Nigeria’s minister for Information, Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Mr. Lai Mohammed recently paid working visit to Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) under the watch of Folarin Coker. 

Certainly worried by the downturn in the fortunes of the agency, the minister urges Folarin to refocus the mandate of NTDC by living up to the billings.

Lai Mohammed told the NTDC boss that the global audience and the Nigerian people have not been told anything significant about Nigeria to warrant a dedicated visit, requesting for a revisit to the NTDC mandate in order to drive a refreshing beginning. He tasked Coker to be creative and articulate in the development, promotion and marketing of Nigeria tourism. “You need to go back to the basics dust up the Act of NTDC and come up with, ideas to actualize your mandate as the Apex body in charge of tourism development in Nigeria”.

In his words Lai Mohammed said: “You are the Chief Marketer of Nigeria tourism in terms of bringing people from outside to see what we have been blessed with and also encouraging people locally to see what they have been blessed with”.

Not done yet, the minister who was accompanied by his ministry’s permanent secretary, Grace Isu Gekpe, stated that it’s important that Folarin Coker steers NTDC to realize its pivotal role as the engine room and fulcrum of generating and drawing all tourism activities across board in Nigeria, not excluding showcasing the capacity of tourism to create employment and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“There are many reasons why people should come to Nigeria. We are a country of colours, 250 ethnics groups each with rich history and culture, and we are blessed with miles and miles of beaches. We have an almost all year round good weather. “We have been blessed with a film industry which is number two in the entire world and a music industry that has become global, so NTDC must make the people to appreciate tourism beyond sightseeing as it encompasses the entire creative industry which includes film, music, gastronomy, fashion, photography and monuments”. Mohammed lectured.

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Powering a visual tourism statistics to keep NTDC on its toes, the minister disclosed that great opportunities beckons in the film industry in a nation of about 200 million people with only 51 cinema houses and less than 200 screens, a huge gap to which a better positioned and creative NTDC can attract investments to raise the numbers of cinema houses to about one thousand and about six hundred screens in order to create of cash cow Film sector.

“This is where I think NTDC needs to work harder and work with the ministry and make the film sector the fastest growing economy but also increase its contribution to GDP from 1.24% to 3.5%”.

Top industry players, journalists and observers who spoke with me after the minister’s very proactive engagement believes that Folarin Coker should take the visit and lectures from the minister as a wakeup call to up his leadership of NTDC or be shown the way out if he fails to deliver.

Chairman, Board of Trustee of National Association of Tour Operators, Mr. Nkereweum Onung commended the minister for his forthrightness and candour, “Lai Mohammed did well and honestly we thought he does not know how to handle Folarin Coker issue in NTDC. It is clear that Coker and NTDC needs help and the minister has provided leadership and we want to see if anything good will come out from NTDC after this visit:.

Next Week: Folarin Coker: To whom much is given, much is expected.