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World Tourism Day: WIBAT Concludes Successful Tour of Epe, Opens City to Tourism
In celebration of the 2020 World Tourism Day, the Lagos chapter of Women in Business and Tourism (WIBAT), has taken a deserved tour of the ancient city of Epe in Lagos State, drawing out the hitherto uncharted tourism potential therein.
Leveraging on this year’s theme, “Tourism and Rural Development” the group, led by the CEO, Connoisseur Travel and Tours, Mrs Joana Owolabi, dared to bring Epe town to limelight in global tourism, giving it a head up as first choice in domestic tourism.
The trip, which spanned four days, was full of adventure, fun and education, and took the group to and through the innermost parts of the endowed town.
Among places visited included the beautiful Palace of the Paramount ruler of the town, the Oloja of Epe, HRM, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun.
The Oloja was full of praises and prayers for women, who happened to be the first women group to tour the ancient city in history. He commended the women for choosing his domain as a tourism potential to promote, especially to mark a special occasion.
”I’m very pleased to have you in our midst, especially on this special day. Let me assure you of our willingness to partner with you on future initiatives,” the Oba was quoted as saying.
The women appreciated the Oba’s reception with a surprised gift.
The team’s next port of call was the office of the Executive Chairman of Epe Local Government, Hon. Adedoyin Adesanya, whose enthusiasm at the honour knew no bounds. He thanked the women for choosing to position Epe as a tourism destination in Lagos State.
While admitting that tourism is very close to the heart to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, especially efforts to open up suburbs like Epe, he extolled the virtues of WIBAT for taking up the challenge.
The Supervisor, Envinroment and Tourism in the local government, Princess Surah Animashaun, who masterminded the adventure, also expressed her profound gratitude to the women for agreeing to explore Epe to commemorate the 2020 edition of World Tourism Day.
The team also visited many cultural, historical and educational destinations such as the popular Epe fish market where they were well received by the market women leader-Iyaloja of Oluwo Fish Market, Folashade Ojikutu, who took them on a tour of the market.
The highpoint of the tour was the visit to the town’s ancient tree, which stood majestically by the road, and decked around with a cloth, symbolising its cultural and communal importance. At the site, residents, who were happy to see tourists in their town, expressed their joy at the visit.
One of them even joked at the tourists, saying “I hope you people will not allow them to be carrying out traditional monuments and totems abroad.”
Other prominent citizens of Epe, who were on ground to receive the women group are Chairman, Active Hunters Association, Epe Division, Mr. Adeleke Adesada; legislative members representing the town in the Lagos State House of Assembly and Senate, Hon Abiodun Tobun and Senator Segun Agbaje respectively, among many other dignitaries.
The first ever women tourism adventure as recorded, has been adjudged a huge success, devoid of rancour and well conducted by a professional guide.
In her vote of thanks, Princess Animashaun expressed gratitude to the women for the bringing global attention to Epe town.
The gains of the trip is expected to resonate in the coming days, surely, however, a sour point of a trip Epe remains the dilapidated nature of the roads. This, the group said can hinder tourism exploration in the vibrant area.
Gunmen, on Monday, in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, killed seven persons.
Reports said that out of the seven persons killed, two are unarmed civilians who were in a compound planning a burial scheduled for January 2, while the others were security operatives.
A viral video being circulated on social media showed two bodies of the victims, said to be members of the Anambra State Vigilante Group (AVG).
The Police command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident, said the Commissioner of Police (CP), Nnaghe Obono Itam, has ordered immediate manhunt of the assailants.
He said the incident happened at about 11.20am, adding that the attack resulted in the death of seven persons, two of them unarmed passers-by.
He said: “The Joint Security Team rescued one of the victims, who is currently responding to treatment at a hospital.
“The CP, while on an on-the-spot assessment visit to the scene, interviewed some eye witnesses of the incident. Information also had it that the armed men started shooting sporadically at a venue where preparations were going on for a burial ceremony slated for 2nd of January, 2025.
“Also, while escaping the scene, the armed men shot at two security operatives at a security Observation Post close to the Local Government Headquarters by the Express Road.”
Ikenga said the CP has extended his condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, especially the good people of Ihiala over the tragic incident.
He further assured that the perpetrators would be hunted down.
Some officers attached to the Ogun State Police Command have been arrested for allegedly demanding money from the family of a missing girl before taking action on the case.
The Public Relations Officer for the Nigeria Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a post on X on Saturday.
Adejobi stated that they were being detained pending disciplinary action.
His post partly read: “Otta missing girl: The policemen who demanded money before they could attend to the case have been arrested and are now in detention for disciplinary action.
Adejobi further reaffirmed the command’s commitment to locating the missing girl, assuring the public that she would be found soon.
“The Ogun State Police Command has been on the case. The girl will be found as soon as possible. We also urge the family of the victim to cooperate with the police,” he added.
Adejobi had earlier warned officers against using the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun’s name to perpetuate fraud, advising the public to report such cases.
The Joint Task Force North West, under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, has addressed concerns about a recent military airstrike in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State, clarifying that the operation targeted terrorist elements, not civilian structures.
Coordinator of the Joint Media Coordination Centre, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, said all operations of the Task Force were guided by extensive intelligence and reconnaissance efforts.
He said these measures were designed to ensure precision and protect civilian lives, especially in actions against groups like the Lakurawa terrorist organization.
The Task Force called on the public to rely on verified information to avoid misinformation and unnecessary panic.
Abdullahi cautioned against disinformation campaigns by terrorist groups, which aim to discredit military successes and sow doubt in the ongoing fight against terrorism and banditry.
According to the military, the areas targeted near Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa were confirmed to be associated with the Lakurawa group, reinforcing the justification for the strikes.
The Joint Task Force, therefore, reiterated its commitment to safeguarding civilians while pursuing decisive action against threats to national security.
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