By Shina Abubakar

THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi will on Friday 16 July, 2021 inaugurate the Ife Grand Resort & Industrial Park in Ile-Ife.

In a statement by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Comrade Moses Olafare said the resort would serve as the hub for sustainable development, a fountain of employment generation, radar of empowerment and satellite for branding and showcasing the cultural heritage and value of Ile-Ife.

Ooni Ogunwusi said: “We are building a brand new city driven by urban renewal initiative. The Ojaja Arena is not built for social activities but a centre for training and manpower development for youths in this country, considering Ile-Ife to have over 500,000 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.

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“The question on my lips has been, what will these young vibrant youths 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 employ them all. We can only encourage them to create industries for and by themselves because that is the reality on ground.”

…Gets update on 1st world arts, culture carnival
The Planning Committee of the 1st World Yoruba Carnival of Arts and Culture led by its Coordinator- General Worldwide, Otunba Femmy Carrena, yesterday, met with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, in his palace in Ile- Ife, Osun State, to update the monarch on planning and preparations to host in the ancient town the world biggest ever cultural event being its mandate.

Carrena, in a statement, assured that the committee was working round the clock to host a successful event expected to be biggest ever cultural event in the entire world being its mandate.

The Coordinator-General, who his team to brief the royal father on the plans, preparations and contacts made till date, ahead of the event coming up February 2022, disclosed that the body had started in earnest to rally traditional rulers in the country to ensure success of the event.

Members of the committee put together by the Ooni a few weeks back under the World Yoruba Carnival of Arts, Culture and Scientific Development include: Otunba Femmy Carrena, the Coordinator-General Worldwide; a renowned linguist and culture activist, Dr. Tunde Adegbola (chairman, Central Planning Committee); Prince Tunde Odunlade, Aare Jide Taiwo, Mr. Seni Jawando, Mr. Yemi Shodimu, Prince Lekan Tejuosho, Mr. Dayo Onipede, and Mr. Oluwaseun Olayiwola.He said: “The committee was in Ile- Ife to brief the Kabiyesi on plans, preparations and contacts made till date and who to contact. The body also informed the Ooni on the traditional rulers they had contacted already and plans to do a follow up next week on them.”

Carrena further disclosed that the committee members made a stopover at Yakoyo in Osun State to pay a courtesy visit to the former Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade (retd), who he said promised to support the historic carnival train.

Vanguard News Nigeria