By Olamilekan Okeowo
Six months after declaring Araromi a Tourism Zone, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has taken concrete steps towards the actualisation of his dream of making the rural and pristine community, with a rich and vast expanse of beachfront, a sought-after tourist destination.
This is as the state government recently signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) – alongside handing over of Certificate of Occupancy to La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort for the development of Araromi Beach into a world-class resort using the La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort brand as a model. This is expected to put Ondo, which is noted as the Sunshine State, on the global tourism map.
With this development, tourists in the coming months can now look forward to a replication of the traditional treats of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in Ikegun village, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, which has almost for three decades enthralled and regaled people with the best of African hospitality presented in a highly cosmopolitan mode, making the award-winning and globally-renowned African themed resort, home to people of all cultures, creeds and backgrounds.
For the people of Araromi, the entire locality of Ilaje Local Government Area, home of Araromi and perhaps the entire state, it is time to dream once again as they look forward to reaping in the coming days the richness of the blue economy that nature has endowed them with, which for years has remained untapped as successive governments of the state looked the other way.
The MoU signing ceremony and the presentation of Certificate of Occupancy (CoF) were conducted by the officials of the state government with the Secretary to the Government, Princess Catherine Oladunni Odu, the Chief Executive Officer of Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA), Gbenga Badejo and Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Wale Akinlosotu, leading the state team.
The President and Founder of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, headed the La Campagne team.
Speaking at the event, Odu expressed delight over the project, as she noted the importance of the project to the realisation of the desire of the state governor to make Ondo State a truly tourism driven economy given its vast tourism assets.
Describing the project as of great magnitude to boosting tourism development in the state, she expressed the belief that it would benefit the state maximally. This is even as she urged the management of La Campagne to ensure that all parties benefit as mutually agreed and that the project is executed according to the plan and delivered timely.
While commending the governor for his vision, Akinlosotu noted that the occasion is symbolic, historic and unprecedented, as he declared that the project would open Araromi and the state to the world to explore its rich potentials, saying that, ‘‘this will bring exponential development to Ondo State, create employment opportunities for the people, open up the state as a tourist destination and improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.
He also had kind words for Akinboboye and his team, applauding him for having had four decades of success story and the niche that he has created when it comes to tourism and the blue economy.
The commissioner further appreciated him for the envisioned resort project and agreeing to work with the state government and deeming it fit to create the dream project in Araromi and not anywhere else. This is as he also commended the Special Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship, Mr. Sumi Smart, for his formidable role in working on the project.
On her part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Bolanle Akinyanmi described the project as a massive and desirable one that will hopefully open the door to developing the state as a world class tourist destination. She also appreciated the state governor for providing the enabling environment for culture and tourism development in the state.
For Akinboboye, the project offers another opportunity to not only prove his mettle but to continue to entrench his legacy in bequeathing to African a developed tourism market waved around the African culture and thriving economy that brings manifold benefits in years to come to the continent and its people.
“Ondo State holds a special place in my heart as an indigene of the state, as I am from Ondo town” he said.
Akinboboye has his imprints in the sands of development of the state especially in the tourism sector. He is a strategic partner on tourism to Akeredolu and had in the past also served as Special Adviser on Tourism to a previous governor of the state.
Idanre Hills bears his imprint with the creation of MARE Festival and construction of Idanre Hills Resort at the foot of the hills. This gesture too he has extended to Ondo town with the creation of Destination Ondo through which he has over the years promoted Asun Carnival and the first ever carnival costume making factory (a world class fashion and garment factory), the building in record six months La Campagne Tropicana Forest Hills and Cave Resort in Ita Nla, Ondo town, with the first ever natural cave restaurant in Africa in Ita Nla, known as Eebi Cave Restaurant.
Speaking at the occasion, Akinboboye expressed appreciation to Akeredolu for reposing faith and confidence in him to deliver on the project. He noted that it is a legacy project that will be executed to the letter having had 40 years of success story in tourism development across the continent.
It will be recalled that when six months ago Akeredolu declared Araromi a tourism zone, Akinboboye was full of praise for the governor, noting the importance of the declaration, “A declaration like this will attract the world to that area for business opportunities. With this declaration, we in the state would have built a humongous platform for tomorrow’s people.
“The platform we are standing on today was built by yesterday’s people. Mr. Governor has begun the process to build the platform for tomorrow’s people.”
There is also the dream of building a link that would allow people to have boat cruise, quad biking, hiking and para-gliding through what is termed ‘beach safari’ from Lagos La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort to La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort Araromi, which is estimated between one and two hours depending on the mode of transport employed.
