The Taraba State government is set to become Nigeria’s premier Agro and Eco-tourism destination, with the completion of its first ever Agro and Eco-tourism Resort, known as La Campagne Tropicana Agro Eco-tourism and Heritage Resort.
The resort is a historic feat that was delivered by La Campagne in less than one month of signing a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), with the state government to transform the fallow agro and eco-tourism asset of the state into a living and thriving brand.
The brief was handed to La Campagne under the leadership of Wanle Akinboboye, its president and founder, by the state government to deliver on five distinct products across the state, covering; Jalingo, Zango kombi, Woyun, Gashaka Gumti, and Mambilla Plateau in Gembu.
This is as Agbu Kefas, governor of Taraba State, who visited the resort with his team and received by Joseph Titus Nagombe, Commissioner for Heritage and Ecotourism, alongside Akinboboye, has expressed pleasure and satisfaction with the project, noting that his government is devoted to actualising the full potential of the state in the areas of agriculture and tourism as they form the bedroom of the state’s economy.
With the La Campagne Tropicana Agro Eco-tourism and Heritage Resort Jalingo, now and up running, the Taraba State government has positioned itself to boost its economy through agro and eco-tourism, with focus on agriculture, eco-tourism and cultural heritage. The projection is for the state to attract one million tourists yearly, with a target of five million tourists in five years coming through its five new projects that are designed to spur further development in the state tourism landscape.
The La Campagne Tropicana Agro Eco-tourism and Heritage Resort is birthing a new aspirational business and life style that blend agro, and eco-tourism as well as cultural heritage with entertainment, sports and leisure in a setting that is naturally attractive and pleasing, blended with sophisticated and luxury ambience.
With this new product, farming in the state is now expected to take on a new meaning, as leisure and fun have been introduced to it. It is expected to attract more people into the agriculture and leisure sectors, creating many allied products and services in line with the new philosophy of the brand.
Farming will now be an all-year revenue generating activity, with the farmers and other investors in the new product expected to reap from their investment on a regular basis, thereby, boosting the economy of the state and enriching the people.
Agriculture and eco-tourism are two of the most promising sectors for sustainable development in Nigeria and Africa. However, both have been underutilised in terms of creating attractive opportunities for the youth and harnessing their full economic potential.
The brand also provides opportunities for retirees to venture into a farm resort and at the same time interact with eco-tourists, engaging in activities that will give them longevity. The central philosophy is to: “Use agriculture to promote eco-tourism, and eco-tourism to promote agriculture,” noted Akinboboye.
Elated by the epoch-making product, Akinboboye, who is also the promoter of IPADA Initiatives, under whose auspices IPADA Celebrations 2025 is to be staged later this year, noted that the drudgery and all the negatives that have been associated with farming have been eliminated through this debutant product, making it an attractive lifestyle and business venture for both the young and the elderly to invest in.
“By merging eco-tourism, culture, recreation and hospitality into farming, we can reposition agriculture as an inspirational way of life, encouraging youth to buy tractors with the same pride others buy luxury cars. This will create a generation of young people who see agriculture as fun, offers dignity of labour, and a good opportunity for wealth creation.
“Equally, retirees can embrace this model by owning farms where they can remain active, interact with tourists, and enjoy a fulfilling vibrant lifestyle. Farming in this context becomes more than food production, it becomes a pathway to healthy aging, social connection, and longevity.’’
, while commending Akinboboye and his team for the feat achieved within such a short time, said that the project is part of the commitment of his administration to promoting the agriculture economy.
‘‘What we are seeing here is just the beginning, we are laying the foundation to be able to showcase our heritage, our ecosystem to the world, what Taraba is all about,’’ the governor said.
The endgame, he said is to bring the whole world to Taraba because God has blessed the state with some many resources and different tribes and nationalities, saying; “We have so many tribes, so many ethnic groups, why God decided to do that is so that the whole world will come to Taraba, to see how different people can live together.
‘‘So this is the beginning. By the grace of God, Taraba will become the centre of peace and unity, centre for food security, centre for everything that is good in Nigeria, Africa and the world.’’
The governor further stated that: “Our young people are talented, I am happy from the briefing you have given to me, and that which you have communicated to about 400 people that have entered this place from the state today, which shows that the young people are eager, they are ready to be engaged. And somebody is offering himself here.
‘‘He is speaking the voice and the mind and representing others and we will make sure that we give all the necessary support, so that we can start this tourism process and eco-tourism destination here”.
He called on the people to support and cooperate with Akinboboye in achieving the mandate entrusted to him.
“Please make sure you cooperate with him so that he will not be frustrated and at the end of it all, I am sure everybody is going to enjoy what is here. We have the land, the resources, and the people. All we need is the right vision and leadership, which we presently have today,” added Kefas.
