In delivering this week’s tourism product, Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye, apologized over the delay, which he attributed to his rather very tight schedule, and work on a project related to this week’s tourism product as well.
He recalled that, in the last 40 years development of the tourism industry in Nigeria, he has always stressed the importance of creating tourism destinations.
Otunba Akinboboye said that, Nigeria has numerous geographical and other attractions that includes beaches, hills, waterfalls, historical landmarks and so on. However, it has failed to transform many of these tourist attractions into tourism destinations, which is essential in creating a viable tourism industry in Nigeria and providing employment and economic empowerment to numerous communities across Nigeria.
The tourism icon, Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye explained that, when tourists visit an attraction, they will only expend money at that location if it contains infrastructure that encourages such expenditure. The required infrastructure includes decent accommodation, places to eat and drink, apparatus for sporting and leisure activities, tourist knick knacks and so on.
When such infrastructure is present. it enhances the tourism experience and encourage the tourist (whether local or international) to spend the money he has put aside for his visit. It also encourages repeat visits.
By providing things the tourist wants to use or purchase at a tourism attraction, you encourage him/her to spend, and this ultimately benefits the economies of the communities in the immediate vicinity of the attraction.
Otunba Akinboboye emphasized that tourist attractions, by themselves, do not bring sustained and significant economic upliftment to the communities in which they are located. It is only when such attractions have been transformed into tourism destinations that their adjacent communities can truly take advantage of the economic advantages they give rise to.
Otunba Akinboboye mentioned that in Nigeria there are 774 Local Government Areas. He also noted that each local government area contains at least one potential tourism attraction which, if properly presented and managed, could become a tourism destination.
While there may be a fear that transforming so many attractions into destinations would be extremely expensive, Otunba Akinboboye is of the view that the current world focus on Eco – tourism means that countries like Nigeria could build tourism destinations that are targeted at eco tourists, and which can leverage off traditional architecture and used equipment for sports and activities that has a traditional bent.
This would give our tourism destinations an African ambiance and promote our culture in a manner that would appeal to international tourists that are focused on obtaining new and unique experiences through tourism.
In support of his thinking, Otunba Akinboboye pointed to the rise of luxury camping trips or glamping in Europe and in Kenya. This involved the use of tent as accommodation. He also spoke about the thousands of European tourists that backpacked through Asia and stayed in fairly basic accommodation so they could experience something new.
Otunba Akinboboye then spoke about his experience developing a tourism attraction into a tourism destination. He noted that when he first came across attraction, it consisted of a site bordered by the ocean and which contained both a lagoon and mangrove forest. Although those three natural features were interesting, they would not have attracted the tourism traffic required to make them economically beneficial.
He therefore weaved a Resort – La Campagne Tropicana – around these natural attractions. In particular he built unique accommodation, installed sporting facilities and made provision for African centrex entertainment. By doing this, he transformed these natural attractions into a tourism destination which local and international tourists could visit for recreation.
Otunba Akinboboye noted that the transformation of these attractions to a tourism destination provided economic benefits for the surrounding communities. The Resort employs workers from the surrounding villages and therefore generate employment for young people who otherwise would have migrated to the city. The closest village; Ikegun, which, when the Resort was first founded, could d only boast of 4 concrete structures now counts its concrete houses in hundreds and even has its own petrol station.
Otunba Akinboboye mentioned that he was currently transforming a tourism attraction in Ondo town, Ondo, which consists of rocky hills, caves and forest, into a tourism destination, which will take the form of Resort.
He mention that the Resort, which was nearing completion, made use of the the caves to create a unique ‘restaurant’ and‘ night club’, which unlike other so called cave restaurants was completely natural not man made.
The Resort also provide accommodation that is aligned to the Afrocentric architecture used by the La Campagne brand.
It was anticipated that visitors to the Ondo Resort would be able to hike in the forest, while swimming in the pools that form part of the Resort and playing tennis on its tennis court.
Otunba Akinboboye noted that in line with the operating procedures he adopted, while transforming tourism attractions to tourism destination, which he refers to as SCC – Structure – Culture and Clientele – he would now be focusing on generating clientele for the new Resort.
He mentioned that the Ondo Resort would be hosting an Asun Carnival on 27 April 2024. This carnival leverages off and celebrates ‘Asun’ a popular culinary item synonymous with the people of Ondo.
The carnival will feature colourful costumes, street dancing and plenty of opportunities to eat Asun.
The tourism icon said, he will be happy to host any of our readers who would like to visit the Resort and participate in the Asun carnival on 27 April 2024, which is coincidentally the day on which the Resort will be officially declared open.
We hope you have enjoyed hearing about the creation of tourism destination from a tourism guru and we look forward to further opportunities to benefit from his wealth of experience on growing tourism in Nigeria.
Former president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Charles Oputa, better known as Charly Boy, has celebrated the engagement of his daughter, Adaeze, to her female partner.
The popular musician, also famously known as Area Fada, shared a video from the engagement ceremony on his Instagram page, describing Adaeze and her partner as his “beautiful Princess and her Husband.”
“Folks, wish dem well for me,” he wrote.
Adaeze also announced the engagement in a separate Instagram post, sharing a photograph of herself with her partner.
“WE’RE ENGAGED!” she wrote, using the hashtag #mrsandmrs.
She described the engagement as the beginning of a lifetime together, expressing excitement about their future.
“Here’s to a lifetime of love, laughter, growth, and making beautiful memories together. I can’t wait for everything God has in store for us. Forever sounds even sweeter with you,” she added.
The announcement has attracted mixed reactions from social media users.
Igho Ubiribo, a Nigerian-British businessman and social media influencer, has reportedly died after undergoing a penis enlargement procedure during a luxury trip to Thailand.
According to findings from an inquest in the United Kingdom, 43-year-old Ubiribo died after the cosmetic treatment triggered a fatal pulmonary embolism.
The businessman, who was also known as “Tiny”, “Denisi” and “Ego”, was on holiday in Bangkok with his wife, Danielle Simba Allen, when he decided to undergo the procedure.
Reports from the inquest revealed that doctors injected about 40 millilitres of hyaluronic acid and lidocaine into his penis at an unnamed clinic in Thailand in March.
After the procedure, Ubiribo and his wife reportedly returned to their Marriott hotel, where they went for a massage.
It was during the massage that he complained of chest pain before collapsing and losing consciousness.
He was rushed to Sukhumvit Hospital, where he was initially able to respond to medical staff.
His wife reportedly informed doctors that he had recently undergone penis filler injections, prompting concerns that the procedure may have been linked to his condition.
Medical personnel suspected a pulmonary embolism and recommended further scans, but Ubiribo reportedly lost consciousness before the examination could be completed.
Doctors later transferred him to intensive care, where attempts were made to revive him through prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
He was pronounced dead in the early hours of March 6.
A postmortem examination conducted in the UK later reportedly found material in Ubiribo’s lungs consistent with the hyaluronic acid used during the penis filler procedure.
Pathologist John du Parcq told the inquest that the substance discovered matched the material injected during the cosmetic treatment.
He said the findings supported the conclusion that Ubiribo suffered a pulmonary embolism caused by the procedure.
The coroner, Jean Harkin, subsequently ruled that the businessman’s death was caused by a pulmonary embolism linked to the cosmetic injection.
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot or other material blocks a blood vessel supplying the lungs, potentially causing sudden breathing difficulties, heart strain and death.
During the inquest, information from Ubiribo’s doctor in London showed that he had previously undergone joint surgeries and had been described as pre-diabetic and suffering from gout.
However, his doctor reportedly said he had no other major medical conditions.
Penis fillers containing hyaluronic acid are marketed as a non-surgical option for increasing girth, but medical experts have warned that injectable cosmetic procedures can carry serious risks if complications occur.
Ubiribo was known for showcasing his luxury lifestyle on social media, where he had about 185,000 Instagram followers.
Reports said he owned a home in Los Angeles valued at about $1.1 million and a London apartment reportedly worth around $600,000.
He married Zimbabwean fashion designer Danielle Simba Allen in a lavish ceremony in 2022.
Following his death, Ubiribo was buried in London in a gold coffin, with reports claiming the funeral arrangement cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Afrobeats singer Davido, who was described as a childhood friend of the businessman, attended the funeral and paid tribute to him.
The case has renewed attention on the potential dangers associated with cosmetic procedures involving injectable fillers, after medical evidence linked the treatment to the fatal complication.
For 68-year-old British citizen, Dawn Ottewell, it was literally love at first sight after she hooked up with 31-year-old Nigerian, Bright Emokpae on a popular dating App, Tinder.
But what began as a love story conceived in heaven and consummated on earth has ended in heartbreak and a desperate search for answers.
At the beginning, Dawn, who obviously was consumed by love, quickly made efforts to facilitate Emokpae’s movement to the United Kingdom after their wedding.
But soon after he arrived in the UK on a spousal visa Emokpae disappeared into thin air. At the beginning, Dawn probably believed her new husband had simply stepped out and would be back soon.
But it soon dawned on her that new husband wouldn’t be coming back any time soon.
In a story published in the UK Sun, the love-struck 68-year-old said she met the Edo State born Bright when she was at the lowest ebb in 2021 and he brightened her life with love.
At the time, Bright Emokpae was reportedly a student in Cyprus and Dawn went on a visit. The couple eventually got married in 2022.
In 2023 Bright was in Nigeria to complete formalities for his visa to the UK courtesy of papers filed by Dawn and he relocated thereafter.
Shortly after his arrival, Dawn claimed that Bright became withdrawn and was always asking for money from her and added nothing to the sustenance of the home.
The pair separated but reunited in October 2023. According to Dawn, Bright reconciled with her because she received a £63,000 settlement following a botched NHS prolapse operation. But he bolted from their home once again.
Not willing to put up with Emokpae’s flight from home any more, Dawn wants a divorce but her man cannot be located to sign the papers with Dawn speculating that he may have relocated to Scotland.
“He’s done a runner and is refusing to sign the divorce papers because I believe he wants to cling on to his spouse visa,” she said.
But Dawn’s main worry is that if she dies before the divorce papers are signed Bright could inherit her estate. “My biggest fear is that I’ll die before this is sorted out and he’ll run off with the money my three children should inherit,” she said.
She says she feels Bright simply used her to get into the UK and she’s appealing for help to locate him.
“I feel I’m being used,” Ottewell said.
She added, “I would advise people to be very careful who they marry, especially when the person is from abroad, because a lot of them are just doing it for a visa, and then they disappear.”