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Our clime is certainly not bereft of men and women of excellent spirit. We possibly have not taken time to search for these quality minds, so especially the few that can sacrifice all for the sake of the majority.
In the public space, God has a say, so do men and Satan but it is essentially noteworthy that the mind of God prevails, in all things. Segun Matthew Runsewe Director General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), remains the revelation of mind of God when it comes to measuring call to nation and people.
As Sun newspapers, Public service awardee, 2019, the organizers must have been influenced by the very doggedness to which Runsewe brought to bear on his call to serve the fatherland. I listened and watched the profiling of his many achievements in a country where many have given up on the best ever shaping our future.
Indeed, in a socioeconomic engagement that was hardly factored in the entire architecture of national development, Segun Runsewe worked up his socks to provide us a more glimmer of hope in Tourism and Culture.
Achievements are usually structures snatched out of the hot bed of very difficult terrain and unbelievable setbacks, yet not all men are so called to bear the touch.
Yes, there are many Segun Runsewe’s hidden by God out there, his appearance on the firmament of reality, prodding, redefining and setting standards for our Cultural tourism heritage, deserve the appreciation our people.
While in Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Runsewe left a detailed seven years history which has continued to hunt those too weak to bear the sacrifice for nation building in tourism. Runsewe had done away with excess weight of public service carryovers, invested in training for all categories of staff, knowing that human resources well groomed and exposed to global expectations, will take Nigeria out of the wilderness of tourism business.
From the lowest ebb of institutional drawbacks and historical fiction, Otunba Segun Runsewe brought up a tourism nation and like David, help from Nigerians and foreigners came to Nigeria day by day. That we are once again at the Cross roads of tourism uncertainty after he left that beat over six years ago, remain a mystery to which God who calls men to service of God can explain.
As a frontline chronicler of Cultural tourism activities, Runsewe deep passion and love for Nigeria is unequalled. Sometimes, am so distressed to see him distressed about our people and culture in the eyes of the world.
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Runsewe sleeps not if he is convinced on any issue of national importance. As Nigeria’s Cultural icon and driver, his Messianic interventions, usually unexplainable, had brought him to open contest with the spoilers in our midst. He confronted land grabbers in Abuja who had converted a national and communal property to personal use.
It was a fretting battle, to which most public Officers would have easily given up hope, but to Runsewe, the threat of the prison doors, is not the measuring tape.
I had witnessed and seen him battle challenges of public office at close quarters, yet was his admirable determination to reclaim the national landmark from the hands of Philistines. It was unprecedented, with certain instrument of judicial system, fronting for his incarceration.
It was an hour of the dark powers but God who called him prevailed. Our culture has never had it so good under the watch of this outstanding Nigerian. Even the perverts and the Culturally profane gave up whenever Runsewe launched out on the mission to reposition the history, Culture and heritage of our people.
Today, to God’s glory, Runsewe has turned out national festival of Arts Culture into the most bidded event in our history. He not only rebranded the iconic cultural event, he brought to bear grassroot resources empowerment window, which brought many women and youths out of poverty. Waste to wealth, restructured and given breathe makes the very common, uncommon.
A critical enabler of deep vision and practical ethos devoid of empty evangelism, otunba Segun Runsewe has grown into a Cultural tourism midas man, armed with the shield of faith and trust in Nigeria’s Cultural tourism tomorrow.
His pains, I must confess are also legion as his many achievements. He hates to see Nigeria play a second fiddle to any country in Africa.
He pains when those around him struggle to understand his vision, when other drivers of the economy fails to build structures of growth and development, leaving behind the Culture and Tourism.
No doubt, many people and possibly institutions such as the prestigious sun newspapers believe Runsewe has reshaped the expectations to public service, yet few out there may think it is not Uhuru yet, whichever way the pendulum falls, here is an uncommon Nigerian who deserves our prayers.
After all, God calls men to the service of any nation, so it is my very fervent prayer that God keep and protect him, and through him, may other Segun Runsewe’s be made manifest to help Nigerian Cultural tourism economy rise for us all congratulations Otunba Segun Runsewe, Nigeria Public officer number one.
