Awujale Stool: Alatise Vows to Harness Ijebu’s Natural Resources for Economic Transformation
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- Akeem Akilo
IJEBU-ODE, Ogun State — A leading contender for the vacant Stool of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Otunba (Engr.) Babatunde Alatise, has pledged to transform Ijebuland into one of Nigeria’s leading mining and tourism powerhouses if selected as the next monarch.
Alatise, a 45-year-old certified mining engineer and technocrat with both national and international recognition, outlined his vision for Ijebuland during a recent interview. He emphasised that his developmental blueprint is anchored on economic diversification, with a strategic focus on mining and tourism, which he described as “the twin engines of sustainable growth for the Ijebu nation.”
"Ijebu is richly endowed with natural resources that can power our prosperity for generations,” Alatise said. “If given the mantle as Awujale, I will ensure that every mining company operating within Ijebuland signs and implements a Community Development Agreement (CDA), committing at least five percent of their annual turnover to local community projects.”
He further revealed plans to push for tax credit schemes that would allow mining companies to directly invest portions of their tax obligations into infrastructure projects such as roads and community development within Ijebuland.
On tourism, Alatise vowed to build on the cultural legacy of the late Awujale by repositioning the globally celebrated Ojude Oba Festival into an international cultural and economic showcase.
> “We will elevate Ojude Oba to global prominence by inviting international dignitaries, investors, and cultural enthusiasts,” he said. “In addition, we plan to establish a Polo Club and Training Centre for horse breeding, and host an annual international polo tournament that will boost tourism and local enterprise.
If actualised, Alatise’s vision could mark a significant economic turnaround for Ijebuland, positioning it among the comity of mining-producing and tourism-driven communities in Nigeria.
