By Divine Nwakanma
A traditional ruler in Osun State, the Olodogo of Odogo-Ijesa, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adebisi Owoeye and a Senior Lecturer at the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Mr. Tope Abiola have emphasized the tourism potentialities of Nigerian culinaries, particularly Pounded Yam.
The duo spoke at the inauguration of Galilee Recreation Garden, an exclusive Pounded Yam Eatery at Ijebu-Jesa, headquarters of Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State.
While claiming that Pounded Yam remained the foremost continental culinary, the duo called for “further exploitation of its hidden tourism potentialities as a first choice international menu”.
Oba Owoeye specifically urged the various governments in the country to enact food tourism policies that would further encourage youths to show more interest in agribusiness, thus ensuing making foods more readily available and cost effective.
Abiola, in his contributions, emphasised “the need for urgent reawakening of Nigerian sociocultural heritage through further promotion of ‘Made in Nigeria’ thus salvaging the dwindling national economic fortunes”.
He also exhorted that parents should be good models to their children and wards by adding values to and promoting our indigenous languages, dressings and cultures, among others, for posterity”.
The President General of Ijebu-Jesa Unions Conference (IJUC), represented by Mr. Jide Oladeinde, also enjoined the various tiers of government in Nigeria to “attach priority attention to the issue of food security by subsidizing agricultural inputs for willing farmers”.