For lovers of good food, La Campagne Tropicana has set up a cave restaurant known as Eebi O (Meaning hunger in the Yoruba language) Cave Restaurant, in the hilly and mountainous enclave in Ondo Town, Ondo State.
As it has become his tradition of blazing the trail, the cave restaurant, with its fittings and features of the La Campagne tradition of exquisiteness was created within three days last month to coincide with the annual Asun Carnival promoted by Destination Ondo and has since become operational, attracting hordes of guests to its entrails.
First-time visitors to the restaurant would be wowed by the awesome and naturally appealing nature. To think that a once lifeless cave and its environs many million years past have suddenly been transformed into a lively spot, with energy, and primed activities, speaks of the creative prowess of the President of La Campagne, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, who is the brain behind it all.
Eebi O Cave Restaurant is a truly African-themed restaurant, with all the features and motifs exuding a blend of African spirit; done in the stylish and sophisticated elegance of some sort. Here you are treated to some of the best and rare African, Nigerian, and Yoruba, as well as Ondo cuisines of choice.
What is even intriguing and inspiring is the fact of the live cooking station that a guest is made to participate in with the cooking utensils of African blend, with some made of earthenware that is a playback of authentic African cooking setting.
Various sections have been created within the inner recess of the caves to allow for ample activities of the different blends for the pleasure and relaxation of guests who are treated to the classic traditional offerings of the La Campagne model. There is the Shayo area, among others that cut a picture of a well-stocked and styled lounge and bar for relaxation.
Speaking on this new creation, Akinboboye said it is a continuation of the vision of reawaking African consciousness and promoting African cuisine, arts, culture, and entertainment, using tourism as a focal point. He said it is not enough to boast of a rich spread of natural landmass as Nigeria do but making useful in line with modern development for the benefit of the communities.
The benefit of the expanse of hills, caves, mountains, and hilly ranges spread across the country is by turning them into destinations, which he said Eebi O Cave Restaurant and Hills and Caves Resort in Ita Nla in Ondo town that was recently created by him, represent.
According to him, Nigeria tourism will be well served and better for it if the effort is made by tourism operators, investors, and the Nigerian government to turn the expanse of dormant hills, caves, and mountains across the country into destinations of different blends for the benefits of tourists and the communities.
He spoke glowingly of the richness of Nigeria’s natural landmass and its appeal when he recalled his recent trip across the South West to Abuja. ‘‘We traveled from Ondo to Abuja recently on road and if you see the many hills, caves, and mountains and then at Lokoja, we were blown away by the landscape.
‘‘These ought to be transformed into destinations and what we have done now with the hills and caves in Ondo is to create tourist attractions out of them by transforming them into lively and colourful destinations for people to have a taste of Nigeria culture, arts, and entertainment as well as cuisines.’’
The idea of Eebi O Cave Restaurant, according to him, will be replicated across the country and Africa. He revealed that there are no two caves or mountains that look alike and you find out that whatever you create or weave around these caves or mountains becomes unique to you and that way you are creating something special and a monopoly of product and service delivery, that people will forever cherish and patronise.
