Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
Ikogosi-Ekiti came alive on Saturday as the Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, formally launched the Ikogosi Oba’s Palace Project and challenged stakeholders to go beyond the fundraising target.
Olowolafe, who served as Chairman and Chief Launcher at Ikogosi Day 2026 Thanksgiving, said the palace is more than a building — it is an anchor to uphold the traditional institution, unite the community and showcase Ikogosi’s heritage to the world.
He revealed that when Governor Biodun Oyebanji gave him the assignment, he reached out to friends in Lagos and Abuja — and over 35 of them stepped forward on the strength of the Governor’s name alone.
“Whenever you hand me an assignment, an ecosystem of goodwill seems to form around it,” Olowolafe said.
He recalled growing up visiting Are-Ekiti every Christmas, with a compulsory trip to Ikogosi, and returning to Lagos with a car packed with palm wine, bushmeat, palm oil, plantains and yams.
Those visits, he said, faded over time — until Oyebanji brought him home again.
“More times in the past three years than in the previous forty combined,” he said.
Olowolafe noted that he came with family, friends and business partners not to take away, but to help build something enduring in Ekiti.
He hailed the Owa Ajero of Ijero Kingdom, Oba Joseph Adewole for his role in the creation of Ekiti State, and thanked the Regent of Ikogosi, Princess Omobola Adepoju, for returning from Ibadan to serve her community.
Olowolafe traced Ikogosi’s story back to Ile-Ife and to Rev. John McGee, whose Baptist youth camp grew into the resort known today.
He said private investment has revived the resort, but the next task is to make visitors stay longer and spend more in local businesses.
He pointed to the recent Ikogosi 17.5km Race — which attracted runners from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia — as a model, commending Makinde Araoye and his team and promising support to make the next edition bigger.
His ambition, Olowolafe said, is bigger than athletics: to make Ikogosi a premier international destination for weddings, milestone birthdays, corporate retreats and landmark gatherings.
He cited Bernard Parah, who arrived early at the Warm Springs Resort and was so impressed by the cleanliness and service that he considered staying an extra week to work from there.
“Our natural landscape will draw people in. But only the quality of the experience we deliver will bring them back,” Olowolafe said.
He called on the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, to deepen its partnership with the resort, and for alliances with leading international hospitality institutes.
“World-class hospitality must become our signature,” he said.
On natural resources, Olowolafe was blunt: it is not enough to say Ekiti has clay or kaolin.
“What are their exact industrial specifications? What can we competitively manufacture? And who is ready to buy?” he asked.
He charged Professor Yinka Aturamu, Head of Geology at Ekiti State University, to provide precise data and a roadmap to turn deposits into viable enterprises.
“For a young person growing up in Ikogosi, the result must be tangible: a marketable skill, a steady job, a supply contract, or a thriving enterprise,” he said.
Olowolafe said the palace should preserve Ikogosi’s heritage so visitors meet not just a scenic resort, but a proud people with a rich story.
“I enjoyed Ikogosi as a young boy. It will give me infinitely greater joy to see today’s children grow up knowing they can build a prosperous future right here at home,” he said.
