Chairman of African Union (AU) and President, Benin Republic, Dr. Boni Yayi has endorsed Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State as Africa’s tourist’s haven.
Speaking to journalists shortly at the end of his weeklong vacation to the resort, the president could not hide his enchantment with the splendour of the area, and described Cross River State as the most beautiful place he has ever visited in Africa that is naturally endowed with warm and hospitable people.
“It was a pleasant surprise to me when I visited those attractive sites here in the Ranch,” he said excitedly. “I never knew there were God’s wonders in this part of the world. It is fantastic.”
Yayi urged Nigerians to see Obudu as a tourism offering that must be aggressively marketed to the outside world, adding that the world ought to know Nigeria by “this God’s wonder” and not by Boko Haram.
“We should not only talk of insecurity in the country, but try to project other good things that abound in here and showcase them to the world in order to bring about the necessary development in the country,” he said.
He promised to contribute his quota to supporting and sustaining the tourism initiatives of the state government, especially in the area of conservation and making the area more attractive.
Commending the state governor, Senator Liyel for his laudable initiatives, such as keeping the state clean and green, which is one of the reasons he is contemplating more visits to the resort for holidays, he affirmed that Nigerians, and indeed Africans, have no business going to Europe or other parts of the world when they have a jewel that only needs to be patronised so that it can grow.
