Oyo State Government has announced its commitment to partner with all the first establishments in the state for the promotion of an educational – tourism concept tagged Pace Setter Tourism.

This announcement was made last week by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism (MICT), Mr. Toye Arulogun, during the inaugural meeting of the Pace Setter Tourism Committee which included representatives of the many first establishments and institutions in either Nigeria or Africa such as; University of Ibadan (UI), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Liberty Stadium, University College Hospital (UCH), Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, and Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital.

In a statement made available to CEOAfrica by the office of the State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Arulogun explained that the state government having identified these pioneering establishments and many others, is ready to package, promote and partner them in propagating and celebrating the cultural tourism potentials in the state, adding that a packaged tour of the many firsts in the state will serve as the vehicle to educate students, scholars and researchers about the rich historical and cultural heritage of the state. 

Arulogun noted that Oyo state is truly a blessed state as the home of many pioneering establishments, saying that the government is partnering with them to celebrate and promote her pace setting status.

The Hon. Commissioner stated that the essence of the Committee is to develop a tourism package for Oyo State, stressing that Oyo State, being the cradle of many firsts, would be used to rekindle the sense and teaching of history in the huge student population in the State and the country in general.

Speaking after the meeting, the representative of University of Ibadan (UI) Prof. Gbolagade Lamidi said that the Premier University in Nigeria is ready to collaborate with Oyo State government and play a crucial role of providing documentation of all the firsts within the state to aid the committee’s job. He stated that with the calibre of participating institutions, different aspects of tourism would be highlighted and well packaged and consequently urged the state government to be committed to the project so as to make it as another source of generating revenue.

A representative of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Dr.  Meduna A. J. opined that the country has no alternative than to explore tourism, explaining that other African countries are making use of the tourism potentials in their territories to develop their countries. He described the action of the state government as laudable, pledging that FRIN would be part of the programme that will serve as an opportunity to educate the younger ones about edu-tourism.

The representative of the first television station in Africa, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Busayo Ademiluyi praised the efforts of the government in creating this programme, adding that the programme would lead to the diversification of the economy.

In his own address, the representative of Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, the first maternity hospital in Nigeria, Dr. Adeyanju Olusoji said that history is very important. He noted that the programme has multi benefits for the state government, participating institutions, schools, parents and students. According to him, “the present government is here to make history and turns things around in the state. The pacesetter tourism is a laudable approach and everyone should buy into it. I want to suggest that Edu-tourism should be included in the education curriculum of secondary schools in the country.”

Mr. Busayo Oladiji from University College Hospital (UCH), the first teaching hospital in Nigeria, described the programme as a good initiative which needs proper documentation and segmentation vis-à-vis- health, education, sports amongst others. He stated that the UCH was designed in a unique architectural way that pupils/students who visit could learn from

Also speaking at the meeting, the representative of Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, IART, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Mr. Niyi Hamzat lauded government’s initiative at promoting institutions in the state. He said the project would further clear the air on many misrepresentations about the first tertiary institution in Nigeria, noting that Moor Plantation which was established in 1921, was the first tertiary institution in Nigeria and was then known as School of Agriculture.