
Open Letter to the Honourable Minister of Culture and Tourism, Hannatu Musa Musawa
By Frank Meke
Dear Honourable Minister,
I greet you with humility and a deep sense of patriotism, trusting that you understand the weight of your call to service—a national assignment requiring sincerity, inclusivity, and purpose-driven leadership
Over the past two years, I have followed your engagement with our industry. While your intentions appear noble, many have lacked strategic depth. In areas where you could have made significant progress, the results have been underwhelming.
This letter is not to dwell on statistics or past missteps but to urge a reassessment of critical developmental and managerial frameworks needed to accelerate growth in our cultural tourism and creative economy. Your tenure should aim for a legacy of impact, not merely the appearance of style in an industry that is globally recognized as a major employer of labour and revenue generator.
I encourage you to revisit the foundations of your ministry’s strategy, working closely with agency heads to develop measurable performance benchmarks. This demands deliberate thought and a commitment to sustainable development.
As Minister, you hold this position in trust for the Nigerian people and the President who appointed you. If I were in your position, I would work tirelessly to earn the confidence of the president, genuine industry stakeholders, and citizens whose livelihoods depend on your leadership to create an enabling environment for growth.

The Bogey Men
You may not be fully aware of certain individuals—what I describe as the “bogey men.” These actors often operate under the guise of stakeholders, spreading divisive narratives and creating discord between your ministry and genuine industry operators.
They appear sophisticated—occupying corporate boardrooms, projecting wealth, and exuding influence—but many thrive on sabotaging developmental milestones through legal bottlenecks, offering no real solutions. They demand undue recognition and, if resisted, deploy proxies to undermine reform efforts with negative narratives.
Madam Minister, I urge you to exercise caution and discernment in dealing with such individuals. For insight into the dynamics of betrayal and manipulation, I recommend the book Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef with Ron Brackin.
On the Proposed Stakeholders’ Meeting
I strongly advise cancelling the stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for Friday in Abuja. While dialogue is essential, convening such a meeting now—without first addressing internal structural issues—may be counterproductive.
The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is already driving reforms in various sectors, including ours. Expectedly, these changes face resistance, but emotional sentiments must not derail genuine progress.
Policy Overlaps
A critical priority should be harmonizing overlapping mandates among your ministry’s agencies—a source of inefficiency and friction. For instance, functional overlaps exist between:
- Nigeria Tourism Development Authority and National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism
- National Council for Arts and Culture, National Institute for Cultural Orientation, Gallery of Arts, National Museum and Monuments, National Arts Theatre, Centre for Black Civilisations, and National Troupe
A week-long technical retreat to review and align these mandates would yield greater results than a hurried stakeholders’ meeting.
Additionally, the National Film and Video Censors Board** requires a more inclusive regulatory framework to unlock opportunities for filmmakers, content creators, and other creative professionals.
Regulatory clarity will also inspire investor confidence, bridge funding gaps, and attract both local and international partnerships. This process must involve legislative stakeholders for necessary amendments.
Practitioners and Customers’ Bill of Rights
Our industry thrives on service, and as such, agencies must prioritize transparency, communication, and stakeholder engagement. Borrowing from the CBN Customers’ Bill of Rights, your ministry can adapt a similar framework to define responsibilities for both regulators and practitioners, fostering trust and accountability.
My experience through our radio magazine programme and collaborations with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and NANTA confirms the immense benefits of codified consumer rights. Such a measure would help reduce misunderstandings and strengthen compliance across the sector.
Media Relations
Lastly, I urge you to improve engagement with the travel and cultural press. Over the past two years, your avoidance of industry media has weakened communication around your initiatives, limiting public understanding and acceptance of your policies. Effective media partnerships are critical to shaping positive narratives and building stakeholder confidence.
In conclusion, I recommend deferring the planned stakeholders’ meeting until these fundamental issues are addressed. Should you require further input on how to actualize these reforms, I am available for consultation.

I wish you the wisdom and courage to steer our industry toward sustainable growth. Please fix the foundations before stepping into the public square.
Good luck, Madam Minister.
-l*