Tourism has become more than a leisure activity in many parts of the world. Countries have turned historic sites, mountains, ancient cities, cultural festivals and natural landscapes into destinations that attract visitors while creating opportunities for local businesses, young people and communities.
Nigeria, too, has continued to identify and promote its own remarkable tourist destinations, from historic cities and cultural landscapes to waterfalls, caves, mountains and ancient settlements. Across the Southwest, Ondo State stands out for the richness of its cultural and natural heritage.
One of its most famous attractions is Idanre Hills, or Oke Idanre — a destination that has drawn visitors from within Nigeria and beyond because of its unusual landscape, ancient settlement and the stories embedded in its rocks and heritage sites.
I recently visited Idanre and decided to go on a tour of the famous Idanre Hills. What I encountered was a place with an extraordinary story, but also a tourism experience that made me wonder how much more the destination could offer if greater attention were paid to its development.
At the entrance, I got my ticket and began the tour with our guide, Mr Gbenga, a calm and knowledgeable man who patiently took us around and explained different parts of the hills.
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The climb itself was interesting, but what stayed with me was what surrounded it. Idanre Hills is not simply a place where visitors should come, climb steps and leave.
The hills preserve the memory of an old settlement and a way of life that existed there before the people moved down to the present Idanre town. UNESCO's documentation of Oke Idanre identifies features including Owa's Palace, shrines, the Old Court, the Belfry, Agboogun footprint, burial grounds and the famous thunder water. The site has been on Nigeria's UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since October 8, 2007.
During the tour, one of the places that caught my attention was the old primary school. Seeing the remains of the historic structure made the history of the old settlement feel much more tangible.
Then there was the cool, pure and clean water coming out from the rock, known as Thunder Water, Omi Ààlà. The water source is said to be as old as the town itself, adding another layer of history and cultural significance to the Idanre Hills experience.
According to the explanation given during our tour, the water was used during wartime in the old days. Warriors drank from it as part of the traditions surrounding preparation for battle. I was also told that people still attach great significance to the water and do not joke with it.
Standing beside it, I could understand why such a natural feature could become part of a much bigger visitor experience. The water I saw was clear, cold and remarkably clean. Its cultural story alone makes it something that deserves proper interpretation and preservation.
But this was also where I began to notice what Idanre Hills is missing.
I expected that a tourism destination of this importance would have more opportunities for visitors to interact with the local economy. I wanted to see places where tourists could buy beads, crafts, souvenirs, local products and other items that tell the story of Idanre.
Instead, much of the experience remains centred around the climb, the historic landmarks and the services of the tour guide. That is not enough for a destination with this much potential.
Tourism should create an economic chain around a destination. The visitor who comes to Idanre Hills should be able to pay a guide, buy locally made souvenirs, eat local food, meet artisans, purchase agricultural products, experience traditional performances and leave with something that connects them to the community.
There was a time when tourism activity around Idanre was more vibrant. The administration of former Governor Olusegun Mimiko gave the hills attention and promoted the destination through the MARE Festival, which became an international cultural and mountain-climbing event. The festival helped draw attention to Idanre and Ondo State as a tourism destination, while creating opportunities for businesses and residents around the area.
There have also been tourism personalities and government officials who contributed to putting Ondo's cultural attractions on the map, particularly during the Mimiko years.
But tourism development cannot depend on festivals alone.
What I saw during my tour also made it clear that some of the facilities at Idanre Hills need greater attention and maintenance. Some tourism infrastructure has deteriorated over the years, while plans have been announced to rehabilitate facilities at the site, including the reception hall, swimming pool and guest chalets at the foot of the hills, alongside improvements in security and manpower.
Those plans are important. But Idanre needs more than the rehabilitation of buildings. It needs a complete tourism vision.
It needs a complete tourism vision. A visitor should not simply climb the hills and go home. There should be a reason to stay longer, spend more and return.
There should be a properly developed cultural marketplace. There should be stronger storytelling around the ancient settlement. There should be spaces for local artisans and farmers. There should be better interpretation of the heritage sites, improved visitor facilities and carefully designed experiences that allow tourists to understand the culture rather than simply look at the landscape.
Most importantly, the people of Idanre should be central beneficiaries of the tourism economy.
The Ondo State Government and the officials responsible for culture and tourism therefore have a bigger task ahead. Promoting a festival such as MARE can bring attention to a destination, but sustainable tourism requires continuous investment in the destination itself.
Idanre Hills already has what many destinations spend years trying to create: history, culture, nature, architecture, traditional stories and a distinctive landscape.
What it needs is sustained attention to turn those assets into a complete tourism experience.
Nigeria has many tourist treasures, and Ondo State is blessed with several of them. Idanre Hills is one of the most recognisable in the Southwest and one of the places Nigerians and international visitors should be able to experience as more than a mountain of steps.
I went to Idanre Hills for a tour. I left with a bigger question: what would happen if this heritage treasure received the level of investment, creativity and sustained promotion that its history deserves?
The answer could mean more than a better visitor experience. It could mean jobs, stronger local businesses, greater cultural pride and a tourism economy that works for the people who have preserved Idanre's story for generations.
