Osun to upgrade Erin Ijesa, other tourist sites

The Osun State Government has said it was pursuing a comprehensive upgrade of tourist sites in the state, including the popular Erin Ijesa waterfall, as part of its tourism agenda.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, made the disclosure on Monday in response to a recent viral video on the poor state of Erin Ijesa waterfall.

Alimi also disclosed that the state government was implementing a systemic upgrade after decades of neglect by previous administrations.

In the video, a visitor to the Erin Ijesa waterfall had exposed a filthy environment around the fall, demanding urgent actions to correct the anomaly.

The commissioner further noted that the tourism infrastructure upgrade plan covers the Osun groove, Owala inland beach resort in Olorunda local Government, Sango Timi Shrine in Ede Local Government, Ayunkunnugba waterfall in Oke-Ila Orangun, in Ifedayo local Government and other cultural sites.

On the state of the tourist sites in Osun, particularly Erin Ijesha water fall, Alimi said the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, had directed the fast-tracking of ongoing renewal initiatives for the site, which include the formation of a tripartite committee for the management of the site among others.

Alimi, who also said the management of the Erin-Ijesha waterfall site is currently under the purview of the Erin-Ijesha community, added that the status quo is meant to ensure localisation and overall local content to boost the local cultural and tourism industry.

“The Governor has directed that a tripartite meeting between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Information and Public Enlightenment and the leaders of Erin-Ijesa Community be held tomorrow, Wednesday 14th August 2024, to fashion out how to further maintain the environment and come up with an acceptable template that will benefit all interests involved.

“I want to assure the general public that the Osun State government under Governor Ademola Adeleke has a comprehensive tourism agenda which covers all our cultural and tourism sites. The meeting tomorrow will increase the phase of reforms to satisfy the aspirations of the community and tourism community,” Alimi added.