Olumo Rock And The False Claims Af A Revisionist

By Flourish Adeko 

Ordinarily, there would have been no need to respond to the latest trash concocted by a lackey of an ex-Governor of Ogun State accusing Governor Dapo Abiodun of shutting down a prime historical monument, Olumo Rock, during the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF). It is interesting that Ope Banwo, the self-styled Mayor Of Fadeyi and his ilk can talk glibly about the same festival they had dismissed with accustomed arrogance. Ahead of the Ogun 2024 festival which is already enjoying rave reviews in Nigeria and beyond, these agents of doom had declared, as if the public was unaware of the antics of their community of nitwits, that it would be no better than "a local inter house sports" and could not be compared the 2006 edition hosted under their principal. But curiously, the Commissioner for Sports under the Gbenga Daniel administration who was appointed by Governor Abiodun as and the chairman of Ogun 2024 Local Organising Committee, and who is now Director General of the National Sports Commission, had quickly dismissed the claim, saying that it was the 2006 event that would look like inter house sports compared to this year’s edition, which he said would be the best in sub-Saharan Africa. How accurate!!

 Looking at the feelers from various quarters, Ogun 2024 is a masterpiece. The Opening Ceremony captured the national and global imagination, and many people are saying that they have never seen that type of opening even in any African event, and that it it can only be compared with the most glamorous and successful FIFA or Olympic events. A caveat, though: many people have come to realize that Ogun State is always first in everything and were therefore not surprised by the exceptionally beautiful ceremony.

The problem with ex-Governor Daniel and his dogs is the haughty belief  that no one can surpass them. Yet it is only the Almighty God that cannot be surpassed. When Daniel was in government, he saw himself as a lion, dominating everywhere, and it is beyond evident that he and his lackeys are still living in illusion of grandeur. Perhaps that was why when Daniel came to the opening ceremony and saw the massive event and the creativity and accolades it garnered, he hurriedly left the stadium. He could not control himself, having seen something clearly beyond his mental horizon. He had never seen something so unique and beautiful. 

To say the very least, the opening ceremony has been commended all over the world, with many people that they never thought that Nigeria could put up such an incredible ceremony. Besides, the games themselves are enjoying rave reviews, with such big sporting names as Segun Odegbami saying that Gateway 2024 has restored the original vision of the founding fathers of the National Sports Festival (NSF).

So now, in order to cast aspersion on the NSF, the perpetual naysayers cry babies turned attention to Olumo Rock, a facility shut down before the Games to give it and other monuments a massive facelift. Ahead of the NSF, the Ogun State Government struck up a partnership with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun pointed out is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000. Receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Governor said: “I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times." As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre is being repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery. The Governor listed attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.

It takes utter abdication of moral authority for anyone who claims sanity to equate a temporary shutdown announced weeks before the NSF began and meant to facilitate repairs to a closure of the Olumo Rock to visitors during the NSF. Contrary to the barefaced lies and distortions by the spin doctors, Olumo Rock has not been shutdown to visitors as the NSF gets underway; it is just that the renovations are not complete. No one has been able to counter Governor Abiodun's argument that it is a historic site that must add value to the people of Ogun State and by the time Governor Abiodun is through with Olumo Rock, it will be second to none globally, just like the Ogun  Adire industry is second to none. Speaking of adire, thousands of fabrics have been sold in less than a week, and news reports say that the sellers have run out of stock. In his multi-pronged plan, the Governor is also looking at monuments such as Iwe Iroyin, the Kuti residence, Fela's  residence and the Obasanjo library, monuments which were placed under renovation because of their pivotal place in touristic architecture. 

Of course, the naysayers cannot stop writing out of mischief. They are never-do-wells who thrive in chaos and who are hurt that Dapo Abiodun continues to do a good job, opening up Ogun State to investments through good policies and infrastructure. In the coming weeks, the Governor will be commissioning so many roads. History has positioned him favourably. He cannot be deferred by lunatics and agents of destabilisation.

Flourish Adeko