TOWARDS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN AGULERI

ByDr. eddi idigo

PREAMBLE

I want to thank the members of the Aguleri Students Association for keeping the flag of this association still flying. I am particularly happy that they have continued this initiative of producing a students’ magazine which in the early days was known as the ‘Gloria Ibo’. It is therefore a great honour for me to be asked to contribute this piece on the Tourism potentials and its development in Aguleri. For Aguleri in particular, tourism remains one of the areas in which we have a natural and comparative advantage given the historical position of Aguleri and the immense natural tourism potentials that we have. I believe strongly that Tourism can actually become one of the catalysts for the socio-economic growth and development of our dear community. This paper therefore is intended to call attention to the Tourism potentials in Aguleri and the need to develop it for the socio-economic development of Aguleri, Anambra State and indeed Nigeria.

WHAT IS TOURISM?

Tourism has been variously defined and explained. Simply put, I would personally describe Tourism as the social and economic activity designed to attract a lot of people (tourists) to a given location. For the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, Tourism is defined as the business activity connected with providing accommodation, services and entertainment for people who are visiting a place for pleasure. This perspective is further accentuated by the Wikipedia, which defines Tourism as travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. Similarly, the people who engage in tourism are regarded as tourists. This explanation is made clearer by The World Tourism Organization which defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four (24) hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited." For the Tourism Society of England, Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destination outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It also includes movements for all purposes.

From the above definitions and description of Tourism, the following facts become imperative. Firstly, Tourism involves the movement of people from one place to another. In 2008 alone, over 922 million international tourist travels were recorded globally, marking a 1.9% growth over the preceding year. Impliedly therefore, the provision of transportation, accommodation and other services to tourists are all major aspects of the tourism business. Hence, the Tourism industry encompasses the transportation (by air, water or land); hotel and hospitality; entertainment etc. of tourists. Secondly, Tourism has become a major socio-economic and business activity recognized globally. It contributes significantly to the global GDP. For

instance, international tourism receipts grew to US$944 billion (euro 642 billion) in 2008, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 1.8% over the preceding year. In actual fact, when the export value of international passenger transport receipts is accounted for, total receipts in 2008 reached a record of US$1.1 trillion, or over US$3 billion a day (Wikipedia on Tourism). Thirdly, Tourism is mainly undertaken for recreational, leisure, business and many other purposes. A classification of tourism shows that such other purposes can be for educational, medical, sports, ecological etc. reasons. Wealthy people have always traveled to distant parts of the world, to see great buildings, works of art, learn new languages, and to experience new cultures.

IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In the recent times, Tourism has played pivotal roles in the socio-economic development of today’s society. Its beneficial impact on the society, economy and environment of nations cannot be over-exaggerated. In Nigeria, the Tourism Sector was identified by the Obasanjo administration as one the six priority areas for development. A Tourism Master Plan which was part-funded and produced by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was therefore designed to develop the Sector.

One of the most fundamental socio-economic benefits of Tourism is its potential for employment generation. The Tourism industry has tremendous propensity to create employment and, the added benefit of catering for both skilled and unskilled employment. It has the potential to create more jobs per unit of investment than any other industry. Fundamentally, Tourism is a labour-intensive industry extending its employment potentials to associated service sectors that support tourism. These service industries include transportation services, such as airlines, cruise ships and taxicabs, hospitality services, such as accommodations, including hotels and resorts, and entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, casinos, shopping malls, music venues and theatres. Moreso, Tourism can be a useful source of employment for women, youths, the under-privileged as well as the ethnic minority groups.

Besides its employment generation potentials, Tourism is an industry that essentially protects the natural environment. The Tourism industry when adequately developed and managed, can serve as a mechanism for protecting the natural environments. Today, the naturality of man’s environment has been severely destroyed, and most of it can only be restored through the instrumentality of Tourism. In Aguleri, there exist large expanses of natural environment upon which can be leveraged to kick-start the local tourism industry.

Further to the above, Tourism serves as a means of preserving our time-honoured historical, archaeological and religious monuments. All over the globe, tourists have always been attracted to locations of precious and antiquated historical monuments. This enables the modern society to link up effectively with their past and thereby stimulating the practice of local cultures, folklore, traditions, arts and crafts etc. Fortunately for us, Aguleri is blessed with a rich cultural heritage which

can be packaged to make her a tourism destination and consequently enhance its economic growth and development as a community.

For the government at various levels, Tourism remains one of the greatest sources of foreign revenue generation. Many nations with developed tourism sector earn substantial income through financial returns on investment, taxation on tourists and tourist products, and, linkages to other local industries such as agriculture and fisheries. In Nigeria, the contribution to government revenue from VAT levies on the Hospitality sector, recorded at N1.149 million in 2004, is considered to grossly understate the actual level of revenue received. Company Income tax generated by the Hospitality sector was recorded at N313 million in the 2005 year, the first year such a breakdown was available.

Unfortunately, despite the immense benefits of Tourism to national development and Nigeria’s vast tourism potential, Tourism in Nigeria is still at a very tender and developing stage. Its contribution to the GDP is less than 1.5%. From available statistics, the total number of international air visitors to Nigeria in 2004 (the benchmark year) is estimated at 190,000 with the level of spending by international tourists being estimated to be N36 billion (US$ 280million). Towards promoting tourism in Nigeria the Federal Government has established the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation to facilitate the growth and development of the industry. While the incidence of domestic leisure travel may be low, the sheer size of Nigeria’s population means that there is a significant contribution to the demand for tourism services from domestic travel activity.

MAKING AGULERI RELEVANT TO TOURISM – THE TOURISM PRODUCTS OF AGULERI

What makes a nation or place a tourist attraction and therefore relevant to tourism is the presence of natural or man-made tourism products that are of interest to local and international tourists. These can either be a combination of cultural, traditional, recreational, religious, ecological, historical, geographical and other conditions or advantages which a particular location enjoys. Aguleri naturally has an abundance of natural and geographical resources which constitute enormous potentials for tourism development. The products for the growth and development of Tourism in Aguleri revolve around historical monuments, the rich cultural heritage of the people and other significant inherent endowments with which Mother Nature and God did bless Aguleri. A careful consideration of these factors would suggest that there are a lot of potential tourism products that Aguleri can leverage upon to become a tourist destination and thus relevant in the national and global tourism industry. These include:

The Historical Position and Significance of AguleriOne major factor that that easily enhances the potentials of Aguleri and makes it relevant within the tourism industry is its trado-historico-cultural significance. As a community, Aguleri occupies a significant and eminent position in the Igbo nation being historically regarded as the ancestral home of the Igbo nation in South–East Nigeria. Oral tradition backed by historical and recent archaeological discoveries

trace Igbo ancestry to Eri, a migrant Jewish warrior who settled at the coastal valley of Anambra (Omabala) river (corruptly called Anambra by the Europeans) at Eri-Aka near Odanduli stream, which is located between the present day Ivite and Igboezunu areas of Aguleri. Some other accounts hold that Eri was specifically the 5th son of Gad who is the 10th son of Jacob (Israel). (Ref. Gen: 46:16; Numbers 26:16). Eri had many offsprings who grew in number and dispersed to various parts of Igboland, the first of whom is Agulu, who remained in their grandfather's (Eri) abode and evolved the town, Aguleri - an amalgam of the words: Agulu and Eri. Though various accounts of Igbo origin exist, but what is however certain is that Eri was the father and founder of Aguleri people and that his abode (Aguleri) remains the ancestral homes of the Igbo nation.

Besides the fact that Aguleri is the cradle of the Igbo nation, its other numerous historical significance which are major products for tourism development include the fact that Aguleri is the second oldest Christian Catholic mission in South-East

Nigeria, after Onitsha. The St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church, Aguleri founded in 1888, the 2nd Oldest Catholic Church in South-East Nigeria. The present church building was erected in 1937 by Fr. Joseph Delaney CSSp.

Founded in 1890 through the invitation of Ogbuanyinya Idigo in 1888, the Aguleri Catholic Church is not only the mother church of all the catholic churches in the old Anambra division but has produced the Blessed Michael Cyprain Tansi – the model and patron of the Nigerian Clergy and the first African (purely on the basis of piety) to become a Saint in the tradition of the catholic church. Furthermore, Aguleri today has the oldest surviving monarchical dynasty in Eastern Nigeria. The Idigo founded by their progenitor Idigo (Onyekomelu) about the middle of 19 th Century has lasted till this day; and has celebrated the Ovala festival for a record 111 unbroken years).

Eri-Aka and the Mausoleum of Eri. The Eri-aka and the Mausoleum of Eri remain a pivotal tourist destination in the Igbo world as it remains one of the most historically relevant locations not only to Aguleri but indeed to the rest of the Igbo nation. This is because Eri-aka is believed to be the final abode of Eri widely recognized as the ancestral father of the Igbo nation. Historical facts have it that Eri migrated south of the Nile after his long sojourn passing south of the sahara and settling temporarily with his followers (among them Arodi 'Aro' progenitor of the Aro people in Igboland), at an area near the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers (present day Igala land).

From there Eri moved to the Anambra Valley and finally settled near the coast of Omabala river (corruptly called Anambra by the Europeans) at Eri-Aka near Odanduli stream, which is presently located between Ivite and Igboezunu Aguleri. It can be accessed from Ama Okpu in Ivite Aguleri. Today, the Odanduli stream has dried up having lasted its natural lifecycle but the ancient debris of the abode of Eri still stand till this day. An Ogilisi (shrub) newboldia laevis planted over the grave of Eri which has reproduced itself severally over the centuries stand dawdling over the grave upon which a Mausoleum has recently been erected by the Aguleri Welfare Association Portharcourt under the then leadership of Chief Eddy Okoye (Onanze) in 2005. Great Igbo history writers, archaeologists and researchers have in recent times been trooping to Eri-aka on historical fact-finding missions including the popular Dr. Charles Ujah to visit this great monument of history. The challenge is for the present leadership of Aguleri to get the Ohaneze Ndigbo and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the south-eastern states to develop Er-aka into a befitting tourist destination.

The Blessed Tansi International Pilgrimage Shrine at Igboezunu AguleriThe Blessed Fr. Michael Cyprain Iwegbunem Tansi (Tabansi) remains the greatest gift from God to Aguleri kingdom. By his exceptional life of holiness as a priest and monk of the Catholic Church, he has put Aguleri on the world religious map with his expected canonization as a Saint. A religious shrine is currently proposed for development at his Igboezunu Aguleri homestead. When completed, the shrine will arguably be the greatest national and international tourism and religious centre of attraction in Aguleri, attracting religious pilgrims, worshippers and tourists from across the globe.

Aguleri Junction with the Statue of Blessed Cyprian Tansi of Aguleri – The First West African to be made a Saint by the Catholic Church

When fully developed, the Tansi shrine will be in the league of the International Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal; Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico; International Shrine of St. John in Baltimore USA; Shrine of St. Catherine of Sienna; and St. Anthony of Padua all of which are international pilgrimage centres. To say the least, the Blessed Tansi shrine is expected to put Aguleri on the world’s religious pilgrimage map and a destination tourist centre for Christian pilgrims in Africa. It is expected to be the most popular and the most visited catholic shrine in Africa attracting no less than 25million pilgrims and worshippers annually.

The Royal Antiquities at the Palace of Eze Idigo of AguleriThe Idigo royal dynasty of Aguleri remains a major source of dignity for the people of Aguleri. Founded about the middle of 19th Century, the Idigo dynasty which has endured till this day is arguably the oldest surviving dynasty in Igboland and has celebrated the Ovala festival for a record 111 unbroken years. The palace of Eze Idigo of Aguleri located at Amaeze (Kings Square) near the Anambra River is a

symbolic masterpiece of both of ancient and modern architecture.

Foreview of the ancient palace of Eze Idigo of Aguleri, designed in 1915. A mini museum of royal antiquities, traditional relics and objet d’arts of the Aguleri kingship is maintained therein.

The royal antiquities in the ancient palace building consists of historical objects, objet d’arts and cultural relics that are of immense interest to local and international tourists. Of particular interest is the Vestry of the great warrior and founder of the Idigo dynasty Ogbuanyinya Idigo consisting of the horse tail; brass anklets; metal crown; elephant tusks; the royal scepter; and the animal-skin garments with which he received and welcomed the British colonialists as warlord and natural ruler of Aguleri. A picture of these were taken and found in the French museum by the great Igbo historian Professor Elizabeth Isichei in 1976. Other royal antiquities include the various ancient palace buildings; the stool of Eze R. A. Idigo II who ruled Aguleri for 50 years from 1910 to 1960; the Isabanka (Igwe’s Chambers); the Okanga royal band made of reindeer animal skins adopted from a combination of Igala lyrics (the Okanga band was used to usher in the Pope John Paul II to the beatification mass in honour of Fr. Tansi in 1998 at Oba/Onitsha); the Ikolo ( a wooden drum invented by Idigo (Onyekomelu) the Great at about 1870, and which when beaten reverberates even in distant communities up to 30 kilometres away. As a warrior and hunter who engaged in frequent wilderness exploits, “Ikolo” was used by one of the wives of Idigo to call his attention back home whenever he sojourned far from Aguleri, either when important visitors came looking for him or when the community required his attention. Today, a miniature Ikolo is still used in the palace as a royal instrument of mass communication. In sum the royal antiquities at the palace of Eze Idigo constitute a royal museum and a cultural centre that can boost tourism in Aguleri.

The Aguleri Forest Reserve The forest belt at Aguleri Otu is a major tourist centre. The Aguleri forest belt is a thick vegetation area and a virgin ecological habitat which presently lies at the Northwest side of Aguleri Otu in the hinterlands of riverine Aguleri. What makes this forest belt of particular interest to environmentalists (zoologists and botanists) and tourists alike is the indication that therein still exist many of the now endangered species and varieties of plants animals and reptiles including elephants; tigers; manatee; buffalo; reindeer; etc.

Physical environmentalists have proposed the need to develop the Aguleri tropical forest belt offers unique wildlife resources that can be developed into a major Game Reserve for international and local tourists. When this is done Aguleri will become a major tourist destination with a game reserve facility akin to the popular Yankari Game Reserve; the Mambilla Plateau; Obudu Cattle Ranch etc.

The Confluence of Anambra and Ezu RiversThe confluence of Anambra and Ezu Rivers (Agbanabo) – the two longest rivers in Anambra State which is located in Aguleri is yet another traditional, cultural and geographical site of interest to tourists. The striking geographic feature of this location is the unique convergence of both rivers flowing down towards the Niger in two different colours (the brighter silverish Anambra river and the chalky brown colour of the Ezu river).

For traditional religionists, the confluence of the Anambra River is even more significant for therein lies the popular Otutunzu shrine – a major deity venerated by many traditional worshippers from within and beyond Aguleri.

Beach and Coastal Resort DevelopmentBesides the confluence of the Anambra and Ezu rivers, Aguleri has over 56kilometres of natural sandy beach water front mainly along the shores of Omabala (Anambra) River. This long stretch of water front has a natural physical environment and scenic terrain for the development of leisure beaches, resorts and hotels to attract international leisure travelers to the tropics especially during the summer and winter periods. The Omabala is indeed ideal for cruising and other boat sports that will be of interest to international tourists. Besides, the numerous lakes, springs and waterfalls can be turned into facilities for water-sports.

The Traditional Festivals of Aguleri The traditional festivals of Aguleri which reflect the rich cultural heritage of the people provide another major area for tourism development. Aguleri (Otu na Uno) has over a dozen major traditional and cultural festivals annually which can be of keen interest to a growing number of local and international tourists. One major festival which deserve special mention is the Ovala Royal Festival of Eze Idigo - arguably the oldest and biggest royal festival in Igboland which attracts over 33,000 spectators at the royal square (Ama-Igwe).

Though the Ovala is purely a royal and kingly festival in Aguleri, its significance and impact has greatly changed. The Ovala festival of Eze Idigo of Aguleri remains the most significant and most colourful cultural and traditional royal fiesta in the entire South-East Nigeria. major activities of the Ovala which will be of immense interests to tourists include the Ada masquerade rally; the traditional pageant procession; the Iyom cultural group exhibition; royal women dancing procession and the public appearances of the Eze Idigo in his full regalia, which is the high point of the Ovala;

and the masquerade festival that follows the subsequent day.

The Iyom Cultural Group of Aguleri – Won 2nd position during Anambra State Carnival and participated in the Abuja Carnival in 2009

The Ovala Aguleri has assumed the status of a major ethnic royal festival comparable to the famous Igue royal festival in Benin and the O'dua royal festival in Ile-Ife among others. Its national social significance is also comparable to the popular Argungu fishing festival in Sokoto and the Lagos Eyo festival.

(The popular Ada masquerade rally during Ovala festival 2010, revived by Chief Eddy Okoye)

Other notable festivals include the Ime-Mmuo (Title Taking) festival which is a very important aspect of the custom of Aguleri people (MCM Idigo, 1955). The Ime-Muo title comes in stages ranging from the lowest which is Amanwulu to the highest which is the Ogbuevi (Cow Killing Title) and the Ogbuanyinya (Horse Killing Title). It is also known as the Oba title which is the highest social title an Aguleri man can take. It comes with a large measure of merriment and entertainment (Uta Oba). Besides the Ime Mmuo title, the Ilo Mmuo/Alo Mmuo festival deserves mention. It is a festival essentially dedicated to the god of harvest. This festival is known in many Igbo communities today as the New Yam festival. In Aguleri, after the Ilo Mmuo festival, yam becomes the chief food or in many cases the only foodstuff of the people. Other notable festivals include Nta Ora; Ilo Ikenga; Oppoto; Olili Onwa Isato etc. These traditional and cultural festivals can be improved in terms of presentation and packaging and made highly marketable to both international and local tourists.

Other Places and Scenes of InterestIn furtherance to the development of tourism potentials of Aguleri, there are many other places and scenes of interest which can be developed to be of interest to visiting tourists. These include: The cenotaph of fallen Aguleri heroes located at Ama-Igwe –

a sculptural symbolism (icon) of the heroes of Aguleri/Umuleri hostilities and the epic aftermath of Nigeria’s most celebrated internercine fratricidal crisis and land dispute stretching over a century.

The Ama Obuga (Obuga Square) – the royal square and the ancient palace of Enini and the Umezeora royal family. By literary assumption, it is believed to be the abode of Gad the father of Eri.

The Ama Okpu (Okpu Square) – one of the hallowed assembly chambers of Aguleri elders and people where grave communal issues are deliberated upon

St. Joseph Catholic Cemetry Aguleri – an early missionary cemetery in which was buried the remains of the early missionaries and Christians converts, and which is still in use today.

Otutunzu Shrine – a major deity for the traditional worshippers of the town and which is revered for its potency.

CONCLUSION

As stated earlier, Tourism no doubt has become one of the most important economic activities in the world including developing economies. Particularly, it is worthwhile to note that the phenomenal growth in tourism has led to a variety of destinations geographically spread all over the world including developing nations

like Nigeria. Thus tourism has become a major catalyst for national and global socio-economic development.

The future for tourism in Nigeria and in Aguleri is dependent on the opportunities and challenges being exploited and addressed. Aguleri, by virtue of its historical position as the ancestral home of Ndigbo occupies a special traditional and cultural relevance not only in Igboland but indeed in national and international cultural affairs. Given this background and moreso, the entrenched traditional administrative structure, the rich traditional and cultural heritage, and the natural physical endowments etc make Aguleri a hub and destination centre for tourism in Nigeria. Thank you.

References1. Okoye, Edward (2009). Aguleri: A Reflection on our History and Culture. 2. The Tourism Society of England's. 1976, 3. Ujah, Charles (2006). The Origin of Ibos; A Linguistic and Cultural Revelation4. United Nations (1994) Recommendations on Tourism Statistics5. World Tourism Organisation: Tourism Masterplan for Nigeria.