Osun monarch laments government’s abandonment of Waterfall as tourist centre

The traditional ruler of Erin-Ijesa, a community in Oriade Local Council of Osun State, Oba Isaac Adeyeba Ayeni, Akinla of Erin-Ijesa, has bemoaned the sorry state of Erin-Ijesa Waterfall, a natural tourist attraction centre under the management of the state government.

The monarch, while addressing journalists in his palace, said the state government was not serious about developing the tourist centre, adding that the government refused to create enabling environment for investors.

According to Oba Ayeni, the state government refused to hand over the tourist centre to him to manage after meeting with the state governor, Gboyega Oyetola and his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola.

He said the access road to the famous Waterfall had been in a state of disrepair and stressed the need for the state government to optimise the centre or allow him to manage it and remit necessary tax to the state government’s purse.

The monarch also cried out over the lack of hospital in the community, saying that ailing residents of the community go miles to neighbouring towns like Ijebu-Ijesa and Ilesa before receiving treatment.

He said that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state government had failed to bring vaccines for residents of the community and neither the people have been able to partake in INEC’s voter’s registration because of lack of amenities.

The monarch also disclosed that one of the indigenes of the community, Pastor Folorunsho Kumuyi, the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, has not done anything to develop the community.

“I am pained to the bone marrow that the government has not optimised Erin-Ijesa Waterfall and this neglect has further impoverished my town and people. I have met with former Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola for them to allow me manage the tourist centre and remit tax to government but they have refused.

“Osun State Government has refused to create enabling environment for investors to visit my town. The access road that the government started in 2017 with a promise of completing it within three months has been abandoned. My people rely on the Erin-Ijesa water for drinking and other use and I have cried to the government to assist in treating the water but nothing has been done. My people’s lives are being endangered daily.

“There is no hospital in Erin-Ijesa. No good road and no constant electricity. Once anyone fails ill or there is an emergency, we have to rush the person to Ijebu-Ijesa or Ilesa for treatment. At the Waterfall, should there be an emergency, there is no medical facility for treatment.

“In Erin-Ijesa, there is no place for my people to participate in voter’s registration. We only have two policemen at our police post. If government develops this tourist attraction centre, the economy will be improved and basic amenities such as roads, hospital and electricity will be provided for my people,” the monarch said.