EKITI TOUTRISM DG HAILS JOHN NIYI OLAJIDE AS CATALYST FOR STATE’S DEVELOPMENT
The Director General of Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre, has described business magnate John Niyi Olajide as a transformative force in Ekiti’s socioeconomic landscape, dismissing claims labeling him as anti-development.
In an exclusive statement made available to JIROLTV in Ado-Ekiti, the tourism chief praised Olajide’s investments through Agbeyewa Farms and Glocient Hospitality as game-changers for the state’s economy.
“Mr. Olajide’s Agbeyewa Farms has emerged as one of Nigeria’s largest cassava plantations, providing direct employment for over 2,500 Ekiti residents and stimulating the agricultural value chain,” Ojo-Lanre stated.
The tourism DG particularly highlighted the transformation of Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, which under Olajide’s Glocient Hospitality has been upgraded to world-class standards. “What was once a neglected asset is now a premier ecotourism destination attracting visitors across Nigeria and creating hundreds of jobs for our people,” he noted.
Ojo-Lanre emphasized that Olajide’s commitment extends beyond business ventures, citing numerous corporate social responsibility initiatives in education and healthcare that have benefited host communities.
“Rather than being an enemy of development as some erroneously claim, Mr. Olajide represents the model of diaspora investment we encourage – bringing home expertise, resources and global connections to develop our state,” the DG asserted.
The statement chronicled Olajide’s journey from Erinmope Ekiti to becoming a global business leader in the United States where he founded Axxess, a leading healthcare technology company.
Ambassador Ojo-Lanre concluded by calling on other Ekiti indigene in diaspora to emulate Olajide’s example, describing his investments as “a template for sustainable development through private sector participation.”
