Some states in Nigeria are blessed with natural resources and tourist attractions more than the others and such state is Ondo state. In this piece sent to ZENITHBLOG.com, Maxwel Adeyemi Adeleye, a journalist, shares his experiences on his journey through the sunshine state.
Ondo State, southwest, Nigeria is a land filled with abundance mineral and natural resources -from large deposit of Crude Oil, Bitumen, Limestone, Kaolin, glass sand, granites, tar sand, clay, iron ore, quartz sand, coal and marble to agricultural products such as cocoa, oil palm, cassava, rice, cocoanut and thick forest. Ondo, known as the Sunshine state, is a haven of honey and grandeur.
However, unknown to many that aside the coastline and agricultural products embedded in the state, Ondo is also a sanctuary of many natural and record-breaking tourist centres.
The journey to Idanre hills in Ondo state was also an eye opener for the team: Photo credit: Maxwell Adeyemi
READ ALSO: TIME magazine mentions Biafra supporters among world separatist movements
The three-day tour of some tourist sites in the state recently facilitated by Zenithbloganomad, an organization that specializes in selling tourist centres in Nigeria to lovers of tourism within and outside the shore of Nigeria was an eye opener.
Led by its executive director, Mrs Yejide Akeredolu-Runsewe, the first point of call of the tourists was the Smoking Hills Golf Resort located on the outskirt of the quiet town of Ilaramokin, 15 minutes drive from Akure the capital city of the state.
A truly challenging course with world class features, waiting to be tamed by adventurous golfers, the resort is strategically situated in a beautifully endowed location where the golf course has been carefully carved out of 140 acres of surrounding jungle and rolling hills which emit smoke early in the morning and also at dawn to derive the name of the resort
From the championship tees, the course measures a healthy 6510 meters and from the members tee, the course measures in at 6044 meters. With a course par of 72, there are two par 5’s each on both the front nine and back nine. The signature hole is number 16, a par 3 – 160 meters from the members tee over water to an island green – Golfers have compared this hole to No.17 in T.P.C. Sawgrass, United States.
After Ilaramokin, the next point of call was Idanre Hills Resort in the hilly town of Idanre, an agrarian community reputed for producing 10% of the cocoa being exported out of the country.
The tourists, led by Runsewe who is the daughter of the state governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, climbed the first 100 steps of the 682 steps hill in a twinkle of an eye and found the first resting room where the head of maintenance and administration of the Hills Reosrt, Mr. Gbenga Oyinbo expressly told fun-catching tourists the history behind the rock. According to Oyibo, the rock was a useful hideout for the indigenes during the time of war in 19th century and many other stories that space would not permit me to say.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app
Next after Idanre Hills resort was a visit to the palace of Olowo of Owo, known for being the largest on the continent of Africa. The palace sits on nine and half acres of land with over one hundred courts of which about 13 are still in use.
An Owo high chief who does not want his name mentioned in the media conducted the tourists around in and out of about 30 courts in the palace patiently explaining the purpose and significance of each. First in line was the court where the Olowo came out to relax and play ayo (strategy board) game with some of his chiefs. It was usually out of bounds to all, except to a few invited by the king himself.
Also visited in the palace was the court where every chieftaincy installation ceremony in Owo is performed. The Chief further showed the delegation a red and black Rolls Royce and a white Benz, Clear signs that a past Olowo rode in style back in the day. As a parting shot, the chief showed the delegation an extension of the present palace and where all the kings that have reigned from inception of Owo are buried.
The trip, however, did not end without Runsewe telling this writer what led her to establish Zenithbloganomad. She said “I got the initiative when I got to United Kingdom (UK) in 2011 for my Masters Degree. I met people from different countries; different culture, different languages, different ideas; people from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, etc. and we exchanged ideas. After my studies, I travelled to Morocco where I slept in the desert of the country for three days.”
She recalled that people were shocked when she uploaded the pictures of Ilaramokun smoking hills on her Facebook page early this year.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of ZENITHBLOG.com.
Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@corp.zenithblog.com — drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Zenithblog.com’s step-by-step guide for guest contributors.
We’re ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App.
Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments.We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Zenithblog.com Opinion page!
STREET GIST: Would you allow your mother in-law live with you as a newly-wed? – on ZENITHBLOG.com TV.
Source: Zenithblog.com
0naze
No comments:
Post a Comment