Ooni Of Ife 'Honeymooned' At La Campagne Resort in Lagos

Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi and his new wife, Olori Wuraola did not rush off to any of the popular foreign city for their honeymoon, rather, they were in Lagos at the Lacampagne Tropicana Resort located in Ibeju-Lekki area. 

In this interview by National Tribune, he reveals why...

Kabiyesi, you can afford to observe your honeymoon in seven star hotels  in Dubai or five stars hotels in Paris. You can afford to go to US and many other beautiful countries to buffet your honeymoon. Why La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in Nigeria?

There is a saying that charity begins at home. It’s very important that we have home gown tourism. I am very passionate about domestic tourism. Why should I go abroad? Why? Does it have any economic meaning? No.  It does not and I am an advocate of anything Nigerian; I walk with it, I sleep and wake up with Nigeria, it rings in by brain and I am Nigerian to the core. This is one of the ways to promote Nigeria and encourage the youths.

Kabiyesi, why are you a Nigerian to the core?

I have no choice than to be who I am.  Firstly, I am a Nigerian by birth and also by inclination. I am a Nigerian by every measure of it and regardless of my international exposure, I am still a Nigerian. So, I have to act as such. You too should be who you are in acts, deeds and perception.  That is the only way we can grow this nation. We have to encourage our youths. Before I became a king I could not lose the grip of my relationship with the youth, I believe in youth empowerment and I am very close to them. The general saying that do not forget your root, my root  are the youths. The stool is dedicated to them and they are over 70 per cent of the entire population. I flew in from Sokoto to La Campagne where I went to launch a project with His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto. Our major discussion was Nigeria and nothing else other than Nigerians how we’ll continue to empower youths and tourism which is an important aspect that can help in that direction.

 Why do you think tourism?

Tourism is important. It is one economic sector which Nigeria, as an entity, and Nigerians as a people, have not come to terms with, in relations to its economic indispensability. Tourism is a movement. It deals with movement of the people and its attendant’s economic implications. Since I came here,  I met a lot of Nigerians who are aware. I don’t know how a lot of people are aware of my staying here and they have been coming here in droves to visit me and there is no way their visit will not rubbed off  on the economy of this area. This is one of the impacts and efforts of tourism. I am a tourism gospel spreader and I cannot or no longer hide myself. So I have to continue to preach the gospel of positivity on things about the country in such a way that it will positively affect the growth of the country. If we have positive movement in the area of tourism, it will empower a lot of youths. Look, when I came here, I was very impressed with what I saw. I was welcomed by over 100  youths;  the ones that were beating the drums, the ones that displayed traditional dance, (male and female) the ones that were smoking sea foods, over 100 youths being engaged here and being paid for work done in this tourism enclave!

How do you feel about your decision to spend your honeymoon here in this village at this tourism enclave?

I just do what is supposed to be done. This is what we should do to encourage local investors in tourism sector and keep our youths employed. Nigerians must learn and embrace the culture of patronising the numerous tourism sites for whatever reasons.  My coming here will domesticate my spending for the benefit of the workers and the public in general. If 30 per cent of Nigerians honeymoon spenders patronise local investors, the domestic tourism will grow, our investors will make money and the workers will be okay. You can imagine if the president of this country goes to Obudu Cattle Ranch, that is a big statement or the Senate President or Vice President goes to Tinapa to just go there to relax with his family or some of the governors go to Yankari Games Reserve. It will not only boost the economy of the sector, it will domesticate our spending and improve the society for better.

Hope this will not be a once off thing?

It will not be and it is not a once off thing. I will be visiting others sites in other states not just to make a statement about tourism but to showcase my commitment to the germination and grow of domestic tourism. I am not limiting my Nigerian patriotism to only engaging Nigerian Resorts and tourism sites because even my personal effects and accessories are mostly Nigerian. It is not only in La Campagne but all over the country. As far as I am concerned, my purchases, the beads I am wearing is hundred per cent Nigerian. The gold in it are locally sourced from Osun State. In terms of gold, I can never buy gold outside the country, the beads are made from Osun  and Edo States. The Benin Kingdom are known for that, that is part of the things that come out of  Nigeria  and they link with tourism. I moved from Sokoto to La Campagne in Lagos. Think of the financial transaction involved, I mean travelling with over 60 people!

Do you have any regret about this?

I don’t have any regrets. I am happy that the financial aspect of my travel goes and circulates within Nigeria. This is what it should be. I am very happy here. I am very close to nature. I have a resort too but I didn’t go to my resort because I am partnering with the owner of La Campagne and I want to have a feel of his resort, which is very African in concept. I am very excited that I am here. You can imagine if you have a lot of our leaders patronising tourism sites in Nigeria. If you go to the United States of America for instance, there’s Camp David.  Look at what happened in Germany where all the world leaders met at a resort there. Think of the finance involved. Think of the amount of money injected to the economy of Germany, the resort and the impact of such on the people. This is what I am saying and so I travelled from Sokoto to La Campagne. I would have chosen to move from Sokoto to Paris or United Kingdom or United States of America but I am not going to do it, let us grow our domestic tourism.

Is that why you declared Ile-Ife as a tourism zone?

Yes, there are too many mysteries in Ife land. We cannot hide it again so you have to look for how to partner with the right people and I haven’t regretted that partnering with Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, the proprietor of La Campagne Tropicana.  He has  been in this business for the over 30 years. We are not competitors but we share the same vision. He has a resort and I have one resort too, so the best bet is to collaborate. I am very excited being here and I love the setting here. It is rural based. An ideal African setting. An ecotourism enclave.

You started your tenure by employing over two thousand widows and other people to be cleaning Ife, is that part of the tourism agenda?

Well, it’s not just two thousand people. Right now, we are clocking about 6000. That number is only for tourism. We are now looking into agriculture. Soon, we are going to unveil our agricultural project for the people. The tourism guards are busy cleaning up Ile–Ife tourism zone. But for tourism, you need to tidy up the entire environment and make it look serene, so when tourists come, they will look at the serene  environment and fall in love with the town and tell others to come and visit. This is why we had to employ the over 6000 people which include the widows, most of them victims of Ife-Modakeke war of many years. We have many widows so I called them, we are all one now and told them the only war we are going to fight is the economic war. I made it clear, as the Ooni of Ife; I will not engage any town in war. The only war which I will fight is economic war. I will raise all ammunition of welfare to fight poverty and wretchedness in Yoruba land. This is a war I will fight with all my might, energy and agility. But to carry weapons against one another is capital NO. But against economic war against poverty and wretchedness, I will do everything positively needed to destroy these two monsters that are reducing the dignity of my people in the eyes of all. And the ammunition for this is tourism. Tourism is the nuclear bomb to eliminate poverty. I will deploy this efficiently, by the special grace of God and support of Nigerians.

You are so concerned about unity, cohesion, and togetherness. Are these tourism related?

Yes, because all the entire section of Ifeland belong to the entire Yoruba race and the entire world.  If there is no cohesion I wouldn’t have movement so we have to first of all bring together peaceful cohesion, in place for them to know what we have. Tourism cannot thrive in an environment of disorderliness, chaos, violence and disintegration.  If we want tourists to be here and to have confidence in Yoruba land, there should and must be peace. That will enable the tourists, the confidence to traverse Yoruba land without any fear or favour and without any reservation about hospitable attitude.  Tourism cannot thrive in an acrimonious environment, and I must do this because we have to encourage intra Yoruba land tourism and interaction, without suspicion. A scion of the Alaafin of Oyo must be able to feel free in any part of Yoruba land while any Ekiti man should be happy anywhere in any part of Oodua territory. That is how it should be and that is how it will be

In terms of tourism assets, where lies Ile-Ife Tourism Zone?

If we are talking about Ife alone, the assets are many and multifarious. Remember Ife is the cradle of mankind. Ife is the source. It is not only historical, it is ancient. That alone is immeasurable and incomparable asset. That Ife has the Tower of Babel, harbours the Noah’s Ark, the artefacts, historical and spiritual centres, the Ifa Temple, the first stone cobbled road, the Opa Oramiyan and all the ancients groves of creation and the House of all the crowns of all Yoruba Obas. These are just for Ife as a city. But when we are talking of Ile–Ife as a tourism zone, it is about the Yoruba land. It is about any territory which is occupied by the scion of Oduduwa. It is a huge lot; it is another movement which all of us must be part of it to liberate our people from wretchedness and poverty by using the tourism bomb.

The Ooni and his wife also visited HRM Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi whilst they were in Lagos...