By Segun Giwa and Ayodeji Alabi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
The Idanre Hill or Oke Idanre is a mysterious hill located in Idanre town, the headquarters of Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State. The town is about 20 kilometres South-East of Akure, the state capital.
Getting to the peak of the Idanre Hill is a challenging one as you would have to climb 680 stairs, with about seven resting points for you to take a break when you get exhausted.
Due to its irresistible beauty and wonders, the site was added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage tentative list on Oct. 8, 2007, in the Cultural category.
The Idanre Hills, had over the years, hosted different festivals; cultural and musical concerts, and carnival procession that attract attention to the hilly town, which apart from boosting tourism, improved the economy of the town and its environs.
The administration of former Gov. Olusegun Mimiko in its quest to boost tourism in the state face-lifted the Idanre Hill and drove traffic into the place.
One of the drives that further put the town and Ondo State on the tourism World map is MARE Festival, introduced by the administration.
Flowing from the efforts of the Mimiko’s administration, the Idanre Hill usually played host to numerous tourists from different parts of the world, particularly during the popular Mare Festival, an annual cultural and mountain-climbing festival that showcases the South-West region’s cultural heritage, organised by the Ondo State Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Researchers, students, history writers and fun seekers usually flocked to the hill to feel the ancient, as it used to be a beehive activities all year round.
There used to be arrays of local delicacies and bars for the endless stream of tourists, visitors and students to recline and refresh.
However, in recent times, poor funding by the state government has crippled the optimal function of the Idanre Hill, leaving the site with abandoned and dilapidated facilities, and eyesore environment.
A visit to Idanre Hill by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shows a site that is deserted, and much of it is wearing out.
The hill that once houses a unique ecosystem is now occupied by miscreants that have turned most of the buildings into cannabis sativa smoking joints and engaging in other nefarious activities.
The pathetic dilapidated nature of the facilities at the site is also reflected in the signposts erected at the foot of the hill, bringing to fore the maintenance culture of government facilities and infrastructures.
Consequently, the streams of students, tourists and researchers has thinned out, while the ever busy Idanre Hill has remained a ghost with most buildings and the walk railings in ruins, leaving the tour guides idle.
Unfortunately, the situation has deprived one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Nigeria the revenue to augment its maintenance.
Successive administrations in the state left facilities in the hill in ruin and did nothing to reposition tourism as a driver of economic growth, cultural renaissance, and youth empowerment.
Speaking to NAN, a tourist, Miss Tolu Okoye, lamented that extortion and harassment by miscreants were the order of the day unlike other tourist attraction sites she had visited.
Okoye said the government should do more to ensure that the place is well maintained as all the facilities had become dilapidated, underdeveloped and neglected over the years.
Another tourist, Mr Femi Arotoye, said that there was no sign of investment since the last time he was in the town for Idanre Hill, blaming successive governments after that of Mimiko for allowing the government investment to rot away just because of ‘politics’ or lack of interest.
“This is not fair, this is not how to maintain and protect tax payers’ investment by government officials, kindly walk around and see things for yourself and compare it to the last ten years.
“See the environment, see the roofings, it’s only the bar that is barely functioning and it’s because it’s being managed by a private individual.
“If the state government can’t manage it and bring back the funfair attached to the place through MARE Festival and other local festivals happening here, it should allow private hands. After all, they are still collecting revenue from some visitors to tour the place,” he said.
Also, one of the tour guides, who does not want his name mentioned, said he has been helping in guiding tourists for more than 12 years, while noting that the return of MARE Festival could only be possible with significant investment from the government or private organisation.
However, the custodian of traditional festival in Idanre, the Osolo of Idanreland, His Eminence, Ojo Alalabiaye, Ilufemiloye 1, said MARE Festival was alien to the tradition and culture of the community.
Alalabiaye said MARE was a social festival brought by Mimiko, saying, “We have our own tradition and culture.”
He noted that festivals like; Orosun, the annual Odun Osolo, Aheregbe, Uwodi, Ukomo, Ugboona (new yam festival for Ojomu), amongst others were the only festivals recognised by the culture and tradition of Idanre people.
He said that though, the locals and the entire state benefited from Mare Festival as a social event, but not one of the town’s traditional festivals, which he admitted also brings the same energy and recognition to the Idanre culture.
Alalabiaye said all the traditional rites and rituals take place at the top of the hill and traditionally, any rite done at the foot of the hill are not recognised by the tradition and culture of the town.
Also, a tourism enthusiast and a broadcaster, Mr Eniola Olurankinse, who said he had the privilege of experiencing the natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of Idanre Hill, noted that the site faces challenges that hinder its growth as a premier tourist destination, preventing the unlocking of it’s the full potentials.
“I would propose a comprehensive development plan that incorporates a state-of-the-art recreational club, a luxurious resort centre, a local restaurant serving traditional Idanre cuisine, cozy guest houses reflecting the local architecture and culture, and afrocentric attractions showcasing the rich heritage of Africa,” he stated.
Olurankinse urged the government to prioritise regular maintenance of infrastructure, provision of basic amenities, and effective waste management systems.
Some officials lamented the hijacking of the site by some indigenes, thereby preventing proper documentation of the actual numbers of visitors resulting in non-remittance of tour fees and reducing revenue generation to government.
They noted that lack of security guard, using the place for smoking of Cannabis Sativa, harassments, dilapidated structures which showed lack of monitoring and investment over the years, with some amenities already looted among others, would need to be attended to before any meaningful development or programme could attract serious attention at the hill.
Speaking with NAN, Mr Afolabi Adesoji, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, said that the state government was planning to carry out a major rehabilitation of Idanre Hill.
Adesoji, who is an indigene of Idanre, said the rehabilitation would be carried out by the Ministry of Works, saying a complete rehabilitation of the reception hall, swimming pool, and construction of new guest chalets at the foot of the hill would be done.
The commissioner while admitting the neglect of the Idanre Hill, said the government would invest hugely in the site with the face-lifting of the core zone, saying cultural activities at the hill such as Mare Festival had been on “recess” for about nine years.
“We have just cleared all the surrounding bushes and woods. We need a security post at the foot of the hill, which has just been approved by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“The governor has also approved that Mare Festival should hold from December 27 to December 30 this year.
“In 2026, the government will focus on building of the guest chalets and the reception hall at the foot of the hill,” Adesoji disclosed.
Afolabi, while acknowledging the shortage of manpower, said that plans were ongoing to recruit more staff to man the site.
According to him, in 2026, Idanre Hill will be viable and efficient tourist resort that will be a pride to Ondo State, and tourists will be glad to be in the site and get value for their money.
Similarly, some stakeholders say to transform Idanre Hill into a world-class tourist attraction, the state government should focus on improving infrastructure like accommodations and reliable signage, enhancing accessibility through good road networks and possibly a ropeway, offering diverse cultural and eco-tourism experiences.
They equally charged the government to implement effective management that ensures sustainability and benefits the local community. Developing a strong brand image, and leveraging digital tools like a mobile app to attract more visitors and encourage repeat visits. (NANFeatures)
***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.
