Culture and Tourism

Odusanwo Receives Enconmium, Conferred The ATB Global Brand Ambassador

Published

3 years ago

May 16, 2023

Joel Ajayi
The President of the African Tourism Board (ATB), Mr. Cuthbert Ncube has conferred the Board’s Global Brand Ambassador of ATB on Chief Abiodun Odusanwo and lauded the uncommon leadership style of Chief Odusanwo in Championing the cause of tourism promotion as head of the ITPN Institute, and in particular, the highlights on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in its annual flagship event; the Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo during the closing ceremony of the 6th edition of the Summit and Expo held in Abuja.

Chief Abiodun Odusanwo who is the National President of the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN) and organizer of the National Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo in collaboration with public and private sector industrial players and stakeholders of the industry, bagged the award in view of the needed enlightenment campaigns and much promotion and publicity he accorded the AfCFTA regime implementation that if researched papers presented at the Summit are to be adequately adhered to, Africa’s dream of a liberal single market economy would be achieved.

Mr. Ncube who stated that ATB aims at ensuring that Africa becomes one tourism destination of choice in the world, noted that it is the promotional activities of the likes of Chief Abiodun Odusanwo at the ITPN in tourism professional certification and promotional activities such as the National Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo that the dream of entrenching Tourism as a vital sectorial player in African economy will be realizable.

In his acceptance speech, Chief Odusanwo who expressed his gratitude for the honour done to him by the leadership of the African Tourism Board, stated further that the award is a wake-up call for him to do more in his efforts at promoting travel tourism and hospitality in Nigeria and Africa as a whole in terms of professional certificate of the manpower that will deliver competent service in the industry in entrench tourism as the preferred sector in national and continental economic diversification drives.

Chief Odusanwo further call on all stakeholders and key players in the industry to cooperate with one another in mutual synergy for the growth and development of the industry, stressing the Nigerian tourism industry should not suffer much policy summersault if players in the industry, particularly the organized private sector are united in their goals for a dynamic and purposeful industry that tourism is meant to be.

Mr. Ncube who was in Nigeria at the instance of the National Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo, had earlier delivered a paper at the Summit titled: Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and the AfCFTA Agreement said Africa has the potentials and capacity in both material and human resources to bail itself out of its scourge of underdevelopment if the people will look inward rather than outside for its developmental solutions.

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Creative Industry

Musawa Highlights Art and Culture as Drivers of Public Sector Excellence at Legislative Mentorship Session

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., has emphasized the importance of integrating art and culture into public-sector excellence in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the SA Media & Publicity, Office of the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Phd.

Musawa made this known while addressing trainees at the 4th Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), held at the National Institute For Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abuja on Thursday.

Themed ‘Building the next generation of Public Sector Leaders’, Minister Musawa highlighted art and culture as essential tools for national cohesion and identity, economic development and job creation, innovation and civic engagement, sustainable development, and projecting Nigeria’s soft power and global identity.

She noted that Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage is a unifying force that binds different ethnicities and elaborated on how Art and Culture is key to public-sector excellence in Nigeria.

“First, embracing and promoting art and culture helps to forge national cohesion and shared identity among Nigeria’s diverse populations. Integrating culture into public policy and governance transforms the creative and cultural sectors into engines of economic development, job creation and diversification. Cultural industries including crafts, music, film, design, heritage tourism can generate livelihoods, attract investment, expand exports, and reduce overreliance on a narrow set of economic activities.

“A society that values creativity and cultural expression tends to produce more resourceful citizens, fosters cross-cultural dialogue, and encourages public servants to be more adaptive, empathetic, and culturally aware while prioritizing culture and creative economy in public policy through frameworks, institutions, and infrastructure, demonstrates long-term vision and commitment to sustainable development,” Musawa said.

The Minister called for supportive policies, enabling legislation, and sustained commitment to fulfill this vision, including laws that protect intellectual property, incentivize investment in creative infrastructure, and integrate arts and culture into education and community development.

“Embedding art and culture at the heart of governance and public-sector planning is not a luxury, it is a necessity. It builds unity, drives economic growth, fosters innovation, strengthens institutions, and ensures that development respects and reflects the soul of the nation,” she emphasized.

Musawa thanked the founder of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his inspiring vision and unwavering commitment to cultivating Nigeria’s future public-service leaders.

Other speakers at the Legislative Mentorship Initiative include the Director General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization Aisha Augie, Nigerian photo-journalist and documentary photographer Bayo Omoboriowo, Amb. Dapo Oyewole, Secretary-General Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures amongst others.

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