Assessment of Tourism Potentials of Akokoland, Ondo State

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

METHODOLOGY

RESULTS

2.1. TOURISM POTENTIALS OF AKOKO
2.1.1. EBOMI LAKE
2.1.2. OKE-MARIA
2.1.3. OKE-IBAA
2.1.4. OKOTA RIVER
2.2 CULTURAL TOURISM IN AKOKOLAND

DISCUSSION

INFRASTRUCTURAL FACILITIES

CONCLUSION

RECOMMENDATIONS

REFERENCES

ABSTRACT

This study looked into the Tourism Potentials of Akokoland of Ondo State. The case study of the Four Local Government Areas in Akoko. They are Akoko North-East, Akoko North-West, Akoko South-East and Akoko South-West Local Government Area. The significance of the study showed the level of awareness; interest and visitation to the sites, also identified are some of the Infrastructural Facilities available in the tourist center. Questionnaires were designed and administered randomly throughout the area. Personal visits and observation was made to the sites, while discussions and interviews are made use of to collate information on the study area. Collected data were analysed using descriptive frequency distribution and percentages. Underdevelopment of each area was due to lack of readily available infrastructure and finance. Recommendations were made to stimulate the interest of the people towards tourism as well as what should be done by Government to help sustain the tourist center available, especially at the Local Government level. Tourism should be seen as responsibility of every individual.

Keywords: Tourism potentials, Infrastructural facilities and Underdevelopment.

INTRODUCTION

Tourism has emerged as one of the fastest growing industries in the developing world. Tourism is as old as man himself. The idea of tourism consciously or unconsciously started in the Garden of Eden after God formed man of the dust of the ground. In the Bible book of Genesis 2:8,15 the word of God says “and LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed—. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and keep it.” It follows that man had the whole of the Garden of Eden to himself, he (the man) must have been moving about in it, enjoying the beauty of nature and all that were there-in. The Garden must have been a very beautiful place to stay in, to move about, where man could relax, recreate and rest, and have satisfaction of the mind. These are what tourism is afterall. Tourism is appreciating God unawares, especially nature tourism, appreciating things created by Him. Whatever any tourist goes to see in any part of the world, directly or indirectly is a thing created by God. Be it a wonderful spring water, a terrific water fall, beautiful and wonderful outcrop of rock in whatever form, long terrain of beautiful plateau ground, landmark of whatever magnitude, forest, animals, beaches etc. Tourism is a form of migration, temporary migration for a leisure purposes.

Tourism is an important human activity not only of economic significant, but also of social, political, cultural and educational significant. As a result, it is interesting and deserving of study for greater understanding of the economic and society. Tourism is an important economic and industrial activity in which many individuals firm and other organization as well as government are engaged and which is directly or indirectly concern to many others. The need is for a systematic frame work to explain the tourism phenomenal and relationship arising from the travel and stay of non residents, in so far as they do not lead to permanent residence and are not connected with any earning activity. A tourist is defined as a person who travels from place to place for non-work reasons. By the United Nation (UN) definition a tourist is someone who stays for more than one night and less than a year at place. Ayodele and Falade (1990) defined tourism as “The Science, art, and business of attracting and transporting visitors, accommodating them and graciously catering for their needs and wants. According to Ajayi (2004), Tourism is everything and anything that posses the natural capacity or potential capacity to arouse peoples interest and more people, from place to place. This implies that any activities that voluntarily and temporarily take a person away from his usual place of residence in order to satisfy a need either for pleasure; excitement experience and relaxation can be term Tourism. Tourism is often called an invisible export because many nations accumulate large sums in foreign currency by successfully encouraging foreign visitors to travel inside their countries. Some nations that might otherwise register a trade deficit have balanced their international accounts by attracting visitors from abroad.

Tourism no doubt, is a neglected area of culture in Nigeria (Oladele, 1993). Taking Nigeria as a study case, the tourist promotion of the rural areas can only be based on the rural cultures found there, and the wildlife resources. Such cultural identities should be given prominence, well packaged and as a central task in developing sustainable tourism. The tourism especially foreign visitors have not come to see the National theatre, nor the tallest building in Nigeria, but those things deposited in Nigeria by nature, that may not be available in their own countries.

Touristic or recreational activities of any community could both be potential and actual (Coppock and Duffield, 1975). There could be a lot in Nigeria now. Nature deposit could be termed potential. Coppock and Duffield (1975) further observed that such natural resources like scenery that charms, thrills or inspires is a potential asset to the land in which it is found. When this is recognized and is later translated, through human effort to an acceptable standard, then it becomes actualized.

Although, Akokoland is endowed with great variety of touristic attractions which can boost tourism development in the area and Ondo State at large. Tourism development is still at its infancy. Low visitation or patronage of touristic sites, the lack of readily available information on the sites and the inadequate suitable infrastructures in the sites necessitate this study. This study will therefore seek to identify and assess the tourism potentials of Akokoland, with the view of collating information on nature tourism and coming out with recommendations to aid the development of tourism in Akoko area of Ondo State.

METHODOLOGY

STUDY AREA

The Study was carried out in the four local government’s area in Akokoland of Ondo State, which comprises of Akoko North-East, Akoko North-West, Akoko South-East and Akoko South-West. According to Foluso and Wole (2001), Akokoland is within Longitude 5E and 6E and Latitude 7N and 7045N. Akoko area is topographically hilly and granite out-crops of attractive sceneries. Akokoland in Ondo State of Nigeria lies in the tropics, characterized by two seasons; the dry and the rainy season. The mean annual temperature for Akoko is 280C and it is high throughout the two seasons only dropping slightly at the peak of the rains and harmathan. The vegetation of Akoko varies from Forests to Guinea savannah. The forest is characterized by fall trees which are interspersed with oil palms. Akoko is endowed with abundant mineral resources. Predominant occupations of the community include; large scale farming and teaching. (Foluso and Wole, 2001)

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The primary data collection was through questionnaire survey, face-to-face interviews with visitors and villagers and oral discussions with the representative of the tourist site. Information was also obtained from Oba (King) about the site. Secondary information was also obtained from documented records and files.

The data collected was analyzed using frequency distribution and percentages which was also adopted by Alarape, (1992).

RESULTS

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Source: Field Survey, 2008

The Table shows age stratification of the Respondents. From the Table 1, those within the ages bracket (41-50) yrs takes 28.75% of the total Respondents, those within the ages group (21-30) yrs are 27.50% and the Respondents between the ages (31-40) yrs formed 21.25%. Finally, age group (10-20) yrs as well as age group (51 and above) was the same i.e. 11.25% each.

Table4.1b: GENDER / SEX CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

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The Sex Classification of all the Respondents in the Four Study Area. From the Table 61.25% of all the Respondents are Males while the remaining 38.75% are Females. The highest percentage of the Male Respondent was from Ikare with 70% while the highest Female Respondents was from Oka with 50%. In Arigidi where Okota River is located, 65% are Males Respondents while 35% was Female Respondents. At Ipesi, Male Respondents was 60% and Female Respondents was 40%.

Table4.1c: LEVEL OF EDUCATION ATTAINED BY RESPONDENTS

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The above Table shows that, the level of Education of Respondent from ‘Others’ was 36.25% which is the highest. Follow by A’ level Respondents of education attained which is 27.50%. Those that attained their Undergraduate formed 21.25%. The least Respondent form 2.50% and are those that attained their Postgraduate.

Table4.1d: OCCUPATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS

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As shown in Table, the highest number of Respondents is Students which was 28.75%. Next to Students was Teachers with 25% Respondents. The able also reveal that Civil Servants from 20%, while Professionals in Private Service made up 13.75%. Finally, Respondents from different Occupational aside from the one listed on the Table, made up of 12.50%.

Table4.1e: MARITAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS

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The highest Respondents as revealed in the Table are Married, followed by Single Respondents. The least in the table was 11.25% Respondents.

Table4.1f: RELIGION/ DENOMINATION OF RESPONDENTS

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As shown in the Table, Christians have the highest Respondents with 58.75%, followed by Muslims with 32.50% Respondents. In Oka for example, the Christians takes 75% of the total Respondents from that Area.

Respondents that are neither Christians nor Muslims were 8.75%. In Ikare none of the Respondents belong to ‘Others’.

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