The Speaker of Ekiti Youth Parliament, Mr Toba Fatunla, has commended Governor Kayode Fayemi for pursuing a sustainable tourism policy which aimed at economic empowerment, employment generation and boosting the financial capacity of the residents of Ekiti State.
Mr Fatunla made this observation in a speech delivered yesterday in Ado Ekiti as a guest speaker at Team Ekiti Tourism Development Convergence on Olota Hills, organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Tourism Development in conjunction with Ekiti Youth Parliament in celebrating Dr John Kayode Fayemi two years into his four years second term tenure.
Speaking into the theme of the Convergence: Harnessing Ekiti State Tourism Potentialities for Empowerment and Socio-Economic development with sub-theme “Ekiti Youth for JKF Tourism Vision”, Mr Fatunla lauded Governor Fayemi for his proactive sensibility of identifying the youth as a potent force and agent of planting, germination and blossoming  of his tourism vision for the state.
He said: “I must sincerely commend Governor Kayode Fayemi for acknowledging and recognizing the youth of Ekiti, not only as a partner in progress and necessary collaborator  at driving his tourism policy but as a co-policy formulator whose views must be sought in respect of tourism policymaking in the state.”
Mr Fatunla who assured Governor Fayemi of the readiness of Ekiti Youth at keying perfectly into his tourism vision enumerated seven thematic areas which the youth can be of immense help to the state via, social media strategy, tourism market strategy, ambassadorial status, youth tourism formation, youth tourism enterprises, youth tourism infrastructure development and youth monitoring and evaluation of tourism projects in the state.
Mr Ade Peculiar, promoter of Discover Ekiti commended Governor Fayemi for creating conducive atmosphere for tourism business to grow and for ensuring the appointment of professionals to oversees the sector.
He recalled that Governor Fayemi’s tourism policy has led to the global acceptance and embrace of Hike Ekiti Mountains as an international adventure event which he inaugurated in April 2019 and the opening up of other hiking mountains like Olosunta Hills Ikere and Abanijorin Mountain in Iyin.
Mr Peculiar enumerated on the various opportunities that are waiting for Ekiti Youth to be tapped in the tourism sector and called upon them to always think out of the box to make money from tourism.
He commended the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Kayode Fayemi, Mr Wale Ojo-Lanre for his creative energy and super ability to organize the Convergence on Olota Hills, Ado Ekiti with special programmers which include panegyric chanting, pounding of yam and invitation of the daughter of the late Elemure Ogunyemi, Funmi Ogunyemi who sang beautifully by extolling the tourism potentialities of Ekiti State and the strides of Governor Kayode Fayemi.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Fayemi on Tourism Development, Mr Ojo-Lanre in his welcome remark, enumerated a long list of the achievements of Dr Kayode Fayemi within the last two years which included the resuscitation of the hitherto moribund Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture which ensured that Ekiti State bagged Ist position as Most Creative and Innovative State in Nigeria at the 2019 NAFEST, held in Benin, hosting of the 2019 EKIFEST after four years of being in the doldrums in December 2019, sponsorship of Ekiti State Standing Performing Troupe to Budapest, Hungary, Nov 2019, the recreation of Ekiti State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism in December 2019 and the appointment of Prof Rasaki Ojo Bakare as the Commissioner, facilitating of Ekiti State Delegation to Rio De Janeiro Carnival, Brazil to market Ekiti tourism, February 2020, appointment and injection of 32 professionals artistes into the Arts Council, the passing of Ekiti State Tourism Law, creation of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Tourism and his appointment, the inauguration of the process for the formulation of Ekiti State Tourism Master Plan, releasing of COVID-19 palliatives to hoteliers, the discovery of three natural tourism sites and the latest unveiling of Ekiti State Performing Art Company.
He revealed that Governor Fayemi has tasked his office to ensure the involvement of youths, tourism stakeholders and practitioners at promoting, marketing and enhancement of tourism development in Ekiti State.
Mr Ojo-Lanre disclosed that his office deliberately picked Olota Hills for the Convergence for JKF-2 at two Tourism developments so as to showcase and project its beauty as a hill where you can gain a panoramic view of Ado Ekiti.
He specially thanked one of the guests, Alhaji Dauda Lawal, community development expert for believing in the tourism vision of Governor Fayemi and expressed gratitude to Davies Hotel, Ibadan, INFOGEM Company, Triple G Eco Revival Solutions and Awori Tourism for supporting the event.
The custodian of Olota Hills, Chief Ogunojo Aduloju commended Governor Fayemi for his policy on value reorientation, cultural rejuvenation and tourism enhancement which is paving ways for the promotion of cultural and tourism sites for wealth creation in the state
Chief Ogunojo prayed for Governor Fayemi and declared that his two years in the saddle has been robust years for the culture and tourism sector hoping that the next two years would be more memorable and exciting.
