Building foundations remains the toughest job ever, either in physical development or spiritual empowerment. Indeed, nations and peoples noted for great strides are usually streamed on strong foundation through effective mentoring and exposure, a process that leaves enduring landmarks in socio-political and economic development.
As a Christian, Jesus Christ as a mentor changed the foundation and thinking of the apostles, hence the glorious spread of the gospel despite the many lies of the devil against the messengers and message of Christ. I have known Olusegun Matthew Runsewe for many years and one undisputable strength that he deploys to advance the understanding and appreciation of his vision is to strategically grow a motley of tourism and culture apostles.
Runsewe’s gospel of mentoring is built on a strong foundation of practical exposure, continuous practical training and retraining profiles and a deliberate and uncanny spiritual motivation that egg on the weak to be strong.
While at the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), an institution once sharing borders with refuse and cockroaches, Otunba Runsewe took on with gusto the very important task of rebuilding and refocusing the depressed mindset of the workers of the apex tourism body from the top line directors to the cleaners, through strategic empowerment and retraining, exposure that systematically encouraged healthy competition, and revived personal dreams. This development led to the upgrading of the agency from grade C to A in less than a year of Runsewe’s first tenure in NTDC.
It is not rocket science or magic but a thinking process, a philosophy of a different mentoring vision brought to bear in changing the work ethics and impact expectations of persons, particularly Nigerian civil servants not grounded in effective service delivery. Job delays and shuffling of files are low points in service delivery everywhere and anywhere Runsewe holds forth. It is, therefore, not surprising that this enigma of our tourism and culture outing is noted as a game-changer and an uncommon agent of transformation of our national cultural aspirations and also the life of those he called to spread the message.
Hate or love Runsewe, his work rate and transformation power at the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC) cannot be overemphasized, a process that once again re-energized the once moribund cultural agency back to its full developmental focus.
His winning game plan is to expose the dark side of the sector and bring light to bear on the full gains expected therein. There is no undermining or pretence to the full intent of NCAC and what Nigeria and Nigerians are to benefit. Runsewe’s people developmental mantra usually starts with those who work with him, a prayer point that has not only transformed the workers in service delivery but also encouraged them to break out of physical and spiritual poverty.
Last week, Runsewe took the entire directorate of NCAC on a practical training retreat to Dubia and from the Facebook pictures and comments from Dr. Lizzy Ben-Iheanacho, there was no doubt that Runsewe is on point to achieve the focal NCAC mandate.
Indeed, the cultural side of Dubai, a strong tourism destination where the directors were exposed to various possibilities and doables in culture engagement, signposts the very advantage of growing the culture apostles under Runsewe into visible messengers of cultural business revival in Nigeria. There is no need to bore anyone to visit NCAC corporate office in Abuja to see the changes ongoing at the agency but those in doubt can check the rebounding of our cultural festivals through NAFEST and the trans-generation of African cultural exposition of INAC into a global benchmark that has ranked Nigeria high in the community of cultural tourism nations.
Significantly, there is no doubt that the NCAC directors will also, in their small corners, enthrone and sustain the Runsewe training message and give their subordinators room to flourish. I need not remind the directors, many who are my friends in cultural tourism emancipation, that to whom much is given much is expected. Though Runsewe is not a slave master in any shape or kind, those who can survive his huge hunger for success and service delivery must be ready to burn the midnight oil and match him strength for strength and pro-activeness. Herein lies the true Runsewe success connection and visibility. Congratulation NCAC, congratulations Nigeria. The Matthew of our cultural tourism gospel is here.