By Deji Fatoba.
The Ekiti State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism on Saturday observed the annual World Tourism Day with a unique celebration of the milestone achieved in the sector within the last four years.
Declaring open the event which held on the Tungba Crushed Mountain in Ado-Ekiti, the State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Professor Rasaki Ojo Baqkare congratulated stakeholders for their efforts and support which has helped place the State on the global tourism map as one of the most tourism conscious and tourism viable destinations in Africa.
Professor Bakare further charged Ekiti people to begin to see tourism as an alternative means through which the economy of the state and the nation can be better developed.
He added that tourism is capable of creating job opportunities to individuals and generating fund into government coffers just as it is in Guanajuato, a city in Mexico which accommodates a million tourists all over the world yearly.
Delivering a lecture at the event, a University don, Dr. Mike Adeoye admonished Ekiti people to create opportunities for themselves using the powers of illusion and imagination.
He explained that every big and beautiful city started from the illusion of some people. He therefore encouraged individuals to create aesthetics that could make their environment a tourism attraction.
Dr. Adeoye emphasized the imperative of individuals making their environment habitable and conducive through creative re-creation of the environment naturally created by God.
In a back-up lecture, delivered by a lecturer from the Hospitality Department of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Dr. Olowookere-Ayodele Olusayo, Ekiti people were urged to draw inspiration from the global theme of the 2022 World Tourism Day: “Rethinking Tourism”.
Olowookere, stressed the importance of human efforts in tourism which, according to her, was purposed on increasing life span and promoting healthy living.
She commended Ekiti state Tourism Ministry for domesticating the theme of WTD 2022 which, she said, was more than just thinking tourism but acting, acknowledging and impacting positively on the people and the society through tourism. She applauded Ekiti Government for its landmark achievements through the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism. She also urged the Ministry to make more efforts in building the capacity of Ekiti State people towards embracing and appreciating tourism as a current socio-economic imperative to build a better society.
The commemorative event which was attended by representatives of various sectoral partners of the Ministry including National Association of Nigerian Tourism Agencies (NANTA), Hike Ekiti, Explore Ekiti, had the memorable presence of the members of Ekiti State Performing Arts Company (EKISPAC) and the Department of Tourism also known as “Ekitourism”.
Also present as a Special Guest was the retired Executive Secretary of the old Bureau of Arts, Culture & Tourism, Sir Mike Yomi Longe. Sir Longe emphasized the importance of acknowledging role of individuals in tourism development. He also called for effective sensitization and education.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Barrister Bamidele Arowosola, while giving vote of thanks on behalf of the Ministry, expressed great pleasure in the turnout of people, particularly the erudite lecturers who made the guests and participants draw on their great knowledge and wide tourism experience. He gave assurance that all observations and advice given at the August event would be collated and worked upon.
The conveyor of the event and Director of Tourism in the Ministry, Prince Adebanji Adelusi, while fielding questions from journalists, explained that Ekiti State tourism sector is witnessing an unprecedented growth through the collaboration of corporate and individual Stakeholders in the State. He said, this partnership, coupled with sincere commitment of government to invest in the people as well as the competent management of government vision by the Honourable Commissioner of Arts, Culture and Tourism, Professor Ojo Bakare, are responsible for the soaring reputation of the State as a tourism-viable destination.
Adelusi said government continues to invest in tourism by sponsoring and encouraging activities that could stimulate and drive the sector. Some of the activities, he explained, included the hosting of the National Festival of Arts and Culture held in 2021, the Miss Nigerian International Pageant Competition which was just concluded to mention but a few.
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