REPORT ON TOURISM FIELD SURVEY OF EKITI STATE CARRIED OUT ON 13TH  TO 15TH MAY, 2019

1. INTRODUCTION:

Ekiti State is located in Southwest region of Nigeria, declared a state on 1 October 1996. It was carved out of the territory of old Ondo State. Thepopulation is about 2.21 million with a land mass of about 2,453sq miles. Ekiti State is bounded on the South by Ondo State, on the North by Kwara State, on the East by Kogi State. The State has 16 Local Government Councils which include Edo-Ekiti-East, Ekiti Southwest, Ekiti West, Ikere, Irepodun, Ijero, Oye, Ikole, Efon, Moba etc. And its major towns include Ado-Ekiti, EfonAlaaye, Aramoko-Ekiti, IkoleEkiti, Iyin-Ekiti etc. The people are mostly Muslims and Christians while some are still traditional religionists. The people of Ekiti have their own unique traditional way of Dressing, Dancing, Festival and other ways of life. The dress for a man in Ekiti is Bùbá (round neck shirt) and Sòkòtò (trousers) while women dress in Bùbá (blouse) and Ìró (wrapper) while their best food is Iyan (Pounded Yam) with melon Soup and Bush Meat.The state is largely agrarian. Agriculture is the mainstay of the state economy. It employs 75% of the state working population. The State is one of the largest producers of rice, kola nut, oil palm and cocoa in the country. They also produce crops like cassava, yam, cocoyam, maize, cowpea, citrus, plantain and fruits like cashew, mango and orange. As the state is within the ecological belt known for abundant forest resources the state produces high quality woods which are raw material for wood based industries within and outside the state. Industrially, the state is arid with only few companies on the ground. However, the state government has embarked on an aggressive industrialization drive through the provision of necessary infrastructure while new industrial estates are being opened under World Bank Infrastructural Development Fund to cater for investors’ needs. The state is endowed with abundant mineral deposits of value like Clay, Kaolin, Columbite, Cassiterite, Foundry Sand, Bauxite, Clarcomite and Charcoalnite Granite.

Ekiti State is blessed with some tourist attractions, sites and centre’s ranging from exotic waterfalls to complex rock formations, landscapes, caves and rivers spectacular warm and cold water springs oozing out and touching, yet retaining its thermal identity, nowhere in the world has this unique warm springs experience. Some of the tourist centers include Ikogosi warm spring, Arinta waterfalls, Osun River source Egbigbu Lake, Esa cave, etc. Someof the sites are yet to be explored and developed.

2. THE SURVEY

The field survey for Ekiti State took place on 13^th to 15th May, 2019. It was undertaken by a team comprising of the Deputy Director (DT) and two other officers of the Tourism Department. The main drive for the assignment was to gather information on tourism sites and attractions in Ekiti State which will form part of the compendium of tourism sites, products and attractions that will be produced by the Ministry. The Officers were charged to:

1. Collect comprehensive data as well as ascertain the current status of development of the tourism sites and attractions;
2. Identify possible areas of collaboration between the Ministry and Ekiti State;

iii.      Submit hard and soft copies of the information obtained.

The team was received by the Ekiti State Honourable Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Value Orientation, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua, with the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mrs. Adekunbi Obaisi, and the Director of Tourism Mrs.Oyadeyi Oluwatoyin, at the Secretariat complex.

The Hon. Commissioner, Perm Sec., Directors with Officers on Field Survey

          As part of the logistics required, a project vehicle (with a driver), a photographer and two (2) tour guides were provided for the assignment. However, due to the terrain of the sites, only the two younger officers form the Ministry and state went on the guided tour to selected sites with the available logistics.

SITES VISITED:

The sites visited were based on the itinerary provided by the Ekiti State Director Tourism. They are as follows:

(1)                Sacred Fish at Erinjiyan

(2)                Ikogosi Warm Spring at Ikogosi

(3)                Arinta Water Fall at Ipole – Iloro

(4)                Babalola Cenotaph (Religious Tourism) at EfonAlaaye

(5)                Oroole Hill at Ikere

(6)                Olusunta Hill at Ikere

(7)                Fajuyi Memorial Park AdoEkiti

(8)                River Oni at EfonAlaaye

1. SACRED FISH AT ERINJIYAN

 This is a sacred river in Ernjiyan – Ekiti with lots of sacred fish that must never be killed or eaten, its forbidden for anyone to attempt catching the fish for consumption because, there is a myth in the town – that the fish will never get cooked however long it is cooked on the fire. There is believed in Erinjiyan that the river was actually a woman who in the olden days turned into the sacred river, with the colony of fish in the ancient river being her children. Killing the fish is forbidden, and it is said that whoever manages to kill any of the fish would die in poverty. Tourists want to see the river and the sacred fish swimming freely in their natural habitat. There is no development at all at the site.

1. IKOGOSI WARM SPRINGS

          The Ikogosi warm springs is in Ikogosi, Ekiti West Local Government is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the State, its popularity stems from the fact that it is a confluence of hot spring and cold spring meeting at a point and then flowing down as a single stream. It is situated in a dense forest that extends over a hilly landscape, with tall trees around the confluence of warm and cold spring providing a tall canopy that can host tourist and other visitors to the springs. There are many stories from the indigenes of this town regarding the origin of the warm spring. A version of the stories rests more on the traditional belief of the people that both springs (Warm and Cold) were wives of the same husband who turned to springs water in the wake of rift and rivalry between them. The hot and ill-tempered first wife was believed to have turned to the popular warm spring while the cool-tempered second wife turned to cold spring water. The husband became the undulating hills that encompass the springs. It is well established that some of the Villagers still worship the springs as their deities. The scientific proof could not be wished away in favour of the traditional belief. The possible and plausible scientific explanation is that the deeper a body of water goes underground, the hotter it becomes and if by chance it is forced back to the surface through some earth fault, the temperature will be relatively high. The Baptist mission in the early 50s established a youth and conference centre and other conveniences on a hill adjacent to the warm spring area. This started attracting different people from far and near, even foreigner started visiting the centre to the work of nature. At the wake of 1978 however, the Ondo State acquired this popular tourist centre from Baptist Mission. A few infrastructures were put in place by this Mission before the resort centre was acquired from them by the State government, but, after the acquisition of this centre, however, both the federal and the state government focused attention on how to develop the centre to a modern tourist resort. Currently the resort is managed by Fountain holdings Limited.The wooden walkway is in a bad shape and the grass roof is also getting weak. They need to be renovated. The spring water is said to have some therapeutic effects in some diseases like rheumatism, guinea-worm and skin diseases.

• ARINTA WATER FALLS, IPOLE ILORO EKITI

Arinta waterfall is located in Ipole-Iloro Ekiti in Ekiti West L.G.A of Ekiti State. It isspectacular to watch the falls cascade down the rocky hill amid natural forest to form a pool of water. This resort centre is naturally endowed with thick and evergreen forest. It is one of the popular tourism sites that draw local and foreign tourists to Ekiti State. The site is ideal for relaxation, picnics and religious retreats. The fall is yet to be opened up and developed. A restaurant/bar, gate house/revenue office and guest house are planned for the place.

1. BABALOLA CENOTAPH (RELIGIOUS TOURISM) AT EFON ALAAYE

a.k.a. THE POWER HOUSE

Babalola Cenotaph (Religious Tourism) at Efon – Alaaye in Ekiti State is not only popular because of the number of praying mountains where many Christian faithful go for spiritual incubation, and special prayer, but it has also become a tourist centre where the Christ Apostolic Church, C.A.C members go to either pray at the grave of the LATE AYO BABALOLA the founder of the church or sleep in the catacomb believing that the spirit of their late leader would solve their problem. Many of them bring kegs of water to the grave with the belief that the power of their founder is still potent and could still perform miracles as he did when alive. People from within and outside the country visit the church in their numbers for healing and to solve their problems through his power as he did when alive. The grave of Apostolic Ayo Babalola and his father David Rotimi have become a source of power, healing and miracles in Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State.

1. RIVER ONI EFON ALAAYE

River Oni Efon Alaaye is on the way to Abeta. Tourists from all over Nigeria come to river Oni to bath and collect the water, it is believed that a sick man who uses this water for drinking and bathing will be cured and a woman who has difficulties with conception will be made fruitful by drinking the water or bathing with the water.The Christ ApostolicChurch (C.A.C) has built bathrooms on the river Oni where believers have their sacred bath in private.

OROLE HILL IKERE – EKITI

          Oroole Hill is located in Ikere – Ekiti in Ikere local government area of Ekiti State. The hill is reputed to be the highest in the Ondo/Ekiti axis, Orole Hill stands like an egg half – buried in the soil it is worshipped as a goddess of prosperity. The site is ideal for climbing, sight – seeing and picnicking. The site is yet to be opened up and developed.

• OLOSUNTA HILLS, IKERE – EKITI

          The Olosunta Hills are located in Ikere – Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State. They are sacred hills, worshipped every year for 9 days, the festival draws tourists from far and wide. The Olusonta rock is unlike other rocks that tourist troop for relaxation. People are not allowed to visit the rock without the permission of the paramount ruler (Kabiesi). People visit only during festive seasons after performing some rites. For this reason the tour took officers to the palace of Olu Ikere of Ikere Land, the paramount ruler of Ikere who (in the company of his cabinet) received them with the story behind the popularity of Olusonta Hills and also about the Olusonta annual Festivals which takes place around June /July. The hills which has attracted quite a large number of tourists from within and outside Nigeria, is yet to be developed by government. The traditional ruler requested that government should assist them by completing the fence round the site, provide accessibility to the top of the hill, and, at least a twenty bedded accommodation for visitors especially foreigners.

• FAJUYI MEMORIAL PARK.

It is a triangular park where the late Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi was buried. This park is at Ado Ekiti, the heart of Ekiti-land in Ekiti State.Ekiti State was carved out of Ondo State in 1996, and Ondo State was part of the old Western Region of which late Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi was the governor, when General Aguiyi – Ironsi was the head of State. However Col. Fajuyi together with Gen. Ironsi were both killed during the Military coup.  Fajuyi was buried in Ado-Ekiti, and later his burials site was made a memorial park and a recreational spot to perpetuate the memory of late governor, the park is very large and a tourist attraction to visit – it has a fountain, children playground, mini museum, tower restaurant, drink bar, and opportunity for water sport among other games. It can also be used for religious retreats, seminars, student workshops and social engagements. Fajuyi Memorial Park.

1. Cultural Festivals in Ekiti State

Below are lists of festivals in Ekiti State:

OBSERVATIONS:

• It is commendable to note that most of the roads in Ekiti State are good hence; the tourist sites visited were all accessible by road. Out of the eight facilities visited, only the Fajuyi Memorial park and the Religious tourism at Babalola Cenotaph are being fully maintained and in use. These two sites are recording high patronage.
• The Ikogosi warm spring which is a priceless heritage of Ekiti has been left in ruin and is having low patronage.However, the present administration is in the process of renovating the site. The evidence is in the re-opening of the Gossy water company on the 14^th of May, while this field survey was on-going. The company shot down since four years ago.
• The Sacred Fish at Erinjiyan, Arinta Falls, and the Hills at Ikere are yet to be developed.
• The Olu Ikere of Ikere land gave an oral invitation to the ministry to the 2019 annual Olosunta festival which will hold around July/August, the official invitation will reach the Ministry in due time. He promised to provide accommodation for Ministry’s delegates. He earnestly prayed that this year’s festival will experience a Federal presence.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• It is recommended that the Federal ministry should collaborate with Ekiti State to ensure that Ikogosi warm spring resort gets back on its feet.
• The Ekiti state ministry should always be invited for tourism programmes at Federal level for better interaction with tourism stakeholders for improved development in the sector.
• Public private partnership (PPP) is the order of the day as regards management of government business. They should embark on aggressive marketing to attract investors on the tourist sites.
• The invitation to the Olusonta Festival which comes up in June/July may be honoured by the ministry if and when there is official invitation to give federal presence to the festival.

EKITI STATE TEAM:

Mrs. Patricia Narai            Deputy Director (Team leader)

Mrs. Blessing Ogbogo       Chief Catering Instructor

Mrs. AdeyemiToyin             Sen. Exe. Officer (Tourism)