Èfòn Aláayè Local Government, in Ekiti State no doubt has great potentials for Tourism. If these potentials are exploited, they will provide job opportunities for youths and boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Ekiti State.
The Tourism potentials are in six categories: those of Geographical interest, those of Therapeutic or Medical interest, those of Industrial interest, those of Spiritual interest, those of Sporting interest and those of Historical interest.
Tourist sites of geographical interest
These are the Agboro Gorge, the Aye Crater, which is believed to have either been formed by the impact of a meteorite or perhaps the after effect of a volcanic eruption in the very distant past, the Akodi Abeta, the table land at the junction where the footpath from the gorge meets the footpath leading to Abéta.
The AGBÒRÓ Gorge is located between two vertical stone walls with ice – cold water drizzling night and day throughout the year.
Ayé on the other hand is a very deep and very extensive chasm adjacent to the narrow path leading to Abéta farm and within shouting distance of the Agboro Gorge. One edge of the narrow footpath is a boundary of Ayé while the footpath itself is the foot of a mountain of rocks. Hence, walking along this narrow path is risk-laden. Any carelessness may cause the walker to plunge into the abyss below with the probability of survival practically zero. At least two fatal accidents have been recorded at Ayé in the recent past.
Ayé bears similarity to the one at the Nine – Mile corner near Enugu where the warning ‘BETTER LATE THAN NEVER’ is inscribed on a signboard at each end of the portion of road adjacent to it. If a road is desired adjacent to the Ayé, it has to be driven through the rock hill facing it. Cables may be thrown over the Aye for physical training and for the execution of stunts by circuses. The Àkòdi Abéta is opposite Ayé. It is a space sheltered from the rain and sun by overhanging rocks. Àkòdi is the Yoruba for the mini palace of a Chief – so, the Àkòdi Abéta is a home which protects people from rain and sun.
To get to AGBÒRÓ JUNCTION from Èfòn Aláayè, we have to ascend a hill. The Junction itself is flatland. So, the AGBÒRÓ JUNCTION is a tableland or plateau enroute Abéta farm. At the Àkòdi Abéta, Èfòn Aláayè town may be viewed with or without binoculars. If a tower is built at the Àkòdi Abéta, the towns surrounding Èfòn Aláayè may be viewed from its top. Building a hotel or guest house at Agboro Junction would be a wise decision.
Sites of Therapeutic Interest
Rivers Òni and Olúa are believed to have healing powers. River Òni is situated on the way to Abéta while River Olúa is in Oníyò Area of Èfòn Aláayè. Tourists from all over Nigeria come to River Òni to bath and collect the water – it is widely believed that a sick man who drinks the water or bathes with it will be cured and a woman who has difficulties about conception will be made fruitful by drinking the water or bathing with the water. The Christ Apostolic Church (C.A.C.) has built bathrooms on the River Òni where people can have their bath in privacy.
The water of River Olúa is used to cure guinea worm infections. The portion of this River that can be so used is known to its priests – the Owágbonan and his assistant, the Olómò.
Sites of Industrial Interest
River Aféni, which is situated halfway between Idagba and the Federal Government Girls’ College, Èfòn Aláayè along the Ìdàgbá – Ìwárája road falls into this category. Samples of its water have been analysed and found to be free from germs. So the waters can be bottled for sale by a company incorporated for that purpose.
Sites of spiritual interest
There are many Owas (caves of divination) situated in Èfòn Aláayè – Owá Oòduà whose priest is the Aláhún, Owá Òkín (under Ejíókin), Owá Alánàká (under Alánàká), Owágbon and Olómò). Some of the Owás are situated outside Èfòn Aláayè – Owa Agidanyin is at Erinmo in Osun State (but it is controlled by the Ejionita of Èfòn Aláayè: Erinmo used to be a satellite town under Èfòn Aláayè until one Aláayè who abdicated the and later ascended the throne of Owá of Ijesaland ceded Erinmo to Ijesaland), Owá Atita is now in Ipole Area but it used to be in Agboro Area on the way to Abéta farm and Owás Ariyan with its main branch at Abéta and its subsidiary branch in Ijíó, Èfòn Aláayè , under the control of Ejió.
MÒJALÁYÉ, an important deity is usually invoked by the Ejigan people when issues become complicated. Its wooden statue with an extra big phallus is situated in a bush opposite Òréréìdò Area of Èjigan Quarter, Èfòn Aláayè. The priest – Chief in charge of Mòjaláyé is the Ejisùn of Ejigan.
Although Christianity and Islam are the popular religions, in times of crises, people; Pastors, Evangelists and Alfas not excluded, resort to these deities for help. The State Government should thus be able to generate IGR through the patronage of the deities.
Sites of sporting interest
ÈSÓKÒGBÉ, the mystery stone in front of the official residence of its priests, the Ejio, is a crowd puller. Though it has a diameter of about 18cm and height of 10cm, nobody in history has ever succeeded in lifting it beyond his chest. The stone offers a a challenge to weight lifters in Nigeria and around the world.
If well managed, the stone will bring a lot of tourists to Èfòn Aláayè and thus generate sizeable IGR for Ekiti State.
Sites of historical interest
Igbole Aaye, where the founders of Èfòn Aláayè first settled before moving to the present site is a historic place of interest. When a new Alaaye is installed, drumming at this place is heard at night. It is however risky to go into Igbole Aaye without due consultation with the Alaaye.
Èfòn Aláayè is a town surrounded by hills and can be turned into where people can come to do hill climbing and sightseeing.
Other attractions are the Ìpole Waterfalls which lie next door to Èfòn Aláayè and the Ìkogosi Warm Spring which is about 30 minutes’ drive from Èfòn Aláayè.
These sites are places that have hitherto been underutilized, thereby denying the town and the state the revenue that could have accrued if the potentials were maximized.
Fortunately, the present governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi has expressed his interest in exploring all avenues, including tourism, to life the state up.
Packaged by Emmanuel Adeniran
