Emeka Anokwuru
It was celebration time at the recently held tourism seminar by the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET) in Lagos, when the umbrella body for travel writers in the country honoured some of the operators in the tourism sector, and inaugurated its new executive as well as patrons. On the honours list were the Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, a patron of the association; and Chief Samuel Alabi of Eko Hotels and Suites, who is also a patron and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), for their immense contributions to the development of the association and well-being of its members.
Also honoured was Tope Ogbeni-Awe, CEO of Topcomm, as pioneering leader of the association for his leadership role and contributions to the growth of the association while Ikechi Uko, publisher of Africa Travel Quarterly magazine and organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market, Accra Weizo and Jabamah, as well as a former member and president of ANJET, was honoured for creating Akwaaba platform for the promotion of African tourism. The newly elected executive members of the association, with John Omololu Olumuyiwa, publisher of Travelscope Magazine, as president; Franklin Ihejirika, publisher of Nigerianfranknews.com, as vice president; Ekene Okafor of VON as treasurer; and Samson Ayuk of naijatrip, as secretary, were sworn in alongside some of the new patrons of the association, which included: Nkwereuwem Onung of Remlords Tours; Bankole Bernard, president of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA); and Allen Onyema, Chairman/CEO of Air Peace. Others are the directors-general of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Folorunsho Folarin-Coker; and National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Momoh M. Kabir; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Ladi Jemi-Alade of Jemi-Alade Tours; Alhaji Saleh Rabo, president of FTAN; and Oba (Professor) Adeyemi Obalanlege, Olota of Otta, Ogun State as well as Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, founder of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort.