Sometimes, I wonder if we really know what is good for our country. In 2006, former President Olusegun Obasanjo took far-reaching measures to gift us a new tourism economy. First, he head-hunted Segun Runsewe to change the fortunes of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC). That directive was a military order, it was not democratic because no room was given or ought to explained away as excuses for failure.
Obasanjo does not suffer fools gladly and does not care a hoot if heavens fall, so long as he has his way. For a truth, Obasanjo loves tourism. After the NTDC cleanup, he went and inaugurated a Tourism Masterplan committee. When Ogbuewu Franklin, Minister of Tourism, and the committee headed Franklin Adejuwon couldn’t match Obasanjo’s zeal, the iconic Ebora of Egbaland pulled the rug and threatened to disband the committee.
I recall that day at the Villa, and surrounded by his economic team of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Pascal Dozie, and Aliko Dangote, Obasanjo took the podium in a five-hour marathon debriefing of Tourism Masterplan committee, with kolanut in his mouth, chewing away the submitted documents of the committee, angry at its eurocentric submissions, bitter that his desire for tourism was not captured at all.
Indeed, we got to the Villa because I had provoked a report on the poor work of the committee, which drove great tourism administrators such Christopher Idu, one of most patriotic tourism administrators ever in government then, to write the Presidency, requesting for intervention.
Though I got roped into a civil suit through the back door by the angry vengeful powers of the Tourism Masterplan committee, for getting Obasanjo involved in their business-as-usual game, the truth is that Obasanjo did his best and the greatest of all was the institution of the Presidential Council on Tourism, with all the bridges and enablers of tourism coming together to shape a new direction for the industry. Part of deal was to get state governors to buy into a kind of unitary agenda for tourism and I could remember Donald Duke sitting at the right hand of Obasanjo during such meetings to show how Cross River State wishes to make a statement on tourism.
Our joy, mine particularly, knew no bounds. Though persecuted for daring the mafia behind the Tourism Masterplan committee, I took to mind that the truth had come to set us free and on this, till today, I am grateful to Andrew Okungbowa then of The Guardian Newspapers, who hinted me of the agenda of cabal to shut me up through that botched court case, and to Otunba Segun Runsewe, who mobilized contacts and lawyers to defend me. Runsewe threatened to bring the full weight of government to bear on the case, a kangaroo judgment against me from a Badagry, Lagos, magistrate’s court, which ruled a clean up of all that I have, even my family, without any invitation to appear in court at any time. No be today magic dey happen in our courts!!
I was seated somewhere in Abuja this Monday morning and news got to me that the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), president, Mr. Nkereweum Onung, wished to see a re-enactment of PCT and standalone Tourism Ministry. Onung is the Obasanjo and Runsewe of the private sector tourism leadership put together and is beginning to make new cabals in the Ministry of Information and Culture uncomfortable.
Even though I fear and worry for him, his desirable focus and outburst at the very strange crossroads of the industry have my support and backing. Our ministry, for now, Information and Culture, is the most terrible disconnect to our tourism tomorrow.
I am not a friend of the minister when it comes to tourism and, for the records, in the early days of his arrival at the inistry, he did threaten to drag me to the courts because I won’t buy into his largely misplaced attention on tourism. Again, the intervention of mutual friends and one of his handlers, a good pal of mine, created a valley of siddon and look, even though painful, knowing, one day na one day!
Back to FTAN president. His strident call for a new breather for the industry at the Tourism Transportation summit, which opened in Abuja on Monday, may not be achieved under this administration. However, it is a call that needs more push and political sagacity, knowing that he who knocks gets doors opened.
I am looking forward to the strategic visitation of tourism budget for the eight or nine agencies under the ministry and what they did with the releases in the past seven years. We shall go through that effort methodically, forensically, where possible, cock y***sh go open and yawa go gas, as we say on the streets. Let me advise those who will take me to court on the tourism budget accountability to go get the best lawyers.
And if they hire killers after me, well, I am past fearing for my life, which is in the hands of God almighty. Onung is on point and let us join him to take back our tourism from the new cabals in the Ministry of Information and Culture.