Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has charged organisers of the Lisabi Pre-Festival Heritage Tour and Cultural Art Exhibition to deliberately spotlight Egba historical personalities and neglected heritage sites in order to reposition Egbaland as a global tourism destination.

Obasanjo gave the charge when members of the Lisabi Pre-Festival Heritage Tour and Cultural Art Exhibition paid him a courtesy visit ahead of the 2026 Lisabi Day Festival, scheduled for March 16. The former president, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, warned that continued neglect and destruction of heritage assets could erase the region’s rich history if urgent steps were not taken.

He noted that Egbaland is endowed with notable personalities and historic locations that must be preserved, renovated and promoted to attract tourism and educate future generations.

“There is no doubt that Egba is filled with notable people and places which must be preserved and given a facelift to boost tourism. The background of these great individuals should be highlighted and shown to the world,” Obasanjo said.

Among the heritage sites identified by the former president for urgent attention are the Iwe Irohin House, home of Nigeria’s first newspaper; the Abeokuta Prison at Ibara, one of the oldest correctional facilities in the country; the old Ibara Railway Station; Okoshokori, the residence of Efunsetan Aniwura; Madam Tinubu’s storey building near Akin Olugbade Hospital; her burial ground in Gbagura; and the first flyover in Abeokuta.

Obasanjo also stressed the need to project notable Egba personalities and institutions such as the Ransome-Kutis, Toye Cokers, Majekodunmis, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, and Abeokuta Grammar School, describing them as critical elements of the region’s historical identity.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Lisabi Festival Committee and Asipa of Egbaland, Navy Captain Rasheed Adisa Raji (retd), explained that the visit was to brief the former president on preparations for the 2026 Lisabi Festival and the planned Pre-Festival Heritage Tour and Cultural Art and Heritage Exhibition.

He disclosed that the festival would feature a special exhibition of traditional herbs and medicines (Ewe ati Egbo), while also formally requesting Obasanjo to deliver a lecture on the role of traditional herbs from Egbaland.

Coordinator of the Pre-Festival Heritage Tour and Cultural Art Exhibition, Olusanya John, presented the detailed itinerary and exhibition plan, noting that all key sections of Egbaland would participate in hosting tours and heritage visits during the festival period.

Obasanjo accepted the invitation to deliver the lecture and pledged his full support for the success of the 2026 Lisabi Festival.

Members of the delegation included Prof. Ajao Adelekan, theatre icon Ebun Oloyede (Igwe Olaiya), Chief Sina Yekinni, Chief Modupeoluwa Sanyaolu, Chief Akindele M. Olajumoke, Basirat Adisa, Olawunmi Abiola, as well as Chief Adeolu Ogunmuyiwa, Chief Odedeyi Monsuru (Baase Itoku), Ben Jonathan Joshua, Olurebi Damilola and Sowande Opeyemi.