The Alado of Ado-Awaye, Oba Ademola Folakanmi, has decried the nation’s over-dependence on oil noting that this has distracted the attention of policy makers from the huge economic potentials in the abundant natural resources in the country.
The monarch made particular reference to the Iyake Suspended Lake in Ado-Awaye community in Oyo State saying that the natural endowment had the prospect of generating huge revenue for the state and the country if fully harnessed.
Oba Folakanmi spoke in Ibadan, on Monday during a press conference to herald the maiden edition of the Iyake Festival in Ado-Awaye.
The Ado-Awaye Suspended Lake is one of the two suspended lakes in the world.
The Oba said contrary to the practice in other parts of the world, the lake, as well as other key tourist sites in the country, continued to suffer neglect thereby resulting in loss of foreign exchange earnings.
According to him, the Iyake Festival, repackaged by the Ado-Awaye Tourism Heritage Development Initiative in partnership with Red Alert Consult Limited, is aimed at boosting the economic potentials of the natural resources in Ado-Awaye.
He said, “The Iyake Suspended Lake is not only unique for being the only natural lake in the country. The festival uniquely aimed at catapulting the economic potentials of the God-given natural resources in Ado-Awaye to the world.
“It is also unique for being a spiritual source, a medical source, an emotional resource, an education and a cultural resource destination.
“The vision is to create a veritable platform aimed at placing Iyake Festival as a convergence where sporting activities, tourism, entertainment, arts and business potentials would be explored.”
The Chief Executive Officer, Red Alert Consult Limited, Mr Babatunde Obalana, said efforts were in top gear to put Ado-Awaye community on the world tourism map.
He said, “Basically, our plan and vision is to turn around this place. We want to impact the Ado-Awaye community as a tourism destination.”
