FIFTY YEARS OF TOURISM ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA
BY
ADEYEMI OGUNNUBI 

 

Since Nigeria 's Independence , tourism has remained a means of promoting and showcasing the best of the country's heritage, norms, hospitality and creativity.

In recognition of this fact, important festivals and events aimed at highlighting the tourism potentials of the country have been held to attract tourists to Nigeria . Indeed, many of these festivals such as the Osun Osogbo Festival in Osun State , South West Nigeria have become an annual event since 1960. The importance of this particular festival is reflected in its recognition as one of the world's heritage sites in 2005 by the United Nations Education and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO.

One of the factors responsible for the growth of the tourism sector in Nigeria is her diverse culture of about three hundred and fifty tribes. Along with this is the development of the entertainment industry in which the country has broken new grounds since her independence fifty years ago.

In fact, it is estimated that the entertainment industry in Nigeria particularly the movies sector is worth six hundred billion naira, with six thousand producers, three thousand directors and over fifty thousand actors and actresses contributing immensely to the socio-economic growth of the country.

In Lagos state alone, for instance, the revenue generated by sales and rentals of movies is put at eight hundred and four million naira per week.

It is pertinent to noted that Nigerian artistes and movies producers have over the years improved on their skills to meet International standards. Perhaps, one of the noticeable results of this is the shift from stage plays to home videos using sophisticated production facilities. Nigeria 's entertainment industry has also produced internationally acclaimed actors and actress who have become house hold names across Africa .

That is not all; Nigeria also made history when in 2002, Miss Agbani Darego became the First black lady to clinch Miss World beauty title beating one hundred and nine contestants.

In the music industry, the likes of the late legendary Afro-beat musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti with his fusion of African and European Music, attracted tourists to Nigeria who always visit his entertainment centre known as the “shrine” while others like King Sunny Adeniyi Adegeye popularly known as King Sunny Ade made Nigeria proud, with the export of his brand of music to various parts of the world.

Since the inception of the present democratic dispensation in Nigeria , government has put in place an enabling environment and policies to promote the tourism sector. This is demonstrated by the annual Abuja Cultural Festival and other Traditional festivals that are being repackaged to meet international standards. The passion and interest with which the government has implemented the tourism master plan is indeed reflecting on the high influx of investments in the sector in the country.

Nigeria today has some of the finest tourism destinations in the world. Amongst such sites are; the Mambilla Plateau, Gashaka/Gumti National Park, Obudu cattle Ranch, Yankari Game Reserve to mention but a few. If the potentials of these tourism sites are harnessed, Nigeria could earn close to what it generate from her oil wealth from tourism.

With fifty years of Nigeria's independence, it is time to shift attention from revenues from oil and employ tourism and entertainment as a strategic tool for employment generation as well as socio-economic growth and development in the years ahead.

 

Broadcast On Tuesday, 5 th October, 2010