Attaining our Stated Idanre Tourism Zone: Awakening our State’s Investment-Touting Zeal (Ondo 2025-2029)

 

 

Today, 27^th September 2024 is World Tourism Day, and our statement of proposition to the occupier of Ondo State’s Governorship seat from 24^th February 2025 to 23^rd February 2029 is a transformative set to revolutionize the economic landscape of Ondo State. It is called Idanre Tourism Zone.

To those who may be in the dark, tourism development is no longer an item to be seen as charity by government – Federal, State & Local. It is a business venture that requires intentional conceptualization of a clear tourism vision and deliberate utilization of executive & legislative powers of State to enhance collaboration with the private sector and multilateral organizations/development partners for its implementation. At Sartorius Resources, therefore, it is our responsible corporate opinion that Ondo State government can do more in this regard, using the State’s flagship famous tourist site – Idanre Hills, as a starting point via the proposed Idanre Tourism Zone.

 Background of the proposed Idanre Tourism Zone

Figure 1 - Graphic illustration of current territorial span of the proposed 17km Idanre Tourism Zone from Owena junction of Akure – Ondo highway to the foot of Idanre Hills in Odode-Idanre

Woven around the iconic Idanre Hills and set within the rocky ambience of Idanre town in Ondo State, the proposed Idanre Tourism Zone is a result of an initial 28-month (April 2019 to August 2021) developmental process that was voluntarily, inventively, and painstakingly embarked upon by Sartorius Resources’ team. The proposed zone is to be situated along an approximately 17km span from Owena junction of the Akure-Ondo Highway, passing through several settlements (Owena, Atosin-Idanre, Alade-Idanre and Odode-Idanre), to the foot of Idanre Hills at Odode-Idanre. We traversed this entire stretch about 18 times within the first 28-month development window to imagine, conceptualize and document this vision. The documented idea for Idanre seamlessly and strategically fuses both the existing “natural tourist site” (Idanre hills) and a string of innovative “man-made tourist attractions”. It is a 10-year vision divided into 6 phases comprising several well-thought man-made tourist attractions and tourism-supporting services requiring various forms of infrastructure and is projected to create 4,640 direct jobs and over 5,000 indirect jobs. Summarized below are these 6-phased infrastructure and tourism items’ requirements of Idanre Tourism Zone.

Phase 1: Universal support services projects                                               Phase 2: Medical support services project                                                          Phase 3: Zone-laying projects                                                                        Phase 4: Oke-Idanre conservation project                                                   Phase 5: Zone-consolidating projects                                                              Phase 6: Zone-escalating projects

Therefore, Idanre Tourism Zone has both infrastructural and tourism (physical projects & activities) components as comprehensively elucidated in a blueprint and 3D audiovisual item. Summarily, the four steps deployed by Sartorius Resources in the development of this distinct idea into an implementable blueprint are as follows.

i. Idea-mooting (Innovation & Perceptive intellect)                                             ii. Idea-scripting (Documentation)                                                                   iii. Idea-branding (Designing)                                                                             iv. Idea-copyrighting (Intellectual property)

Preliminary actualization steps & tangible deliverables so far

A. Our consistent and cumulative 5-year effort has some tangible deliverables shown below.

      Figure 2: Tangible deliverables for proposed Idanre Tourism Zone initiative by Sartorius Resources as at June, 2024

Figure 3: A branded advocacy/marketing/promotional item (shirt) for the proposed Idanre Tourism Zone

B. Physical engagement of community & government stakeholders

Key government and non-government actors, some of whom are showcases in the ensuing pictures, have been engaged with the blueprint of our proposed Idanre Tourism Zone initiative over the past five years to create awareness about this vision, obtain relevant input and forge alliances.

Figure 4: Presentation of proposed Idanre Tourism Zone blueprint to the late Owa of Idanre kingdom, His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Frederick Adegunle Aroloye (JP, OFR), Gbolagunte Arubiefin IV on 10^th July 2022 (he eventually wrote the Foreword of the blueprint in his lifetime)

Figure 5: Presentation of proposed Idanre Tourism Zone blueprint to the Director (now retired), Domestic & Ecotourism, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Abuja, Mrs. Helen Madaki & her team on 11^th October 2023

Figure 6: Presentation of proposed Idanre Tourism Zone blueprint to Ondo State Commissioner for Culture & Tourism, Hon. Rasheed Badmus, the Administrative Secretary and Director of Tourism of the Ministry at Sandralia Hotel, Abuja on the sideline of the Annual meeting of the Hon. Minister of Tourism with the State Commissioners of Tourism on 14^th May 2024

Figure 7: Presentation to the Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Mr. Folorunso Coker (a former Commissioner for Culture & Tourism, Lagos State) and his management team at NTDA, Abuja on 9^th July 2024

Figure 8: Presentation of proposed Idanre Tourism Zone blueprint to Chief Pius Akinyelure, CON - an illustrious indigene of Idanre Kingdom - at his residence in Abuja on 16^th July 2024

C. Formal correspondences with government actors

Letters have emanated from the stable of Sartorius Resources to the following critical government bodies.

a.  Office of the Hon. Minister of Tourism (1^st letter dated 1^st September 2023 and three correspondences have been received from it till date)

b. Office of His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, Governor of Ondo State (1^st letter dated 21^st May 2024 seeking courtesy call & audience; 2^nd letter dated 18^th July 2024)

c.  Ondo State Ministry of Culture & Tourism (1^st letter dated 21^st March 2022)

d. Ondo State Ministry of Physical Planning & Urban Development (1^st letter dated 14^th November 2022)               

 I   e. Idanre Local Government Area Council (1^st letter dated 25^th April 2022) 

         f. Some multilateral development partners (with some responses), seeking to set up an investment portfolio for the proposed Idanre Tourism Zone.

    g. Sterling Bank (in 2021 – the bank had a N5billion Tourism Development Fund at the time)

i.   World Bank (in 2024)

ii.   ECOWAS Bank for Investment & Development (in 2024)

iii.   African Development Bank (in 2024)

iv.   Africa Finance Corporation (in 2024)

g.  h. NNPC Ltd (1^st letter dated 10^th July 2024) – seeking to explore the corporation’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) portfolio for some infrastructural support to aid the proposed Zone’s take-off

h.   i. Niger Delta Development Commission – NDDC (1^st letter dated 17^th July 2024) - seeking to explore the Commission’s interventionist position for some infrastructural support to aid the proposed Zone’s take-off

   j. Recent collaborative effort with a reputable global Consulting company (names withheld) on 18^th July 2024

Subsequent actualization steps

As summarized herein, the following are the next strategic steps considered necessary towards actualization of this novel idea in Ondo State and by extension, Nigeria.

Figure 9: Summary of critical next steps for actualization of the proposed Idanre Tourism Zone

In conclusion, the team of Sartorius Resources, led by my humble self, has invested unquantifiable resources (intellect, money, time, energy, network) over the past five years to come forth with some tangible deliverables and preliminary actualization steps for the proposed Idanre Tourism Zone. It is our hope, however, that the Governor of Ondo State (from 2025 – 2029) will be interested in deploying requisite investment-touting zeal as a mark of political will to kickstart a collaborative approach for innovative financing of both the infrastructural and tourism items of the proposed Idanre tourism Zone.  The Governor needs to lead the actualization of Idanre Tourism Zone as a massive economic game-changer planned to be situated in Idanre, Ondo State, Nigeria and West Africa.

Dr. Adetolu Ademujimi - a Medical Doctor, Health Finance Specialist, Author, Reformer, Coach, Public Policy expert and social entrepreneur – is the CEO of Sartorius Resources, which is the originator, lead innovator & promoter of Idanre Tourism Zone with appropriate copyright & trademark ownerships of all items listed herein as conferred by the Nigeria Copyright Commission. You can reach us via sartoriusresources@gmail.com or idanretourismzone@gmail.com