Culture and Tourism

Kangiwa Urges New FTAN Executives To Strengthen Unity Among members

Published

4 years ago

August 4, 2021

The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa has called on the new leadership of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) to double its efforts at uniting members of the federation for the good of the industry and in the best interest of the country if tourism is to take its rightful position as the number one revenue earning sector for the for the Nigerian economy.

Kangiwa who made the call when newly elected officials of the federation led by its President, Chief Nkereuwem Onung paid him a courtesy visit at the Abuja headquarters of the Institute on Tuesday noted that the long existing internal bickering within the federation has caused the industry serious drawback which has hindered the achievement of any meaningful progress in the development of the Nigerian Travel Tourism and Hospitality industry as the preferred sector in the diversification the economy of the country.

While calling on members of FTAN to stand united as the voice of the Organized Private Sector of the Travel Tourism and Hospitality industry of the country, the Director General promised the resolve of NIHOTOUR to continue to collaborate with stakeholders in the industry to improve the human capacity content of the sector through vocational skill acquisition training and re-training of industry personnel for better quality service delivery in line with global best practices.

Kangiwa then called for collaborative efforts between the Institute as host of the Nigerian Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skill Council with FTAN as the umbrella body of the private sector stakeholders to continuously improve and encourage training of personnel and professional practitioners in the industry as well as work towards evolving a dependable, accessible and reliable data base for the industry labour market and other sectorial information necessary for planning and achieving effective and efficient operations in the industry.

Earlier in his address, Chief Onung said the visit on Kangiwa by himself and members of his Executives was informed by the critical position and role of NIHOTOUR in the training and provision of the needed manpower for a flourishing tourism industry in the country, noting that his tenure as FTAN president will explore all available means to ensure that private sector operators in the industry uphold the principle of continuous personnel training and re-training by patronizing the vocational skill acquisition services that the Institute provides for all cadres of professional and non-professional practitioners in the sector.

Chief Onung who noted with dismay the inability of the country to tap into the potentials and socio-economic benefits of the tourism industry, said his leadership of FTAN will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the resource potentials of the sector are properly and adequately harnessed for the socio-economic gains of the country.

He said if properly tapped, tourism can comfortably replace oil in terms of job creation, poverty alleviation and high-income generation for the nation’s economy, but regretted that this wasn’t possible because of the lip service played in the growth and development of the sector.

Chief Onung’s leadership of FTAN was elected into the office last July 2021 to run the affairs of the federation for the next two years. On the courtesy visit of the President is the First Deputy President, Alhaji Badaki Ibrahim, the Admin Secretary, Mr. Precious Okonji amongst others.

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Creative Industry

REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE 1ST OF OCTOBER

Published

6 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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