By Bernard Udensi
The Director-General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre, has underscored the need for the establishment of a separate Ministry of Tourism in Kwara State.
Ambassador Ojo-Lanre made this known on Thursday during the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2024.
As a passionate advocate for tourism development, he made this plea to the Governor of Kwara State, who was represented by the Commissioner for Communication, Bolanle Olukoju.
He also took the opportunity to directly appeal to the First Lady of Kwara State, Her Excellency, Prof. Mrs. Olufolake Abdulrazaq who was an active participant at the opening ceremony of the AGM .
In his contribution as a panelist, Ambassador Ojo-Lanre emphasized the importance of establishing a single body to oversee tourism practices. He argued that to ensure the rapid and pragmatic development of the tourism industry in Kwara State, a separate Ministry of Tourism is essential.
Reflecting on past successes, he reminded the audience of his call for the creation of a Ministry of Tourism during the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2017.
He also talked about how, in addition to writing several articles, he had staged a one-man campaign in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, calling for the creation of a separate Ministry for Tourism.
His submission at the 8th Senate in 2017 played a pivotal role in recognizing tourism as an independent sector in Nigeria.
Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre will be remembered in the history books of tourism development in Nigeria as the first advocate to champion such a significant move, paving the way for the emergence of a tourism economy and its formal recognition as a separate entity.
Bernard Udensi is a Youth Corps member serving at the Bureau of Tourism Development, Ekiti State.