According to historical accounts, the people of Idanre lived on the top of the magical hills for many centuries before they moved to the foot of the hills some hundred years ago. The hilltop has, however, remained a tourist destination ever since the people moved downhill. As a tourist attraction, members of the community derive economic benefits from such visits.
Consequently, the immediate past administration of the state transformed the centre, bringing to the fore the economic and tourism potentials abounding on the site.
Aside the aesthetic designs and structures put in place by the Olusegun Mimiko-led administration, the introduction of the annual Mare festival by the state government has contributed in no meagre way towards putting the town on the world map in terms of tourism.
Mare Festival was launched by the immediate past government in the state to celebrate the town, hills, culture and the state in general. Every December, the festival opens new corridors to the state’s tourism sector. Ever since the introduction of Mare Festival some eight years ago, it has continued to attract tourists worldwide, until last December when the festival did not hold.
At the centre, there are structures and facilities put in place for the pleasure of guests by the Olusegun Mimiko-led government. These included three-bedroom and two-bedroom (en-suite) buildings, with tastefully fitted amenities. Others are swimming pool, dining area/bar, lounge, spa and treatment area, games arcade and a walkway, and guests are guaranteed 24-hours service treatment.
The resort has a reception, where guests are treated to special traditional reception and allowed to take advantage of the unique facilities such as mini theatre with stage, game facilities such as table tennis, snooker boards and a number of traditional games. Other facilities of the resort include a restaurant, bar, swimming pool, outdoor stage and a VIP stage, children’s playground, sports area, sit-out area atop the rocky ranges, kiosks for traditional cuisines and snacks and an office complex.
However, a recent visit by Nigerian Tribune to the resort centre revealed noticeable degradation of facilities, probably due to neglect and lack of maintenance, as the once-upon-a-time Mecca of sorts has become a shadow of its former self. The three guests house put in place for tourists has become a home to rodents, reptiles, birds and other animals.
Aside the buildings, the gate leading to the centre, the stage, swimming pools, restaurants and bar area are in shambles. Interestingly, tourists across the globe still visit the resort centre regularly, but most of the tourists do not request use of the facilities anymore.
Speaking with our correspondent, a tourist guide lamented the ruins of the facilities and attributed it to neglect and lack of maintenance, saying “this place received little or no attention since the celebration of the last Mare festival and we do not make money here except during the festival.”
An indigene of the town, Adebayo Collins, who is a regular visitor to the centre, lamented the state of the resort, noting that the ever-bubbling arena had become a ghost land.
“Many of us thought life would return here in December when we usually have visitors come from all over the world to celebrate the annual Mare festival with us. However, we were wrong as there was no mention of the festival.
“My friends from Port Harcourt, Lagos, and the North used to come here every December to celebrate and witness Mare festival with us, but they were all disappointed when I told them there was no plan for the festival this year,” he stated.
Mare, an annual festival was an initiative by the immediate past administration in the state. The tag ‘Mare’ is derived from the Yoruba phrase ‘Ma re bo’ literally translated as ‘don’t fall,’ a symbolic word connecting man to nature as man tunes into nature in the heights of Idanre hills.
The festival has helped to unravel the hidden potentials of the ancient town for tourists worldwide to savour. Mare is also an acronym for Marathon Race; Arts and Culture; Rock Climbing; Entertainment/exhibition and Empowerment. All of these are usually put together as part of the activities celebrating the festival.
Speaking at the eighth celebration of the festival, former Governor Olusegun Mimiko said: “Mare Festival has come to stay and I have no doubt in my mind that the incoming government will do all to sustain it. God has endowed Idanre with natural resources and there are no two towns like Idanre. I can see a new tourism corridor in Akure/Idanre and this we have been developing since 2009.”
Mare, according to the governor, was a deliberate attempt by his administration to establish a festival around the scenic beauty of the hilly town of Idanre, celebrating nature’s gift and providing a viable destination for tourists, while showcasing to the universe the culture and heritage of the state.
A tourist, who identified himself as Adewale, told Nigerian Tribune that the present economic downturn in Nigeria might be responsible for the new development. He noted that most state governments had been struggling to fulfil their obligations to the people of their various states and “organising a festival like Mare at this period will gulp a lot from government’s purse.” He, however, called on the state government not to let the annual event go down the drain in the name of recession.
Olumide Seun, an indigene of the town expressed a different view on the development saying, apart from the fun, the festival and the annual event offer a host of economic and social benefits to Idanre community and the state.
He said: “Tourism has the opportunity to bring communities together and instil a sense of community pride and knowledge of their history. The economic benefits of festivals are easiest to see and most often attract visitors, which stimulates the growth of tourism and other businesses in the town or region. It is fair to say that festivals like this foster community pride, teach people new things, and strengthens relationships.”
The Agricultural Economics graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University, said festivals attract visitors, and visitors spend money, which boosts the local economy both on and off the festival site. According to him, on-site spending includes admission fees, parking fees, food, beverage and souvenir sales and more. Off-site spending related to hotels, buying of fuel at filling stations, eating and drinking at restaurant and bars also generate revenue for the communities.
“Even if the festival fails to hold as we experienced in the past, the state government should help to renovate or build on the facilities put in place by the past government and should not allow these facilities to rot away,” he stated, noting that the facilities have been a source of income to the resort centre as “many of the tourists prefer to sleep here to have a feel of nature.”
Mrs Mayowa Olawolu, who operates a drinking joint at the tourist centre, said life at the resort had been dull in terms of sales. She explained that although tourists still visit the Idanre hilltop, the patronage was not encouraging, noting that “the drop in sales this year could be attributed to the inability of the state government to organise Mare Festival.
“We used to make a lot of money here during the festival but this year was different. We want to appeal to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to please bring back Mare Festival.”
A septuagenarian, Akinkunmi Oguntade, who said he had lived in Idanre all his life, stated that the last eight years had changed the fortune of the town in terms of economic development. He noted that most indigenes of the town always looked forward to the festival.
“All my life, I’ve lived here, and, in the last eight years, we have been celebrating December with funfair, coupled with the Mare festival which normally coincides with Christmas celebrations. However, we wondered why the event failed to hold this year. Government should be a continuum, and I don’t know the excuse of this present government on this important festival which has served to unite the people of Idanre and Ondo State.
“The government never showed any interest in the development of this place. All the facilities put in place have been destroyed due to lack of maintenance and negligence. I was so sad to see all the facilities wasting away when I visited the site a few weeks ago.
“We are building our community and people with this Mare Festival. Our children come home every year with their friends to witness this festival but they came home disappointed last December when they found out the festival would not hold. Most traders had stocked their shops in expectation of the festival, but unfortunately the reverse was the case. No one is talking about the festival. This is sad and devastating,” he stated.
Mare festival, Idanre and spiritual undertones
Asked if the failure to hold the festival had any spiritual implications, he replied in the negative, stating that “It was created by the last government to raise the economy of the state and it has no spiritual attachment. It was created to bring the world here to celebrate nature and to celebrate the state. The only thing it brings to us as a people is that it improves our economy, directly or indirectly. There are no spiritual undertones.”
He, however, appealed to the relevant stakeholders in the tourism sector to call the attention of the state government to this and do what was necessary to bring back Mare Festival and renovate all the facilities to bring back life to Idanre hilltop resort centre.
I’m surprised at the state of facilities –Former Commissioner
Speaking on the ruins at the site, the immediate past Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade, who incidentally hails from the ancient town of Idanre, expressed shock over the state of facilities at the centre and called on the present administration in the state not to allow the annual festival to die just like that.
He said: “I am surprised at the state of the facilities which the last administration put in place at the Idanre hilltop because those things were put there to make Idanre truly a tourist destination. With what we have done there, UNESCO concluded to list Idanre hills as a world heritage site and that was the reason our government ensured we gave the place a facelift and we also attached a cultural festival tagged ‘Mare Festival’ which usually comes up between December 12th and 19th, and this has taken place for eight years.
“But just as you know, government is a continuum, but I will advise the present administration to take a cursory look at our tourists sites in Ondo State, most especially Idanre hill resort, and try as much as possible to bring back life to the site.”
When asked about the quality of work put in place by the immediate past government, Akinmade said: “The structure was put in place in 2014. The essence of the chalet is for tourists who visit the resort centre to be connected with nature. Many people have slept in five stars hotels or three stars hotels, but they rarely sleep in places with natural attractions. That was why the government built those houses for tourists who come around to have a place to relax.”
Akinmade, however, advised the state government “to put tourism at the centre page as it provides more jobs for our people and also address the plight of the common man. You can imagine the multiplier effect in our economy. I will advise government that this is a potential that can give government some revenue from tourists, who come from across the world, with people leaving their town, cities, countries to come and experience the natural environment and wonders of the centre.”
When contacted, the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Ismaheal Olumirisi, promised to get back to our correspondent on the reasons Mare Festival could not hold this year, but had yet to do so as at the time of filing this report.
‘We prepared for Mare Festival, but govt cancelled it’
However, a director in the ministry, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said there was no directive from the state government towards the preparation for the festival.
“We were not given the go ahead and approval for the festival to hold this year, but I can’t tell you the reasons behind this. We prepared adequately for the event, but there was no directive from the state government and I can’t explain the reason for the cancellation of the event,” he said.
He, however, said the ministry would be ready to host the festival next year if government expressed readiness, but declined to speak on the state of facilities in the resort centre.
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