By Olusegun Celestine Oni
Over the years, experts have been projecting that Nigeria should focus on the renewable economic strategy rather than the oil based economy. Since the discovery of oil boom in the 70s in Nigeria, Gorvement had shifted their attention only to the oil and gas industry as the major source of income to the nation while abandoning the Agriculture, Tourism and Mineral resources for the foreign expertriatea.
Even our so called number one industrialist in Nigeria has invested all his fortune on oil and gas while Agriculture is still struggling to meet up with the demand of the ever increasing population of the country. Due to many inappropriateies in the governance and leadership of this nation, we failed to utilize the blessings of the oil boom to enrich the land and make it a top destination for the world to visit just like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, America, Isreal, Kuwait and all other oil producing country in the world.
Fortunately and unfortunately for Nigeria, The nation is blessed with every aspect of natural Attraction that can attract tourists from all over the world to visit and to increase the foreign exchange earning for the country, even if we are still exporting our crude oil to refine and import with a substantial amount of money. Tourism would have the the best subsidy to help the nation recover from the pain of not been able to manage at least one Refinery successful in the so called Giant of Africa soil.
Countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and all other fast developing nation in the world did not possess the resources Nigeria is blessed with. Should we talk about the over seven hundred kilometers of coastal line, A large area of flora and fauna in every part of the country, the most favorable weather in the planet, the many waterfalls, Confluence of two rivers, warm spring, Over 300 languages and culture, the most hardworking people of Nigeria, bird sanctuary in the north, beautiful cultural heritage that deserves to be promoted.
There are wide Tourism resources in Nigeria that is still not yet fully utilised as the nation is still crying for a better gorvennace due to hunger and hardship. Our leaders has failed to invest in Tourism to ease the nation from the pain. To whom much is given much is expected. During the tenure of president Olusegun Obasanjo, he tried to implement a working plan for the Tourism industry in Nigeria through a Tourism Master Plan, unfortunately today, the Plan is never effective due to the inactivity of the Local gorvement in the country.
We hope the new Supreme court verdict on local gorvement Autonomy will help to revive the activity of the local policy on developing Tourism from the grassroots to promote Tourism from the over 774 local areas in Nigeria. As this will promote Domestic Tourism and eventually attract foreign visitors.
Nigeria as a nation in is in agony of economic hardship coupled with increasing insecurities which is the first enemy of Tourism. As mentioned earlier, if the gorvement had used the opportunity of the oil boom to develop the nation and the people are happy, There would have been a more hospitable Nigeria that will welcome visitors without seeing them as a prey through extortion, kidnapping and bribery.
In recent time, only few states in Nigeria are investing heavily in Tourism like Lagos, Oyo, Ekiti, Kebbi, Osun, Plateau, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom and Borno.
Borno state is massively recovering from the high level of insecurities that has plunged the destination to a strictly dark site.
The federal gorvement need to stand up at this time to take the bull by the horn in terms of Tourism investment through the implementation of policy and plan that can work to make Nigeria a great destination again for investment and visiting. Establishment of Tourism Policing, Implementation and Establishment of the Local gorvement Liaison officer with full support in discovery of potentials. Investment in the tourism training institute like NIHOTOUR and all other Tourism association in Nigeria.
In a nutshell, The people make the destination, an angry people is an angry destination, a hungry people is a destination full of predators who are ready to extort and consume any visitors who is on enjoyment trip to the country.
God bless Nigeria.
