Ned Nwoko’s empire as garden of Eden

It is a fortress of nature deliberately built to encourage rest and recreation. This strategic nature enclave may not be listed as Africa’s top most tourism destination hotspot yet its enchanting ambience compares favourably with the imaginative biblical Garden of Eden.

Tucked away but not totally hidden in the route village of Idumuje Ugboko, Ned Nwoko hill top nature empire sits on forty-three thousand hectares of prime and lush land, a princely property that signposts the making of a prince and the lure to a luxury vacation.

Here vacation is defined and not left to imagination. Every piece of tourist infrastructure is designed to blend with the greenery vegetation, an opulent invitation to trail discoveries that abound in the incomparable tourist resort. A ten hole golf course bids you welcome to this natural wonder and that is a story to be told in a different way and a message to challenge golfers in Nigeria who may wish to “horn” to their “tees” and improve on ranking.

It is a green facility that could create “green” eyes in other sports enthusiasts which do not anyway, tell all the whole story of our new discovery. A trip this location ranked as one of Delta state’s top ten tourist destinations deserves an open mind and for a hard-nosed nature tourism reporter like me, to bask in this dream haven of nature and human creativity significantly strengthens the desire for a Nigerian tourism tomorrow.

Ned’s Muslim background probably influenced his “Moroccan home” a ten room edifice and architectural master piece which stands majestically in the forest of other visitor facilities, such as a conference centre, Olympic size swimming pool and a long tennis court.There is a sports university awaiting National University Commission (NUC) approval and which will be located in this octopus tourism complex, possibly the first of its kind in Africa. And from what

There is a sports university awaiting National University Commission (NUC) approval and which will be located in this octopus tourism complex, possibly the first of its kind in Africa. And from what was structured on ground here, it wouldn’t be long for Delta state to provide “oil” from sports tourism.

To avoid being lost in this luxurious complex of natural resources bank, I was guided on a nature trail to a mini zoo where an ostrich welcomed our arrival, showcasing its buried head on its huge body. The monkey was not left out of this red carpet reception. One of them craftily left its den, danced around the care giver (keeper) and held on to my left leg, possibly protesting against not having a banana as a gift.

You can’t tell with these animals in human shape, yet it was an encounter that adds to the deep appreciation and need to expose our nation to the benefits of protecting our flora and fauna resources for the sake of generations yet unborn.

If that encounter factors the need for great lessons on natural resource conservation and education, Ned Nwoko’s futuristic investment in agriculture and fisheries brings to testament an entrepreneur with strategic insight on how the various components of tourism could create jobs across board and burst the crazy unemployment indices that has brought in its wake worrisome social dislocations.

Ned Nwoko on the sidelines of a very busy traffic of visitors and political associates told me he would rather choose to serve as “Minister of Tourism and Culture” than become a governor in Nigeria. Nwoko’s empire in Idumuje Ugboko speaks volume of a practical desire and ambition to which over two hundred young persons’ earn their daily living and also have a privileged training ground to master the craft of tourism trade.The bourgeoning oil palm plantation is an excitement and attraction that adds to the rich unbelievable discoveries in this nature resort. To climb the over 100 feet tower leaves the heart racing with the panoramic view showcasing the thick vegetation and unspoilt natural resources eco system as soothing balm. This tower also serves a natural laboratory to bump natural air into damaged lungs, cleanse and lubricate it from years of city air pollution.

The bourgeoning oil palm plantation is an excitement and attraction that adds to the rich unbelievable discoveries in this nature resort. To climb the over 100 feet tower leaves the heart racing with the panoramic view showcasing the thick vegetation and unspoilt natural resources eco system as a soothing balm. This tower also serves a natural laboratory to bump natural air into damaged lungs, cleanse and lubricate it from years of city air pollution.
To cinematographers, photographers, nature scientists and students, this tower which stands on the mountain peak at one thousand, one hundred feet above sea level possibly the highest in the entire southern frontier of Nigeria, provides an ideal and breathless contact with heaven and earth. If this tower helps generate creativity and lubricates the lungs with fresh air, the tunnel craftily built to recreate history of how kings and princes of old drive adventure escape routes and retreat, speaks and adds volume to the very unending desire of Ned Nwoko to blend nature, culture, sports and history into a seamless tourism of enterprise that may blossom as the true face of emerging Nigerian private sector tourism initiative.

If this tower helps generate creativity and lubricates the lungs with fresh air, the tunnel craftily built to recreate history of how kings and princes of old drive adventure escape routes and retreat, it speaks and adds volume to the very unending desire of Ned Nwoko to blend nature, culture, sports and history into a seamless tourism of enterprise that may blossom as the true face of emerging Nigerian private sector tourism initiative.

I would leave my encounter with Chinedu (Ned) Nwoko to another day. Unknown to many people, Nwoko as a member of Nigeria green chamber between 1999 and 2003 initiated and sponsored the now famous “Whistle Blowing” bill known as an act “to establish Public Funds Recovery and Reward Commission”. A lawyer, businessman and politician, Ned Nwoko sponsored over 22 successful bills as a member of House of Representatives and is presently at the edge of launching a Nigerian tourism project in collaboration with Delta state and federal government that will excite a refreshing private sector drive to stimulate domestic tourism and culture initiatives at the grass roots. Indeed, his dream to liberate local government activities in Nigeria from the demonizing hold of states governors makes him an interesting figure to watch in the emerging political landscape in Delta state in 2019.