Ebiraland as tourist destination | Ayo Baje
Globally,the hospitality industry has become the largest employer of labour outside government.Ebiraland,which proudly occupies Kogi State Central Senatorial District has vast and varied tourism potentials waiting to be tapped.We can therefore,no longer wait to get on the train for several reasons:
1. It is on record that Ebira people are one of the most hospitable ethnic groups not only in the country but on the African continent.For eons we have played the best of hosts to various other tribes,including the Hausa/Fulani,Igbo,Yoruba and Edo people.
2. The land is centrally located, not too far from Lokoja the state capital or FCT,Abuja, and has become the gateway to many parts of the country.
3. It has some of the most beautifully scenic areas in Nigeria,given the rolling hills and valleys,ingeniously placed rocks, rivers and waterfalls.
Indeed, late Tai Solarin was so awe-struck when he visited Okene Water Works in the sixties that he could not stop himself from exclaiming that; "this place is the most beautiful in the whole of Nigeria!"
Unfortunately,we have not made it a destination of choice for film makers who would prefer to go to Jos,not knowing that here in Ebiraland(Etahi hills,Okene- Eba,Kuroko,Ikuehi Orihima hills,Okaito and Ege) could provide wonderful locations for shooting epic films.
4. From the above-stated,we could also have annual Mountain Races similar to that of Obudu and the new one in Edo state.
5. Our three most popular annual festivals(Ekuechi in December to mark the end of the Ebira Calendar year and farming season;Echori between May and June for the New Yam celebration and Echeane for harvest) can rival Osun Oshogbo or Argungun Festivals if properly harnessed to get some multinational companies to partner with us.
6. Our beautiful and talented women are adept at cloth weaving of the most creative kind and are the best of cooks of traditional meals(apapa,epe-eza,epe-ireru,uzi) that we should showcase to the world.
7.With Ajaokuta Steel Company and Itape Iron Ore Mining Company located in the area and the land blessed with over half out of the 37 identified solid mineral deposits in Nigeria,there can be a pragmatic synergy between commerce and tourism.
8. Okene, which is the epicentre of Ebiraland boasts of some top-rate hotels and new ones are springing up.
9. A worthy son of Ebiraland has started the annual EBIRA CARNIVAL.Its scope should be expanded to involve the relevant Ministries at the federal and state levels to achieve our aim of making our land a tourist destination.
We need stable infrastructure of good access roads, power supply, sustained security of lives and property, greater awareness creation and unity of purpose to succeed.
LET US NOT WAIT FOR GOVERNMENT TO KICK START THIS.
Dear brothers and sisters,I am using this medium again to call for A MASTER PLAN FOR ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION OF EBIRALAND. If there is one in place, let many more enlightened and rich individuals be involved to make it work.
N.B. Your valuable suggestions are required
( ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk ) to work out a credible list of tourist attractions and what more we should be doing in this regard.
Therefore,this opinion will be repeated on facebook and elsewhere until the most workable suggestions are aggregated.
God bless Ebiraland.
Ayo Baje
1. It is on record that Ebira people are one of the most hospitable ethnic groups not only in the country but on the African continent.For eons we have played the best of hosts to various other tribes,including the Hausa/Fulani,Igbo,Yoruba and Edo people.
2. The land is centrally located, not too far from Lokoja the state capital or FCT,Abuja, and has become the gateway to many parts of the country.
3. It has some of the most beautifully scenic areas in Nigeria,given the rolling hills and valleys,ingeniously placed rocks, rivers and waterfalls.
Indeed, late Tai Solarin was so awe-struck when he visited Okene Water Works in the sixties that he could not stop himself from exclaiming that; "this place is the most beautiful in the whole of Nigeria!"
Unfortunately,we have not made it a destination of choice for film makers who would prefer to go to Jos,not knowing that here in Ebiraland(Etahi hills,Okene- Eba,Kuroko,Ikuehi Orihima hills,Okaito and Ege) could provide wonderful locations for shooting epic films.
4. From the above-stated,we could also have annual Mountain Races similar to that of Obudu and the new one in Edo state.
5. Our three most popular annual festivals(Ekuechi in December to mark the end of the Ebira Calendar year and farming season;Echori between May and June for the New Yam celebration and Echeane for harvest) can rival Osun Oshogbo or Argungun Festivals if properly harnessed to get some multinational companies to partner with us.
6. Our beautiful and talented women are adept at cloth weaving of the most creative kind and are the best of cooks of traditional meals(apapa,epe-eza,epe-ireru,uzi) that we should showcase to the world.
7.With Ajaokuta Steel Company and Itape Iron Ore Mining Company located in the area and the land blessed with over half out of the 37 identified solid mineral deposits in Nigeria,there can be a pragmatic synergy between commerce and tourism.
8. Okene, which is the epicentre of Ebiraland boasts of some top-rate hotels and new ones are springing up.
9. A worthy son of Ebiraland has started the annual EBIRA CARNIVAL.Its scope should be expanded to involve the relevant Ministries at the federal and state levels to achieve our aim of making our land a tourist destination.
We need stable infrastructure of good access roads, power supply, sustained security of lives and property, greater awareness creation and unity of purpose to succeed.
LET US NOT WAIT FOR GOVERNMENT TO KICK START THIS.
Dear brothers and sisters,I am using this medium again to call for A MASTER PLAN FOR ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION OF EBIRALAND. If there is one in place, let many more enlightened and rich individuals be involved to make it work.
N.B. Your valuable suggestions are required
( ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk ) to work out a credible list of tourist attractions and what more we should be doing in this regard.
Therefore,this opinion will be repeated on facebook and elsewhere until the most workable suggestions are aggregated.
God bless Ebiraland.
Ayo Baje
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