'Ijoko Yanri' is Tourism Icon, Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye's tourism product of the week! With this, Otunba Akinboboye has crossed the midpoint for the 52 tourism products he intended to present over the course of 52 weeks.
The tourism icon stated today’s product 'Ijoko Yanri,' is in the same category, as the previous four (4) products he had spoken about, which all focuses on providing seating opportunity for tourists in a creative manner that would generate unique tourism experiences.
He then mentioned that today’s product is strictly for use on the beach and the materials used to create it are freely available at little or no cost.
This means that, young people with limited capital could create a tourism product that would generate an income flow for them provided they are prepared to put in some physical effort each day.
Otunba Akinboboye explained that ‘Ijoko Yanri‘ coined from the Yoruba language meaning, ‘sit on / in sand’.
He then explained that this unusual seating arrangement is created by digging a body size hollow in the sand, in which the tourist could sit. This hollow / seat would include an umbrella / beach parasol that would shade the tourist while he sits inside Ijoko Yanri.
To assist the tourists’ comfort, the hollow is structured in a manner that allowes the tourist to recline comfortably and have his / her back fully supported. Add - ons like cushions could also be made available at an extra cost .
Otunba Akinboboye also mentioned that the offering could include a table crafted of sand and covered with a cloth, which a user of Ijoko Yanri could use to conveniently situate his/ her drinks and food.
Otunba Akinboboye mentioned that anyone with a hoe, shovel or even bare hands can commit to constructing Ijoko Yanri. The only capital expenditure, relates to the purchase of a beach umbrella, which would be inserted in the sand beside Ijoko Yanri. Obviously however, young entrepreneurs are at liberty to construct their own ‘umbrellas’ using wood and ankara.
Otunba Akinboboye reiterated that, from the tourism entrepreneurs standpoint, the only downside is the fact that the structure has a limited shelf - life, as every evening ‘Ijoko Yanri‘ would be washed away by the sea.
This means that the structure would have to be rebuilt each day. However, considering it’s minimal cost and the product’s ability to generate daily income, young tourism entrepreneurs should be willing to do some physical work each day to earn their daily bread.
Otunba Akinboboye said he believes that, if the product is embraced by young people living near the beach, it will help generate employment and address the hopelessness young people face when they are unable to make the money required to independently live comfortable lives.
Otunba Akinboboye then assured everyone that next week’s product will be completely different than the products he had spoken about over the last five week.
He emphasized that these products had been targeted at entrepreneurs who were interested in the tourism industry but who, because of the limited cash available to them, require a low cost entry point to the industry.
He said that, it is his hope that compliments of these articles, young people would realize that with focus and creativity it is possible to make money from tourism, outside of conventional employment, even with very little capital. They should also be aware that with time, they could earn the income required to offer other products and enhance the overall income available to them from tourism.
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