President Tinubu should visit Ikogosi Warm Spring

Anyone following my write-up on this page would have known by now that I am a man of culture and enjoys writing about my travelogue. I have visited many of Nigeria’s tourists’ sites and few others across the globe. Some of them bears recounting here. Remember that on this page last week, I wrote about my experience visiting, for the first time. the Osun Grove in Osogbo. I also visited the palace of Ataoja of Osogbo. In Osun State, I have also been to Ife Museum, the site of Oranmiyan staff as well as the Ooni of Ife’s palace.

In Oyo State, I have visited the Agodi Garden, Ibadan University Zoological Garden, Captain Bower’s Tower at Oke Are, Mapo Hall built in 1929 and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. In Ogun State, I have climbed the Olumo Rock, visited Itoku Tie and Dye fabrics market. I have also been to Centenary Hall and Alake of Egbaland’s Palace and Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Mausoleum at Ikenne.   In Lagos, I have visited the first storey building in Nigeria, Slave and Black History Museum and Whispering Palm Beach all in Badagry, Elegushi, Alpha and Bar Beaches. Others include National Art Theatre, Tafawa Balewa Square, Muson Centre and the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History.

In Abuja, I have been to the Millennium Park, the Aso Villa, National Assembly, National Children's Park and Zoo and the Jabi Lake. In Plateau State, I have been to Shere Hills, Jos Museum, Naraguta Leather Works and Museum of Nigeria for Traditional Architecture. In Niger State, I have been to Gurara Fall and Zuma Rock. In Kogi State, I have visited Mount Patti, Lord Fredrick Luggard’s first residence and the confluence of Rivers Niger and Benue also in Lokoja.

In Kaduna, I have been to the Emir of Zazzau’s Palace in Zaria. In Kano, I have visited Kofar Mata Dyeing Pits, Kano City Walls, and Kurmi Market. In Katsina, I have been to Emir of Daura’s Palace and Kusugu Well, Daura where Abu Yazid Bin Abdullahi, known as Bayajidda, vanquished a serpent named Sarki. In Bauchi, I have been to Yankari National Park, Emir of Bauchi’s  Palace, Mausoleum of the First Prime Minister of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Wikki Warm Springs Resort. In Borno State, I have been to the Shehu of Borno’s Palace in Maiduguri.

In Cross River State I have visited the National Museum, Calabar, Tinapa Resort and Obudu Mountain Resort. In Edo State, I have been to Royal Palace of the Oba of Benin, the National Museum in Benin City and Igun-Eronwon quarters popularly known as Igun Street which is the home of the Brass/Bronze casting industry in Benin City. In Abia State, I have taken time off my official assignment to visit the National War Museum at Umuahia. This museum was setup in 1985 to remind people of the aftermath of the civil war that took place in the state.  It contains war relics, bunkers, etc.

Outside of Nigeria, during my visit to Geneva, Switzerland in 2005, I visited   Jet d'Eau which is a fountain shooting up in a single stream more than 121 meters. The Flower Clock which is a colorful flowerbed that looks like a clock face with real mechanical hands. Palais des Nations which is the home of the United Nations in Geneve's Ariana Park. I also took a boat ride on Lake Geneva. When I went to the United States of America, I was privileged to visit the White House which is the seat of power, Lincoln Memorial, United States Capitol, and the headquarters of Voice of America. In Ghana, I have been to Cape Coast Castle, Kakum National Park, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Elmina Castle. In 2014 when I was on an official visit to Egypt, I was able to visit the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. In 2016 during my travel to Uganda, I was able to visit the Equator line at Kayabwe Town and the Nabugabo Sand Beach Resort, Masaka.

The gist of this piece is my return visit to Ikogosi Warm Spring in Ekiti State on February 15, 2026. My first time at the Warm Spring was on Friday, April 4, 2014. When I went last Sunday, I did not go alone, I went in company of two of my colleagues. We had come into Ekiti State last Saturday on an official assignment. Meanwhile, I had passed by the site of the spring on my way to Osun State two weeks ago but I did not enter. This time, I went in and spent quality time listening to our tour guide explaining the myth behind the warm and cold springs to us. Kudos to Ekiti State government for the top-notch maintenance of the Warm Spring. The resort is wearing a new look. The entry fee is now N10,000 for non-lodgers but it’s worth every penny.

In case you haven’t been to Ikogosi Warm Spring before, let me whet your appetite. After paying the entry fee, you’ll be directed to drive in and park at the reception area where a cart will take you to the spring arena. A tour guide will meet you at the Swimming Pool area and talk you through the history of the spring. Ogangaun is the hunter that was said to have discovered the site about 700 years ago. The first point of call is the Meeting Point of the Warm and Cold Springs. There you’ll also see a palm tree sharing same root with a Mahogany tree. Wonderful. Incredible! Second point is the Meeting Point of Cold and Very Cold Springs. There you’ll see an old tree named ‘Igi Arayerorun’ i.e. a tree that sees heaven and earth which is about 400 years old. There is also a peregun and a camwood tree which are both  over 200 years old. The third point is the meeting spot of Warm and Very Warm springs. The last point is the source of the warm spring which is atop a hill on which staircase has been constructed.

 The vegetation surrounding the spring is evergreen and the entire landscape is simply exquisite. Information garnered from the website of Ekiti State government says that there are many stories from the indigenes of Ikogosi town regarding the origin of the warm spring. A version says that both springs (Warm and Cold) were wives (Awele and Aina Orosun) of the same husband who turned to springs water in the wake of rift and rivalry between them. The hot and ill-tempered first wife is believed to have turned to the popular warm spring while the cool-tempered second wife turned to cold spring water. The husband became the undulating hills that encompass the springs. A more tenable scientific explanation is that the deeper a body of water goes underground, the hotter it becomes and if by chance it is forced back to the surface through some earth fault, the temperature will be relatively high. The natives believe that the water has therapeutic effect as it is said to have potency to cure some sicknesses such as rheumatism and guinea-worm, among others.

The Warm Spring currently has about 90 chalets and the atmosphere there is safe and serene. There are conference halls, the amphitheatre, the volley ball court, the natural warm water swimming pool where visitors can play several indoor games, the gymnasium, and the shopping mall.  About ten minutes’ drive to Ikogosi is another tourist centre, the Erinta Waterfalls at Ipole-Iloro. Ekiti State also boasts of other tourist centres such as Olosunta and Orole Hills in Ikere-Ekiti, Ero and Egbe Dams, Fajuyi Park and the sacred lake of Erijiyan.

Information has it that only ex-President Goodluck Jonathan had visited the Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort in Ekiti State around October 2013, coinciding with a visit to the state. While no sitting Nigerian president has made a widely publicised recent visit, the resort has hosted other dignitaries, including former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi in January 2026. A visit by President Bola Tinubu is sure to boost the image and patronage  of the resort and I therefore encourage the president to make it down to the site during his next state visit to Ekiti State or even host one of his Federal Executive Council meetings there.

I.G: @jideojong