actually promote the state. We spread all our tentacles, with the members’ connections and platforms. We feel this is the only way we can tell our stories to the people outside the country. That is why we decided to choose Abeokuta,” she said, “We decided that we would go on a road journey so that we explore everywhere, look at where we can take people to. It is only when we know well about the products that we are pushing out that we can sell it right. If we don’t know where to take people to, how do we sell it to any tourist coming me. So, we decided that we as Nigerians, we need to know well.”Mustapha said it was important, as tour operators to know the tourist attractions so that they would be in better position to market them to local and inbound tourists. And that to achieve this, she said the association has to partner with the state governments where these sites are domicile. Also adding to what the NATOP President said, the association’s Vice President for South West Mr. James Anago- Osho advised the state government to expand the product offerings of the state and develop more sites apart from Olumo Rock. He said: “Our members know that there are certain visitors you have, especially international tourists that are interested in cultural tourism. We have it here in Abeokuta. Then, when we talk about Abeokuta, I always want to talk about the founders, the families, and the people who founded Abeokuta. I think this is an opportunity for the government to partner with each of these families and help develop family compounds. Some of them have antiques. They needs to be upgraded. These are stories people want to hear. There are so many things, and today, we would be exploring them.”

While welcoming NATOP to his office and to the state, Fagbayi said the State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has said he would be focusing his attention on tourism development in the state, saying NATOP members’ visit was timely as the would be in position to advise the state after their FAM Trip. He said: “We are very delighted with this kind of visit to the state and it is the kind of visit we are looking forward to because the government alone cannot do it. I want give kudos to the governor Prince Dapo Abiodun who told us about three weeks ago that he is shifting his attention the tourism sector. By May 29, he will be six years. He can use the remaining two years to focus on tourist sites, we will be glad. And to show how serious he was, the next day he went on a visit to Olumo. When he got in there, he was disappointed. He said this cannot be under my watch. So, I told him this is what you gave to us to manage,and we have been trying our best to develop it. And the following day, he shut that place down, and said renovation should commence. He gave us two weeks. We want to see the extent of work after our management meeting to know whether that will be realized. He further said that we shouldn’t overflog Olumo Rock. He sent some of us out to look around Olumo, any of the family houses, any of the historical buildings, any of the families that are there, we should talk to them and find out how government can help them develop their sites so that by the time tourists leave Olumo, they will have places to visit. We identified about five that day and discussed with them to know the cost of renovating these places so that we can push all these to the governor and see what he wants to do about it. Yes we want to develop other tourist attractions different from Olumo and we have so many even within Abeokuta. We have Yemoji River begging for attention. We have natural spring water at Imeko, first hospital in Nigeria.” Among the places NATOP toured were the Olusegun Obadanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Ikija, Adire Mall and other sites.