In a bid to harness the tourism potential of Ogun State for economic growth, the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a private organisation to advance the state’s tourism potential.
The state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a private organisation named “Whatadeal”, a privately owned tourism, lifestyle, and technology company, to officially take over the management and activities of the Olumorock.
The development saw the Olumorock tourism attractions officially handed over to the private company by the Hon. Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon. Sesan Fagbayi, following a consensus reached by both parties.
Speaking after the MoU was signed at Olumorock, in the Ikija area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the Hon. Commissioner stated that Public-Private Partnerships have become a necessity for further development and improved IGR for the state.
Fagbayi, who quoted the popular saying “government has no business in business,” posited that the PPP would drive more attractions, thereby also influencing the prospects of the tourist attractions beyond expectations.
Also, speaking, the Director General of Public Private Partnerships in Ogun, Barrister Dapo Oduwole, stated that the state government’s decision is important, adding that Ogun State is desirous of the best, and it must do its best to attract the best.
Oduwole noted that the investor is known for the best in tourism and is bringing their best to Ogun to ensure more money is coming into the state, while also improving the standard of Olumorock.
He explained that Ogun State deserves the best and improvement, boasting that PPP would continue to create an enabling environment for investors from all over the world to invest in Ogun’s assets.
“Public Private Partnerships would continue to create an enabling environment for investors to come from all over the world to invest in our assets and our public enterprise in Ogun State,” he said.
“Ogun State deserves the best. You will see that there was no art gallery in Olumorock until now, but now you can see Nike Art Gallery, just like in Lekki. The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, is doing his best to ensure that more investors come to Ogun. If you look at Public-Private Partnership projects, you will see that we have a hospital in Oke-Mosan, which is going to be commissioned soon, to provide the best health facilities in Ogun.”
In his acceptance speech, the managing director of Whatadeal, Mr Obafela Bank-Olemoh, disclosed the firm’s readiness to increase patronage of the Olumorock tourism attractions centres beyond the local level, stating that standards would change from the day of taking over.
He explained that the firm’s objective is to ensure that anyone visiting Nigeria visits Olumorock, making it one of the three reasons a foreigner would visit Nigeria.
Bank-olemoh noted that Olumorock is one of the great icons in Nigeria and Africa, stressing that the centre would include reality centres, game arcades, and other fun fairs.
“We’ve just concluded the signing of the MoU management of Olumorock Whatadeal company, and we have decided to come here and have a press conference so that the whole world will know that the management of these facilities has been given to a professional, and that is the reason why we are here this afternoon.
“We just did the sign of us running Olumorock, for us it’s a great honour Olumorock is one of the most iconic tourist sites in Nigeria and of course Africa and it is exciting to us that we’ll be working closely with the Ogun state government, commissioner of tourism and to ensure that not only do we take them much higher but we make sure that if anybody comes to Nigeria, you’ve not visited Olumorock you’ve not visited Nigeria, that’s our objective.
“So we can tell you clearly how many people have been to Olumo from this date to that date, so that we can give you categorically.
“Also, what are we going to do? We will ensure we maintain the standard set here and continue to improve it. Like I told you, our vision is very clear. When we talk about tourism in Nigeria, we want you to be undoubtedly clear that the one place you must visit if you come to Nigeria is Olumorock.
“We say in our company that there are three things you should do if you come to Nigeria to visit Olumorock. One of them is to decide for yourself. So that’s our objective. That’s what the governor wants to achieve. That’s what the honourable commissioner wants to achieve, and that’s what we commit to do as it is,” he said.
