Ooni to commission Ife Grand Resort on Friday

... And install Toyin Kolade as Iyalaje of Oduduwa Race worldwide

Come Friday 16 July, 2021, the Ooni of Ife, HRM Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II will commission the Ife Grand Resort and unveil a 3000 Seater MICE Centre, Ostrich hub and industrial park. The event we hear, will be witnessed by an array of dignitaries which will include the Governor of the State of Osun, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola

In addition, the resort is scheduled to host the Grand reception aspect of the installation activities for the Iyalaje of Oduduwa Race worldwide to be conferred on the Lagos business magnate cum philanthropist Princess (Dr.) Toyin Kolade by the Arole Oduduwa, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife on Saturday.

The Grand Resort, is located beside the tollgate on the Ife-Ibadan expressway and will serve 'as the hub for sustainable development, fountain of employment generation, radar of empowerment and satellite for branding and showcasing the cultural heritage and value of Ile-Ife the source and natural headquarters of the Oduduwa race globally.'

The Ife Grand Resort and Leisure sits on over 1000 acres of land. 

Ooni Ogunwusi disclosed that he deliberately brought the 3000 seating capacity event centre to make Ile-Ife the epicentre of MICE in Africa, saying that the 'Ojaja Arena' has been configured and positioned with all facilities to satisfy demands of Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Event adding that it would also shore up intellectual and congregational activities in Ile Ife, the ancient source of mankind.

"We are building a brand new city driven by urban renewal initiative. The Ojaja Arena is basically not built for social activities but a centre for training and manpower development for youths in this country, considering Ile-Ife to have over 500 thousand students of about 20 tertiary institutions; Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and Schools of Nursing within 100km radius surrounding Obafemi Awolowo University built at the nucleus Centre in Ife over 60 years ago.

"The question in my lips has been, what will these young vibrant youths will be doing after tertiary institutions, the best bet is to set up a hub that is technology friendly to boost and drive small and medium scale industries within our country Nigeria by creating a smart city for them to display whatever they can do to become employers of labour after graduation. It is a sad truth that no industries to employ them all. We can only encourage them to create industries for and by themselves because that is the reality on ground". Ooni said.

He disclosed further that "One of the industrial parks within the Ife Grand Resort Colony, the Adire hub has engaged 50 people, empowered over 150 others and started producing adire in bales which are being exported to foreign countries; the agricultural parks which specializes in rearing of Ostriches has also employed another set of 40 staff who have started rearing Ostriches in an unprecedented manner with the vision to produce ostrich hides and skin in high commercial quantity for export purposes.