Culture and Tourism
Staff Capacity Upgrade Key To Achieving Agency Mandate-Kangiwa
Joel Ajayi
The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa has stressed the importance of staff capacity development as key to the success of any organization in achieving the implementation of its core mandate
Kangiwa who disclosed this while declaring opened a retreat organized for Senior Management staff of the Institute over the weekend in Keffi, Nasarawa state, said it is the best means of charting an Agency’s mission-vision for achieving efficiency and sustaining staff comraderies fundamental to best service delivery.
The Director General who lamented on the abysmal record of achievement of NIHOTOUR in its 28 years of existence to provide skills proficiency, technical upgrading programmes and professional knowledge-based education in the hospitality and travel tourism in the country, said it is regrettable that the Institute failed to actualize its robust mandate.

He emphasized his resolve to make NIHOTOUR the warehouse of knowledge and specialist skills and a foremost enabler of tourism development not only for Nigeria, but in the West African sub region as envisaged by the founding fathers of the Institute, adding that he is fully committed to fulfilling the Institute’s sector-specific mandate.
Kangiwa who railed out his 3-point agenda that include staff welfare, institutional capacity development and sector-specific repositioning said to achieve these, staff attitude of indiscipline in the form of late coming to work, absenteeism, truancy and lack of commitment to work must stop.
‘Repositioning NIHOTOUR as the game changer in moving the Nigeria’s hospitality travel-tourism industry to greater height as the socio-economic hub of the country is a task that we must all strive to achieve’, Kangiwa posited, adding that all resolutions at the end of the retreat will serve as the basis for management’s policies and operations expected to impact on the efficient and effective delivery of the Institute’s mandate.

Creative Industry
NTDA Moves to Transform Gelede Festival into a National Cultural Event with Igbobi-Sabe Kingdom
Cyril Ogar
The Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Ola Awakan paid a courtesy visit to the Igbobi-Sabe Kingdom, Yaba as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration for cultural tourism development.
The delegation was received by His Royal Majesty, Oba Owolabi Adeyemi Adeshina Adeniyi (Maforunyomi I), the Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe Kingdom, Yaba; Olori Mosunmola Anike Adeniyi; the Bales of the kingdom; and members of the White Cap Chiefs. The visit commenced with a vibrant cultural procession by the revered Gelede Masquerades, showcasing the rich heritage of the community.
Addressing the Director-General, the monarch applauded him for honouring the invitation and commended his efforts in leveraging his office to drive innovation within Nigeria’s tourism sector.
The monarch applauds the NTDA Boss for his initiatives towards repositioning the country’s cultural heritage on a global stage.
Oba Adeniyi further expressed his interest in fostering a strategic partnership between the Igbobi-Sabe Kingdom and the NTDA, emphasizing the community’s readiness to actively participate in ongoing efforts to develop and promote tourism across the country.
He highlighted key cultural assets within the kingdom, including the Gelede Masquerades; an important cultural symbol associated with fertility and childbirth; and two ancient iroko trees within the community, each over 250 years old.
In response, the DG appreciated the traditional ruler for the invitation, honour, and warm reception, stating that the visit was not only culturally enriching but also strategically important to the Authority’s mandate.
He continued by emphasizing the role traditional institutions play in advancing Nigeria’s tourism sector.
He stated that effective storytelling is essential to unlocking the value of cultural heritage, explaining that documenting and sharing the stories behind cultural elements such as the Gelede Masquerades and the ancient iroko trees would enhance their appeal to both local and international tourists.
The NTDA DG further proposed featuring Igbobi-Sabe’s tourism assets in the ongoing NITOUREY Project, the first-ever tourism dedicated streaming platform in Africa aimed towards showcasing Nigeria’s rich and vibrant tourism assets to the world.
The meeting proceeded with a guided tour of one of the iroko tree sites located in Abule Ijesa, Yaba, where the Director-General observed that the site holds significant potential for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
He encouraged the traditional ruler to work closely with the NTDA in developing initiatives that would revitalize the historic landmarks, positioning them as prominent symbols of Nigeria’s cultural tourism.
The Director-General received royal blessings from the Monatch who wished him wisdom and success in his tenure, while expressing confidence in his leadership and vision.
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