Youth Tourism Club of Nigeria Gets New leadership, Inducts New Members
Oluwatosin Adeoye
The Youth Tourism Club of Nigeria, University of Ibadan Chapter held its 7th Public Lecture, Induction and Awards Ceremony on Thursday 27th June, 2024 in conjunction with Agateval Nigeria Limited at the Wole Soyinka Theatre, University of Ibadan.
The co-convener Mr. Ayotola Afolabi, Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer, Agateval Nigeria Limited while delivering his welcome address at the event themed “Sustainable journey, timeless memories, promoting responsible travel”, expressed his joy for the revitalisation of the Youth Tourism Club in the University of Ibadan appreciating the alumni team that took it up to bring the club back on campus.
The new leadership inaugurated include Akanji Olayide Jochebed, President, Odewale Dorcas Temitope, Vice President, Moody Faith, General Secretary, Temidayo Ifejesu, Assistant General Secretary, Ahmed Nazeem Olajuwon, Financial Secretary, Oniyide Emmanuel, PRO, and Medupin Ayonimofe Ethan, Social Secretary.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, Oyo State Commissioner for Tourism and Culture represented by Mr. Fagebo Mayowa, the Deputy Director of Tourism, Oyo State Ministry of Culture and Tourism asserted that through the Omituntun Pacesetter Tourism Initiative by the current administration is adopting measures to enhance the Tourism Sites and Products in the state.
In his keynote address, the Commissioner affirmed that there are over 300 Tourist locations in the state, adding that they were grouped into Five (5) Tourism Corridors namely, Ibarapa, Oyo, Oke Ogun, Ibadan and Ogbomoso.
Dr. Olatuntosum mentioned that the State Government has recruited more personnel to the Amotekun Corp and procured vehicles to enhance security which is essential if tourism will thrive in the state while also rehabilitating important road networks that lead to the Tourist Sites.
Delivering the Lecture of the day, Mrs. Oyeyemi Soretire, Tourism and Management, Lead City University, Ibadan asserted that tourism is an economic enhancing sector that has not been properly and fully exploited, hence, she enjoined stakeholders in the Tourism Sector to take steps that can help this economy boosting unutilised sector, she said that “everyone has a part to play”.
Mrs. Soretire mentioned that the advantages of tourism are innumerable amongst which she outlined; building of social integration, promotion of responsible travels, creation of awareness about climate change, this she emphasized is related to ecotourism.
She declared that the challenges that tourism is experiencing in Nigeria is dilapidated infrastructure such as bad roads leading to the Tourist Sites example which is the road leading to Bower’s Memorial Tower in Oyo State and Owu Water Fall in Kwara State, inadequate funding, inadequate security. She, however, applauded the effort of the Oyo State Government so far on the sector, which included “the International Tourism Summit held in the month of April of this year”.
Mrs. Soretire advised that the media should assist in enhancing the face of the nation to the world, in her words “we need to tell our stories, the media must tell the world what Nigeria possesses”.
Mrs. Sijuade, The State Director, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, enjoined the government to see that Clubs like this are instituted in Secondary Schools to help instill the values related to the sector.
The event had in attendance personnel from Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, Alhaji Olaniyan Kazeem, Chief Executive Officer, Omoola Travels & Tours, Prince Sanmi Bamidele, Ambassador Taiwo & Kehinde Oguntoye and many other dignitaries from the Tourism Sector.
