Nigerian Youth Organization visits Olumo Rock to explore potentials in promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage

Damilare Adeleye (Intern)

The Ogun State chapter of the Nigerian Youth Organization (NYO), led by the chairman, Comrade Saka Olarenwaju on Tuesday paid a working visit to the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta as part of efforts to promote tourism, cultural awareness, and youth engagement within the state.

Penpushing reports during the tour, members of the organization were taken through the site by guard and instructors, who explained the historical background, cultural relevance, and symbolic importance of each location within the Olumo Rock premises.

The guard in same vein, highlighted the role Olumo Rock historically played as a natural fortress for the Egba people during periods of inter-tribal wars, as the visitors explore several notable attractions within the historic site.

Penpushing further reports that these including the ultramodern museum, arts gallery, Panseke Garden, Ibaluaye Garden, Orisa Olumo Garden, the ancient cave, as well as the peak of the iconic Olumo Rock, which offers a panoramic view of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The group chairman while speaking with journalists explained that the visit was aimed at rallying Nigerian youths to acquaint themselves with their environments, and explore the opportunities with government partnerships in advancing national development.

“It is part of our objective as youth to ensure that we know our environment, we know what and what we are blessed of in this Ogun State. So, one of the cultural heritages we are looking at in this 2026 is to explore all the traditional visitations in Ogun State and ensure that we, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’.

‘We have a synergy that will bring youth and our leaders together. So, we are encouraging our youth to promote the culture of our State. Instead of us saying we are going to Dubai, going to all these foreign states, our state has some unique places to visit that we can have fun’, Olarewaju stated.

‘As you can see, the festive period is still in town. If you look around, you are going to see so many people, even foreigners are coming to explore here. So, we have seen it as an avenue to encourage all our youth that we have what we can be proud of in Nigeria. So Olumo Rock is one of it.”

Penpushing also reports that he disclosed that the organization plans to extend similar visits to other historical and cultural sites across Ogun State as part of its activities for the year 2026.

“And after here, we are still going to so many places which our organization will be throwing to the public. The next stage for the 2026 calendar onto our partnership with the Ministry of Culture to explore that heritage in Ogun State for us to value what we have,” he said.

Penpushing reports that Olarenwaju appealed to the Ogun State Government to continue to support the organization through partnerships and collaborations, stressing that the body has consistently demonstrated its commitment to nation-building and youth development.

“A home is not built in a day. And our organization, we are in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development. But in Ogun State, we are seeking that support, as you have seen the recognition’.

‘And the only way we could do is to prove ourselves to the government that we are not lazy youth. We are youth that are ready to promote the Iseya movement initiative of our governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and to also have hope in Nigeria’.

‘As President Bola Tinubu has said, this is a renewed hope agenda. So, we youth, we are ready to partner with them for recognition. And we can assure you; we continue to promote government activities to ensure that we get that recognition’, he said

Penpushing further reports that the chairman emphasized the need for increased state government support; while highlighting several programs the group had championed in the state in the past, reiterating that the group would remain consistent in its activities and contributions to societal development.

“So we are using this medium to call on governments that we also need their support because individual support is what we are using. Most of the things we are doing, we are NGOs, we levy ourselves to get to where we are today’.

‘And we have done so much in this community. We’ve done environmental sanitation to support the government. We are in partnership with OGWAMA. We’ve done even the last security summit’.

‘We had a security summit that we called all the stakeholders, the critical security agencies, to put our voice. And then we have the presence of some of our traditional leaders. So, we are not tired of what we are doing, but we are doing it voluntarily’.

‘But we are calling on the government of Ogun State to give us the desire recognition as a youth organization that is ready to initiate themselves with the government activities’,  Olarenwaju added.

Penpushing also reports that in her contributions Deputy Chairman of the youth group, Comrade Sekinot Jimoh, expressed satisfaction with the level of development at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre, describing the experience as adventurous and fulfilling.

“So far, it has been a very wonderful experience and it has been very adventurous. Being a daughter of Ogun State, particularly from Abeokuta, I am very grateful and happy to see the new developments around here’, Jimoh said.

‘Initially, the previous visit wasn’t like this, it wasn’t as as beautiful as it is now. Now it is better and I hope that by the next time we come in we will also see more developments,” she said.

Penpushing reports that Jimoh, however, urged Nigerians to embrace and promote their cultural heritage, pointing out that such efforts would help attract more foreign tourists to the country.

“Charity begins at home so let’s try and appreciate what we have, promote our cultural heritage. It is when we appreciate what we have that others too appreciate it with us’, Jimoh added.

‘During our visit, I saw some foreigners there. So, if foreigners could appreciate what we have, so why don’t you appreciate it? So, I will implore us as citizens of this country and particularly indigenes of the state and citizens of diaspora to try and appreciate what we have and let’s promote our cultural heritage’, she stated

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