Nigeria is proclaimed the giant of
Africa. Reasons abound for this. Consider her population, the numerous God endowed
natural resources scattered in different forms and at various locations. The
same is true for the talents and skills of her citizens that has become
manifest in every facet of human endeavor. The country is blessed with
waterfalls, Hills, forests, mangroves and different species of animals. She is
also blessed with very beautiful people. Nigeria is blessed with several
tribes, cultures and over 200 languages spoken by the different ethnic groups and
nationalities. Each ethnic nationality is well endowed and specially gifted in
craft.
While visitors into the country wonder
if nature is partial to their countries, Nigerians have not seized to ponder if
their huge natural endowments will ever be exploited for their benefits. The
huge natural resource endowments notwithstanding, Nigeria is faced with high unemployment
rate; rising poverty and dilapidated infrastructure that has led to loss of
skills, resulting to various forms of ill treatment and degradation. The inherent
danger from this very deplorable and appalling state of affairs can be
imagined. Some of which are already manifest and include all sorts of tension
that insecurity, suicide and massive movement of citizens to less endowed
countries have brought upon the country and her citizens.
The major challenge therefore is what
to do to quickly mop up the consistently growing number of able bodied youths
roaming the streets, without any meaningful means of survival.
Bemoaning the deplorable situation is
not a solution. The three tiers of government, well-to-do citizens, and the multi-nationals
whose operations are the likely targets if the nation is visited with the
consequences of harboring large number of educated but unemployed, malnourished,
idle, hungry and hostile looking citizens, mostly the youths, must rise up and
tap into the can-do-spirit and skillful hands of young Nigerian entrepreneurs
to develop the tourism industry. The opportunities in the industry are huge. What
is lacking is the will to do the right things.
It is wrong, indeed inhuman to allow
the tourism industry to continue locking job opportunities that Nigerians are
suppose to enjoy. In view of this, I raise my voice in the genuine demand that
the tourism industry must vomit the various job creation and wealth generation
opportunities securely locked by it. If you feel same join me in this call.
Before I end this piece I feel strong
to press that the various tiers of government in Nigeria must identify their specific roles in the development of tourism in Nigeria, play them to arouse the interest and business acumen of the numerous well-meaning Men and Women in Nigeria to step out for the development of all the body of “Must visit tourism locations" for the long awaited Destination Nigeria Project that world tourists are patiently waiting to embrace.
Till I come again…..
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