Creative Industry

NIHOTOUR Pledges Partnership With NATOP On Training For Members

Published

5 years ago

February 3, 2021

Joel Ajayi

The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura S Kangiwa has stressed the importance of training and knowledge-based skills as the bedrock for professional conduct of any given trade to achieve adequate, efficient and proper service delivery.

Alhaji Kangiwa who stated this when officials of the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) led by its President, Hajiya Bilqiz Abdul paid him a courtesy visit in his Abuja office and headquarters of the Institute said NIHOTOUR has in line with its mandate, been calling on all operators and practitioners in the Hospitality, Travel and Tourism industry to avail themselves of the training services offered by the Institute in order to improve and upgrade their skills for better, greater and safer service delivery in the sector.

He said the visit by NATOP officials to seek for partnership and collaboration for training of its members couldn’t have come at a better time than now when the Institute is been repositioned for better quality service delivery through proper and adequate training and re-training for all professionals and operators in the industry.

The Director General said it has been the long desire of NIHOTOUR as custodians and operators of the Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Sector Skill Council of the country to have all operators and practitioners in the industry comply with the mandatory provision of knowledge-based skill acquisition via training for better service delivery in line with global best practices, noting that it might soon be impossible for quack and ‘all comers’ into the industry to practice without due certification.

Earlier in her remarks, Hajiya Bilqiz said the courtesy visit was meant to seek support of the Institute in training members of the Association and continuously update them with professional skills and competence to operate optimally as professional tour operators.

Hajiya Bilqiz said as President of NATOP, she is greatly disturbed by the presence of unqualified practitioners in the sector, noting that it is not only killing the industry but bringing the good name of the profession into disrepute.

The NATOP President who narrated how unskilled operators in the industry have caused havoc, losses and dented image for tour operations in recent times, pleaded with the Director General to avail members of her Association the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills through the numerous training programmes offered by NIHOTOUR to check poor service delivery and halt the unwholesome practices of quacks and unqualified persons who see the industry as a sector for ‘all comers’.

The President who came in company of the Association’s Secretary General, Mr. Olaniran Owolabi Shaheed, appealed for a brief training session for members of the Association at their next meeting holding in Abuja to acquaint them of the relevance of training in the proper conduct and discharge of tour operation activities which was gladly granted by the Director General of NIHOTOUR as a mark for the start of training activities of members of NATOP by the Institute in due time to come.

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Creative Industry

REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE 1ST OF OCTOBER

Published

5 days ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

By Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa

Remember, remember, the last day of September. It ushers the dawn of the 1st of October. Independence Galore for each person, each member, Nigeria is still populated with ginormous ember.

O Nigeria is 65, we agree to guarantee, The flag of the country, the flag of the free. O Nigeria thine 65, I submit verily, My soul and my spirit. I submit to thee…me!

Atop six and half-century yore, a nation was born. In the midst of the West-Coast of Africa’s Horne. This nation had riches, from millet to corn, With timber and coal, and black gold of its own. Its fortune was plenty; its promise was grown, Its people were filled with such hope; yet forlorn! Even when this wee nation was tired and warn, Beauty, goodness and grace would always adorn,Her face and her lawn, each night and each morn.

Those who saw her birth took an oath and had sworn, To advance her great throne; protect her from the storm. Not long from that form, her great fortune was blown, When the Nigerian land became one combat zone.

The Civil War was a thorn. Nigeria’s unity was torn, ‘No Victor, No Vanquished,’ yet the nation did mourn. But after the conflict, the Peace-Flag was flown, Though our country descended to a corruption filled zone.

Some pilfered, groaned, moaned and their virtues were shorn. We resorted to chaos and then our rise became warn. But of all the carnage, what we must not condone, Is the divide of religions and ethnicity scorn.

For what is this nation, where will we be thrown, If Nigeria divided and we each went alone?

At this time, we are 65; “Folks now we must atone!” Thank God for our fortunes, and we may be reborn.

Almighty’s plan for this country, to us, is unknown. But He gave us this nation to each call our own.

Our own is Nigeria… Nigeria’s our home.

Remember, remember, the last day of September. It ushers the dawn of the 1st of October.

Independence Galore for each person, each member, Nigeria is still populated with ginormous ember.

O Nigeria is 65, we agree to guarantee,

The flag of the country, the flag of the free. O Nigeria thine 65, I submit verily, My soul and my spirit. I submit to thee…me!

Our profane must retain much pain and disdain. The grand tale of Africa’s urbane terrain. When we began our great reign, we had much to attain. But the inane of our journey became a constrain.

Again and again all in this country’s domain Would entertain our interest to compromise the main.

Nigerians had no restrain to feign our legerdemain. Through much strain and arraign, the nation we’d drain By using our internal crane on our jugular vein. By leaving our country with an abysmal stain.

The grain of our fortune, alas, has been slain, The bane of our substance doth suffer in vain. The Nigerian spirit must maintain our restrain, To regain back our right, to break free from the chain. We must sustain our humane and use our brain, To win back Nigeria from a life of insane.

This country is filled with much natural gain, We each have a right for that gain to obtain.

As long as we contain an intention germane, This country will rise to the mightiest plane.

May our canker and grime be washed by the rain. May our country be focused on a righteous lane.

My homeland is sacred, and I must explain, My love for Nigeria runs right through my vein. As I write down these words, Oh, this is my campaign, For this nation to always regain its brilliant mien.

Remember, remember, the last day of September. It ushers the dawn of the 1st of October.

Independence Galore for each person, each member, Nigeria is still populated with ginormous ember.

O Nigeria is 65, we agree to guarantee, The flag of the country, the flag of the free. O Nigeria thine 65, I submit verily, My soul and my spirit. I submit to thee…me!

‘Tis an ode of our independence that came with a fee; The tale of a nation that begged to be free.

My heavy heart; Oh Verily! Nigeria, thy never on bended knee! Awo, Zik and Sardauna made a fortress for thee. Balewa he stood, as did Macauley. To make Ye as brave as Ye can be. But thy Babylon-Beasts laid snares for thee, And spread their nets with cords of glee.

There´s a storm in the affairs of man, If taken at its stride, it can, And leads thee into deepest sea! For those of We who toiled for thee, We pray to see thee always free. Freedom from corruption is thy only key.

Even rebellion is an effort to set thee free. We, protégé, must continue to give to thee,

In the path of those who doth walk for Ye. Some have followed and some doth lead for we,

To unite this great nation inclusivly and happily. For our common good we traverse with glee, To turn our vast diversity into unity.

Continue lifting our nation for all to see, But the task ahead will be very heavy. Now forge forth, struggle and win for thee, Your unending great quest for liberty. Nigeria, ye off thy bended knee.

Remember, remember, the last day of September. It ushers the dawn of the 1st of October.

Independence Galore for each person, each member, Nigeria is still populated with ginormous ember. O Nigeria is 65, we agree to guarantee, The flag of the country, the flag of the free. O Nigeria thine 65, I submit verily, My soul and my spirit. I submit to thee…me!

Whatever will happen we must look up to God, He giveth and taketh with merely a nod!

We must increase faith, boost our love and our fear, Be sincere and revere and adhere to persevere.

We must believe in this nation and love it unconditionally. Keep our ethos, our culture and our virtues traditionally. Nigeria is beautiful, our homeland is glorious;

She’s known internationally as somewhat notorious. Her children are maimed as rather inglorious, But for 6 and half decades she has been laborious. And with help from above, she can be meritorious. So our nation can rise and, at last, be victorious. Motherland, I gift you this Word-Rhyming-Flower, Signed, sealed and delivered by Hanney Musawa.

On this fateful day I do wish you all well. From the tone of my ode, I hope you can tell. My wish for my nation is Goodness-Attendance.

To every Nigerian… HAPPY INDEPENDENCE!

Written Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa

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