Open letter to Governor Seyi makinde, on the Unfulfilled Promise to Rehabilitate Ado Awaye Suspended Lake By: Comr. Ismael Taiwo MNIM

Your Excellency,

I write as a concerned indigene of Ado-Awaye and a stakeholder in Oyo State’s tourism development. During your campaign for a second term in office, you made a clear promise to rehabilitate and transform the Ado-Awaye Suspended Lake into a world-class tourist destination that would boost Oyo State’s economy, create jobs, and place our dear state on the global tourism map.

Your pledge gave our community hope. We believed that, under your visionary leadership, Ado-Awaye would finally receive the facelift it deserves, matching or even surpassing other global wonders. However, with your tenure fast approaching its end, that promise remains unfulfilled, and our people continue to wait with growing disappointment.

The potential of the Ado-Awaye Suspended Lake cannot be overstated. It is the only natural suspended lake in Africa and one of only two in the world, a unique natural wonder capable of attracting international tourists. Yet, despite its global significance, it still suffers neglect — poor infrastructure, lack of modern facilities, absence of structured marketing, and inadequate accessibility.

Meanwhile, Olumo Rock in neighboring Ogun State, after its renovation, now reportedly generates over ₦20 million weekly. This is a testament to the immense revenue Oyo State is missing by failing to develop Ado-Awaye into a standard tourist hub. If Olumo Rock can yield such returns, one can only imagine the economic transformation that a properly developed Ado-Awaye site would bring — not just for Iseyin zone, but for the entire state.

Your Excellency, Oyo State is blessed with natural and cultural endowments, but tourism development requires deliberate investment and political will. The rehabilitation of Ado-Awaye would not only diversify the state’s economy beyond oil and taxes but also empower local businesses, artisans, and youths who would thrive from the influx of visitors.

I therefore humbly appeal to you to remember your promise to Ado-Awaye and to act swiftly before the end of your administration. Posterity will not forget a governor who turned untapped potential into prosperity. Fulfilling this pledge will cement your legacy as a leader who truly invested in tourism and inclusive development.

We are not asking for the impossible. We are simply asking you to keep your word, to give Ado-Awaye the facelift it deserves, and to make Oyo State a shining example of tourism-driven economic growth.

With utmost respect and hope,

Comrade Ismael Taiwo MNIM

Concerned Citizen of Ado-Awaye