The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has assured Nigerians that in spite of the current security challenges, the country is in safe hands.
The Minister, who gave the assurance while receiving the Oluyin of
Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Adeola Adeniyi Ajakaiye, on a courtesy visit to his
office in Abuja on Thursday, urged Nigerians not to succumb to the
apocalyptic or doomsday predictions about the country because such
predictions won’t come to pass.
He appealed to leaders at all levels to give the people a message of
hope instead of making comments that can only aggravate tension
Alhaji Mohammed stressed the critical role of traditional rulers in
the maintenance of peace and security, saying they cannot and must not
be ignored, as the nation seeks to restore peace and security across
the country.
He appealed to Oba Ajakaiye to work with his fellow traditional
rulers, as well as the Government of Ekiti State, to ensure peace and
security in the state.
Responding to a request by the traditional ruler to help put the
tourist sites in the town on the national and global map, the Minister
pledged his readiness to leverage the media and technology to showcase
and popularize the historic ‘Esa Cave’ as well as the ‘Okuta
Abanijorin’ (the rock that accompanies you on your trip), both
foremost tourism sites in Iyin-Ekiti, in the Irepodun/Ifelodun local
government area of Ekiti State.
”Putting the tourist sites on the national and global map will
attract tourists, which will in turn boost the economy of not just
Iyin town but indeed the entire Ekiti State,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed therefore directed the Directors-General of the
National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Nigerian Tourism
Development Corporation (NTDC) and the National Institute for
Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) to undertake a working visit to the
two tourist sites and report back to him.
In his remarks, Oba Adeola Adeniyi Ajakaiye said Iyin-Ekiti is blessed
with numerous tourist attractions that have the potentials to bring
the community to national and global limelight and create jobs for its
youths.
He stressed the need for the federal government to leverage on the
tourism industry in its drive to diversify the economy away from oil.
Oba Ajakaiye used the occasion of his visit to invite the Minister to
his forthcoming coronation as well as to visit the tourist sites at
Iyin-Ekiti – the two requests that were granted by the Minister.