From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams has called on the Federal Government to develop tourist sites in the country to harness the economic potential, especially foreign exchange earnings in the tourism sector.
Adams made this call at the weekend while speaking with newsmen at the annual celebration of the Olumo Festival, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. He declared that tourism, if developed and well packaged, can also attract foreign investors, while enhancing the policy of diversification of the economy by the Federal Government.
Adams added that a developed tourism sector would equally create job opportunities for the youth, thereby preventing them from engaging in all sorts of social vices, while also re-orientating them to use their energy positively.
He commended the Ogun State government for transforming the Olumo Rock from a mere historical relic to a tourist centre which has become a source of economic development for Ogun State, charging other states to emulate Ogun to boost their internal revenue drive.
Speaking on preservation of cultural heritage, the Aare Ona Kakanfo, noted that traditions and culture are a twin key identity and values people must endeavour not to lose.
He posited that “if anyone loses his or her culture, the person has lost everything. Because through that you lose unity and cohesion”
“One of the problems we are having now is insecurity; if governments could create an enabling environment for security and re-orientate our youth about various activities, Nigeria would have great potential in tourism to create wealth. Thailand has 49 million tourists every year, Britain generates nothing less than 35 million tourists and people are moving from mineral resources to tourism,” he noted.