THE Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Oyeditan Olanite (Akanku IV), has decried the neglect of the Meko Forest Reserves by the Nigerian government.
Oba Olanite said the Meko Forest Reserves were to be made game reserves, but they have become a safe haven for criminals due to government’s neglect, adding that people from Republic of Benin are just freely entering the forest reserves now and destroying things.
He further described the forest reserves as potential revenue generation for the country, “if the government can give it attention, make them game reserves which they were meant to be, and harness it for the economic benefit of the nation, especially at a time like this when Nigeria needed to diversify the economy, and tourism is surely the best option.
“It is high time we woke up as a nation and develop better alternative of economy. And tourism is it! Tourism is the new oil. Oil cannot be there forever, tourism will. Norway for instance, is planning to ban fossil fuel cars by 2025, to continue its trend towards becoming one of the most ecologically progressive countries on the planet.”
The monarch enjoined the Ogun State government and the Federal Government to consider exploring the tourism assets, which according to him, abound in Imeko, for the benefit of the historic town, the state and Nigeria at large.
