By Frank Meke
In less than 24 hours after existing office as Director General of National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism ( NIHOTOUR), the administrative ecosystem, built around Nura Kangiwa, has collapsed
The former DG of nihotour ran the institute as a personal fiefdom and chose his cabal, particularly those with sealed lips and sworn to pander his whims and caprices.
The civil service administrative ecosystem was cloned to support his many escapades, and any staff who complained is either transferred out of Abuja to zonal offices, many of which could be likened to piggeries and dog mangers.
On the existing administrative roll call, Nura Kangiwa allegedly overlooked the most senior officer to pick his candidate, alleged to be a croney and proxy to hand over the reigns of nihotour in acting capacity as Director General.
Nura Kangiwa, who holds a National Diploma in Business Administration, and a degree in Political SCIENCE ” selected” Philip Egga Maga as acting placement, with hope that he will keep the place quiet incase he returns back to the tourism vocational training school which fortunes dipped during his four years misadventure.
Phillip Egga Maga is currently the Director of Special Duties and holds a degree in Tourism and Hospitality from IMo State University and another degree in Banking and finance from BUk, kano On the nihotour nominal roll, sighted by me, there are about thirteen senior officers in nihotour, all on level 15, and magga is 5th on the list of nihotour senior officers and management team.
Magga, who has spent 30 years in the system, was born on May 26th, 1966, and was appointed to his current position on the first of August 2020. He is from lafiya, Nassarawa state.
Tijani Nasiru Olawale, the most senior officer in NIHOTOUR, supplanted by Nura Kangiwa, allegedly on account of his tribe and brilliant academic records is number three on NIHOTOUR administrative nominal roll.
Insiders says Olawale, who hails from Oyo state, is a genius, and contributed as lead Cordinator for NIHOTOUR curriculum development, particularly on tourism education for secondary schools, a development that made him a target of official and unofficial persecution from Nura Kangiwa and his cronies in nihotour.
Tijani Nasiru Olawale currently heads the oshogbo campus of the institute as zonal Cordinator. He holds a first degree in geography and a masters in urban regional planning and also a doctorate degree in geography. Olawale also holds diploma certification from the International Air Transport Association( IATA) and Universal Federation of Travel Agencies ( UFTAA) and is on level 15.
Those who should know says Tijani Nasiru Olawale was overlooked by Nura Kangiwa on account of his quite unassuming disposition and insistence to discharge his duties in line with the operational responsibilities of the institute, a position which unfortunately singled out the saki West, Oyo state born tourism education teacher for sanctions and harassment from his existed boss and his gang.
Born August 22nd, 1968, olawale was first appointed on 30th March 1999 and was promoted to his present position on December 31st, 2019.
Ameh Emmanuel Atta is second on list but a non teaching staff. He is the director, account, and finance and is from kogi State. His first position in nihotour was dated Oct 30th, 1997, and his present one dated 31st December, 2016, and he’s on level 15.
Others are Shehu Abubakar, ( Registerar) , Anyasinti kazito ,Bello Marcus Abiodun, salako Victor Adebayo, ugonwa Mary Nweze, Alhassan Danjuma Rilwanu , obakpolor Stella Adepelumi , sani Habba Bello and likkson kamfani Efta
Another controversial posting did by the alleged rabid tribalist, is posting of one edem , a level 10 officer to the calabar campus of the institute bypassing his seniors and better qualified officers, a development which is set to bring the institute down after his departure.
Philip Egga Maga, in response to our enquiries, stated that he did not lobby for the acting capacity as Director General of nihotour, noting that he was eminently qualified to hold the position.
” I am not a petition writer because I was once overlooked for the acting placement of the institute years back. Any DG has a right to appoint anyone to takeover from him on acting capacity. We are senior officers and management staff, so anyone can be so chosen. I am no croney to anyone and not a signatory to the institute accounts” he explained.
Shedding more light on the discomforts of the adversaries of his acting position, magga noted that many of the officers on the management team were flagged down for acts of insubordination and dereliction of duties deserving expulsion but were verbally warned , a development which is seen to be fueling the rage against his choice as acting Director General of the institute.
” we are professionals and should see to how to bring nihotour back together. I am not interested in the politics of office but I know the former DG could have picked anyone irrespective of our position on the administrative nominal roll “.
Observers of the failings of nihotour believes that more of such narratives will hug the public space in the weeks coming, possibly signalling for serious intervention by the federal government to clean up the place and give a direction to stay within lines of operational mandate and responsibilities. Indeed, a tested educationist should be appointed to man the place and make it the true citadel of tourism education.
