Oyo committed to harnessing its tourism potentials, Ajimobi

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has reiterated commitment of his administration to harnessing the culture and tourism potentials of the state.

Noting that the state boasted of innumerable tourist attraction sites, Ajimobi said the state was ready to partner with genuine investors that will preserve its historical sites, artifacts and monuments.

Ajimobi, represented by his deputy, Mr Moses Adeyemo, stated this in Iseyin at the foundation laying ceremony of Aso-Ofi International Tourism Market, held on Saturday.

He observed that most of the tourist sites in the state were yet to be maximized to generate revenue, avowing that the state was poised to identify, plan, package and market them for overall development of the state.

Ajimobi said that Aso Ofi festival was not only to propagate the unique indigenous textile material globally, but also provide a platform for the engagement and empowerment of youths and adults.

“It is our duty to identify, plan, package and market them for overall development of the State. The concept of the Aso-Ofi festival is to celebrate Aso-Ofi, one of the State’s Tourism products, towards propagating this unique indigenous textile material globally and promote the youth empowerment agenda of this administration as one of the solutions to the present economic challenges facing the country.

“To this end, youths should be encouraged to learn this trade without waiting for white collar jobs that are not always there; farmers should be encouraged to grow the cotton trees as part of agricultural agenda in the State to boost our indigenous textile industry. We are here today to fulfill the promise made by my administration during last year Aso-Ofi celebration to the good people of Iseyin that an International Tourism Market will be established in this town known universally as the cradle of Aso-Ofi,” Ajimobi said.

State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun said that the state was determined to fully boost the economy of the state by tapping into her culture and tourism potentials.

He explained that Aso-Ofi festival was conceptualised to showcase and celebrate the locally made fabric that was now an internationally accepted brand.

According to Arulogun, that the Aso-Ofi International Tourism Market on 13.5 hectares would contain 500 weaving sheds and workshops, 500 exhibition shops, a warehouse, first indigenous textile museum in Nigeria, a fire station, a clinic and a police station.

The 2017 Aso Ofi day festival was witnessed by top government officials from the state led by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Olalekan Alli; members of the National Assembly; members  of the Oyo State House of Assembly led by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Abdulwasi Musah, traditional rulers including the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdulganiyu Adekunle Salau, the Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola; Onjo of Okeho, Oba Rafiu Osuolale; religious, community and market leaders, Aso Ofi weavers and marketers from Ibadan, Ilorin and Abeokuta as well as prominent sons and daughters of Iseyin.