REVIVING BILIKISU SUNGBO TOURIST CENTRE IN OKE-ERI, IJEBULAND

The entire people of Oke-Eri Kingdom felicitate with Prince (Dr.) Dapo Abiodun on his victory as the Governor-elect of Ogun state, with mandate to take the entire Ogun State to a greater height. It is our prayer for divine enablement for his successful tenure.

Furthermore, on behalf of good people of Ijebuland under the Paramount rulership of His Royal Majesty, Alayeluwa, Oba S. K. Adetona – The Awujale of Ijebuland, the traditional authority of Oke-Eri Kingdom hereby appeals to Prince Dapo Abiodun to please accept this correspondence as our plea towards your good office as newly elected Governor of Ogun State to revive the BILIKISU SUNGBO TOURIST CENTRE - the global attraction of Ijebuland.

Tourism all over the world has been on the increase both in the developed and developing countries. It has become one of the fastest growing industries in the world in terms of revenue generation and has been recognized as one of the most reliable indicators of socio-economic growth in any part of the world. And being one of the focal points in your manifesto Sir, the entire Ijebu kingdom hereby call your attention to the neglect and dilapidation of the SUNGBO Shrine and request for your swift rescue to the advantage of the entire Ijebuland.

In Nigeria, Ogun state remains one of the states that have been blessed with natural potentials amongst which include tourism resources, like OLUMO ROCK in Egba Province and BILIKISI SUNGBO SHRINE in Ijebu Province.

It is conspicuous that Olumo Rock has been upgraded, developed and promoted to the economic advantage of Egba Province. Meanwhile, the BILIKISU SUNGBO tourist centre in Ijebu Province, a global attraction that have received lots of attention from scholars in archaeology and other disciplines, and also government of Ogun State in the past with the goal of making it a befitting tourist destination has remained in a poor state, begging for the attention of the State government for its revival.

Hence, Bilikisu Sugbon is the believed biblical Queen of Sheba who hailed from Ethiopia where she is known as Queen Balqis. The Bilikisu Sungbo’s tomb which had been converted to a shrine in Oke-Eri community was identified as a tourist site by the Ogun State government in the 1980s before it was abandoned in the 1990s. The National Commission for Museum and Monuments (NCMM) declared it a national monument in 1994. Despite that, the NCMM has not done anything to make the site attractive for tourists. Even, previous administration of Ogun State government through the State Tourism Board once built some structures at the site but which have been abandoned and collapsed.

Through the works of Archaeologists from University of Ibadan; five tourists site have been identified and carved out from Bilikisu Sugbon complementing one another. The tourism resources at the site have been designed to include: The Moat, The Tomb; The botanical garden; The zoological garden, The Museum, The pottery craft house, Swimming pools, Children playing ground, Guest house and Relaxation centre.

Hence, the vision towards the reality of promoting the centre to the international standard has been the long plight of the Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland. It is on this note the Ijebuland crave for your intervention to revisit the project either through direct investment or encouraging public-private-partnership (PPP) initiative, in order, to redeem the image of the attraction, foster socio-economic growth of the Province.

Though, the former Governor of the State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel attempted the revival of the tourist attraction during his administration, but the government was only able to develop a master plan for the revival of the attraction and also started the construction of a new entrance gate house at the Oke-Eri site but the construction was not completed before the expiration of his tenure in office. The current governor of Ogun State (Senator Ibikunle Amosun), since the commencement of his second term in office in 2015, has also shown interest in the revival of the Bilikisu Sungbo tourist attraction, but as at today no physical commitment or construction has been made at the site to show commencement of developmental projects in the area.

The host community, Oke-Eri is a prominent ancient community famous for its strategic location as an integral transport route that connects with the rest of the towns in the pre-colonial era. Up till 1913, the Shoshos, Fulanis, the Kanuris, the Egbas, the Ibadans, the Oyos and Ekitis had used the old path through Oke Eri to Ejirin market for their slavery transaction then. The formal route to Ibadan from Ijebu Ode was through Oke Eri which directly link Ijebu Igbo and several other mini communities along. This same road has been abandoned but seeking the intervention of our Governor-Elect.

Subsequently, Oke-Eri has been identified as the early ancient settlements of the old Ijebu kingdom in which the legend queen, Bilikisu Sungbo reigned. The economic activity in Oke-Eri is very low and there is a high level of poverty in the community despite the tourism potentials present there. Reviving the Bilikisu-Sungbo tourist site and opening the major road that connects several rural areas is believed would help in reducing poverty and enhances the socio-economic status of the general Ijebuland.

Finally Sir, the entire people of Ijebuland appeal to Prince (Dr.) Dapo Abiodun to revisit the revival of the Tourist centre for the sake of possible employment and promotion of the economic activities of Ijebu area.

Longlive Ogun State
Longlive Ijebuland
Longlive Oke-Eri Kingdom


https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2205436286435696&id=1662311720748158&ref=m_notif&notif_t=aymt_upsell_tip