FG take over Oba Hills Forest Reserve from Osun Govt
By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo
The Federal Government has officially taken over the Oba Hills Forest Reserve in Iwo Local Government Area from the Osun State Government. The handover ceremony took place on Tuesday at the Bola Ige House, State Secretariat, Abere, where Governor Ademola Adeleke transferred management of the reserve to the Federal Government.
During the event, the Minister for Environment, Bakare Abbas Lawal, who was represented by Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni, the Conservator General of the National Park Service, highlighted the potential of the Oba Hills National Park to become a major ecotourism destination.
Lawal said that the upgrade of the forest reserve to a national park would not only attract visitors from across the country and beyond but also contribute significantly to the local economy and the nation’s GDP.
“This presents an excellent opportunity to showcase the natural beauty and cultural diversity of Nigeria while creating economic opportunities for local communities. The potential for sustainable job creation, increased revenue, and community development should not be underestimated,” Lawal remarked.
He further emphasised that the establishment of the park would support Nigeria’s efforts to meet global biodiversity conservation targets as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and improve national security.
The minister listed other national parks recently established, including Oba Hills National Park in Osun State, Hadejia Wetland National Park in Jigawa State, Allawa National Park in Niger State, Apoi National Park and Edumanom National Park in Bayelsa State, Falgore National Park in Kano State, Kogo National Park in Katsina State, Kampe National Park in Kwara State, Marhai National Park in Nasarawa State, and Pandam National Park in Plateau State.
In an effort to ensure smooth operations at Oba Hills, the National Park Service has appointed Azeez Kazeem Olakunle as the Acting Conservator of Parks to oversee the park’s day-to-day affairs until a permanent Conservator is appointed.
The Service has also procured essential equipment for the park, including vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, firearms, office furniture, computers, and uniforms, to support its operations.
Governor Adeleke, in his remarks, explained that the need to protect the reserve from the dangers posed by logging, hunting, and other human activities had prompted the state government to take action. In 2013, Osun State engaged the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) to conduct a comprehensive survey of the reserve.
“As a result, the state reached out to the National Park Service to propose upgrading the reserve to National Park status. This request was granted in 2021, and today we are witnessing the fulfilment of that effort,” the governor stated.
Adeleke revealed that the reserve, now to be known as Oba Hills National Park, spans 4,225 hectares across the Iwo, Ejigbo, and Ola-Oluwa Local Government Areas of Osun State.
The governor commended the Conservator-General and the National Park Service for their commitment to the handover process and reiterated that Osun State would remain involved in the park’s operations.
He also urged the National Park Service to prioritise the recruitment of qualified indigenes of Osun State for park operations, stressing that the state’s policy of local content would strengthen community benefits and foster a sense of local ownership.
“As we transfer the management of Oba Hills Forest Reserve to the National Park Service, I must stress that Osun State remains deeply interested in the operations of the park. This handover aligns with our broader climate change agenda, recognising the crucial role of ecosystems in mitigating global warming and ensuring sustainable development,” Governor Adeleke concluded.
In a final statement, he formally handed over the Oba Hills Forest Reserve to the Honourable Minister of Environment for its transformation into a National Park under the management of the National Park Service.
