By Okorie Uguru
Walking round the lush greenery at the precinct of Ikogosi warm and cold springs, gazing at the undulating sylvan landscape, the Culture, Creative Economy and Tourism Minister, Mrs. Hannatu Musawa was not just enthused by what she saw, marvel at nature in full bloom. The minister was like a butterfly drawn to the sweet scent and nectar of flowers. She seemed not to get enough of this gift of nature, and was determined to experience it in full. The idea was to have a whistle stop at key locations within the Ikogosi Warm and Cold Springs Resort in Ekiti State. But having been lured by the enchantment of nature, the Nigerian tourism minister took time to immerse herself in the wonders of nature. She took time to visit every part of the resort, some on foot, not minding her high heel shoes, and others on the resort’s cart. She spent the most time at the resort’s warm and cold spring visiting every spot along the spring part, and listening attentively to the tour guide. In one or two places, she removed her shoes and waded into the spring to feel the warm and cold water. She jettisoned time and protocol to enjoy nature.
“My mind is completely blown away,” the minister said. “I have heard of Ikogosi, and I have heard of the magical and mythical feeling that you have in Ikogosi, but as much as anyone tries to tell you, you don’t have the full experience of what it is here in Ikogosi until you come. I didn’t believe that there was anywhere in Nigeria that has this kind of magic. And that is really the word to encapsulate it. This place is absolutely magic. The new presidential suite that we just commissioned now, I mean anywhere you go in the world, this is what you are going to find. What I have to say, what I noticed all the way round is the attention to details that Cavista, and all the people have played here to ensure that they have delivered something that is completely of global standard, and this is really the place when you talk about tourism assets in Nigeria. We all know that Nigeria has so many beautiful tourism assets, but I think, what you have done here in Ikogosi, is that they have completely raised the bar in terms of what Nigeria has to offer and we have to key in to ensure that Ikogosi is not only able to be maintained, but it is also upscaled and sustained to the benefit of not only Ekiti State, not only tourism industry, but Nigeria as a whole.”
The Ikogosi community is host to one of the most beautiful countryside in Nigeria, and also has as asset, the Ikogosi warm and cold spring, a therapeutic warm and cold water that springs from the bowel of the rocks around. Although the indigenes attach certain myth around the springs, but they obviously have some positive minerals in the water that helps wellness. First built around 1962, the resort however degenerated and was closed down due to poor management. However, Cavista Holding, through its hospitality arm, Glocient Hospitality, took over the resort in 2022. It has upgraded and expanded the accommodation facilities to more than 60 rooms. The idea is to extend the rooms to more than 90 before the end of 2026. Also, a state-of-the-art presidential suite has been added. With a conference facility capable of sitting close to 500 guests, Ikogosi resort is offering a world-class resort that could save the nation millions in foreign exchange.
Musawa also used the opportunity offered by the resort to brainstorm with her aides and ministry officials on a new project she intends using to push the culture and tourism industry forward: Destination 2030. When nature’s allure meets good management, the output is mind-blowing, as Musawa said enthusiastically.
That is what Ikogosi Warm and Cold Spring Resort offers. Currently, to increase the leisure offering, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, few days before the arrival of the minister, was in the resort to commission the Tree House, an outdoor relaxation spot nestled within the cluster of palm and other trees. The trees form a kind of canopy over the house, making one feel as if one was deep in a forest.
These are some of the things that kept the Nigerian tourism minister on her toes for many hours as she toured. Musawa sees the Ikogosi resort development as a template that could be replicated all round the country. She said: “I think the best way to add to the tourism template for me, is to focus on domestic tourism. There are so many Nigerians that really want to experience Nigeria from the north, south, east and west, and everywhere you go in Nigeria is something different. “One of the initiatives that my ministry is doing is that we have come up with the Renewed Hope Cultural Tourism Programme that the president has asked us to put in every state. He wants every single state to tell a story about their unique peculiarity through the eyes of culture, through the eyes of tourism, and through the eyes of creativity. So, what we have done as a federal government is to try to reach out and do a handshake with every single state. So, every single state will tell us, what they want us to collaborate with them, that will build on that tourism asset. I hope we will now use that as a template to ensure that there is domestic tourism and every state will have something to build on. “What has been done here is what can be done anywhere. So, if we can look at this template, look at the attention that they have placed on details. I must say one of things that they have done is in terms of job creation in the community, which is very empowering because when you engage a local community, you give them a sense of ownership as to that edifice that you have. And in terms of ownership, they would also want to protect it. So, the issues of insecurity, you are able to mitigate that in one way or another.”