The Grand Finale of the Annual Osun Osogbo Festival is Schedule to hold on Friday 18th of August 2017

The Osun Osogbo Festival is a fun-laden occasion that lasts for two weeks, beginning with the traditional cleansing of the town called Iwopopo.

The festival’s grand finale for 2017 which was schedule to hold on Friday 18th showcases the cultural procession of the people to the Osun Grove. Osun Grove has been enlisted officially as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Durban, South Africa.

INTERESTING FACTS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ABEOKUTA

Abeokuta was a sovereign nation for 20 years and 11 months before the British almagamated her with the rest of Nigeria. She had her own laws, Police Force, Civil Service and was well organized. The Alake was the head of the defunct government known as the Egba United Government (1 February 1893- 1 January 1914). The almagamation with the rest of Nigeria did not go down well with the Egba people and this resulted in the Adubi War (1918). I have compiled some facts about this ancient and paramount city that seats as the capital of Ogun State and also the pride of Egbaland.

 Abeokuta was founded in 1830, with Sodeke as her leader. The initial name of Abeokuta was “Oko Adagba” meaning “Adagba’s farmstead”-Adagba was an Itoko farmer. Sodeke who led the Egbas met him there.

 Abeokuta means ‘under a rock’, signifying the protection which the Olumo Rock offered the Egbas during attacks.

 Since the discovery of Olumo Rock, no one has fallen from it. Not even once.

Sally Mbanefo, endorsed moves by Nigerian producers to shoot movies at the nation’s numerous tourism sites.

Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, recently endorsed moves by Nigerian producers to shoot movies at the nation’s numerous tourism sites.

She spoke during a visit by a delegation of Black Tower Gong Production Limited, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Odera Ozoka, and Nollywood producer, Mr. Mahmood Ali Balogun, to the headquarters of the corporation in Abuja. Mbanefo stated that the move would boost the campaign towards promoting the country’s tourism industry.

While commending the initiatives of the executive producer of the film, A Forgotten Place, (a film that articulates Nigeria’s tourism potentials) in complementing government’s tourism promotion efforts, Mbanefo said the initiative would help drive the industry. Apart from showcasing Nigerian culture and creative ingenuity, the D.G maintained that the setting of such movies also provides vital information about the country and its other potentials.

NTDC Director General, Mrs Sally Mbanefo and Ooni Extols Ife's Tourism Potentials

                In his remarks before officially declaring Ile-Ife “a Tourism Zone”, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has said that the historical assets of Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba, was enough to empower Nigeria and Africa at large and urged tourists across the world to thrill themselves with artifacts available in the town. Oba Ogunwusi who spoke at the weekend during the official declaration listed some of the already discovered tourist attractions in the town. Ooni Ogunwusi said: 

“Ark of Noah, which the entire world has been searching for is in Ile-Ife. The Ark of Noah has been in existence and it is in Ife land. “We want to bring out the mysteries for the whole world to see. God thrives on mystery and every inch of Ile Ife- the land of expansion-is full of mystery. “God has blessed us with some mysteries and we need to bless the world with those mysteries. For instance,

Destination of the Week: Farin Ruwa Water Falls

The name “Farin Ruwa” translates as “White waters” in Hausa language, which suggests the typical natural beauty exuded by the waterfalls. The clean, crystal clear showers, which is often regarded as sacred by the locals, can be seen hitting the foot rocks of towering granite hills, blowing a cloud of water vapour at its plunge pool.

This is undeniably one of the most irresistible sights in Nigeria. Standing on the polished brown-coloured rocks paving its foot-slopes and looking up to its crest about 150m high, its awe and grandeur engulfs one’s mind in thoughts of admiration and respect for a creative God.

Top 5 Travel Destinations to Visit in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Ekiti State is one of the six major Yoruba states in Nigeria. It is located in the south-west geopolitical zone of the country, and carved out of the old Ondo State in 1996. Ado-Ekiti is the capital town of the state. There are 16 local government areas in Ekiti State, and these are Ado-Ekiti, Aiyedire, Efon, Ekiti-East, Ekiti Southwest, Ekiti-West, Emure, Ido-Osi, Ijero, Ikere, Ikole, Ilejemeje, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ise-Orun, Moba and Oye.

There are several travel destinations in Ekiti State and many places of interest to visit, but we shall only be examining a few of them here:

1. Ikogosi Warm Springs
 

The Ikogosi warm springs in Ikogosi, Ekiti West LGA is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state. Its popularity stems from the fact that it is a confluence of hot spring and cold spring meeting at a point and then flowing down as a single stream.

The Ikogosi warm springs is situated in a dense forest that extends over a hilly landscape, with tall trees around the confluence of warm and cold springs providing a tall canopy that can host tourists and other visitors to the springs. The state government recently renovated the springs and made it very suitable for international visitors to see, while maintaining its cultural and natural features.

2. Ewi of Ado’s Place, Ado-Ekiti

TOP 5 DESTINATIONS TO VISIT IN CROSS RIVER STATE

Cross River State in Nigeria boasts of one of the fascinating tourist centres in the country, and it is a great place to go for your next family vacation and also a place to retire due to the friendliness of the local people and the natural vistas of the state.


Cross River State was created out of the old South Eastern State of Nigeria in 1976 and Akwa Ibom State was carved out of the state in 1987. With a population of 2.89 million according to a 2009 estimate, Cross River State covers a total of 20,156 sq km land area, and bordered to the west by Abia States, to be east by Cameron, to the south by Akwa Ibom and the Atlantic Ocean. The state is divided into eighteen local government areas which include Abi, Akamkpa, Akpabuyo, Bekwara, Biase, Boki, Calabar Municipal, Calabar-South, Etung, Ikom, Obanliku, Obubra, Obudu, Odukpani, Ogoja, Ugep-north, Yakurr, and Yala.


While there are hundreds of places to go in the state, the following are the top five destinations in Cross River State:


i. Obudu Mountain Resort



Located on Nigeria’s southeastern frontier, the Cross River landscape descends precipitously from the Oban Obudu rugged foothills (1000 2000m) of the Cameroun Mountains on the east, into the Cross River Plains (30m) to the west, and down to the Bight of Bonny coastal plains to the south, Coastal mangrove wetlands interlaced with creeks, virgin rainforest on the Oban Obudu hills, Montane parkland on the Obudu Plateau, and derived Savannah on the Cross River Plain, are all parts of the Cross River State vegetation and scenery.