The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has refurbished over 50 heritage sites in Ile-Ife, in an attempt to revive cultural tourism.
The Director of Media and Publicity, Ooni’s Palace, Moses Olafare, speaking ahead of the 2022 Aje festival, noted that the monarch intended to revive cultural tourism to provide jobs for youths.
He said the Ooni had redefined Aje festival in a way to boost the economy by accommodating youths and encouraging young entrepreneurs.
Said he: “His Imperial Majesty has since his ascension of the throne, dedicated time and resources to the development of tourism. He has renovated over 50 heritage sites in Ile-Ife to revive cultural tourism.
“Parts of the reason is to ensure that our youths are gainfully employed through the sector, since many nations of the world depend largely on tourism for survival. It is Kabiyesi’s belief that we can replicate the same feat here.
“The essence of introducing summit to this year’s festival is to allow for fresh ideas on making the festival a global event, while the teeming youth population is given a sense of belonging.”
“The summit will be looking at different sectors, including health, culture, education, technology among others. The festival is aimed at mixing tradition with technology to attract young entrepreneurs in the tourism sector.”
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