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The subsidy pains seem to be drowning some significant developments in the country. There are two kingdoms to watch as this administration settles down, and I really don’t need everyone to agree with me.
The judiciary is not part of these kingdoms. The Presidency, the executive, is the almighty and could probate and reprobate, so let us calm down. The Senate and its brother coven, the House Representatives, are the second haven and, again, if you know, better for you.
I am particularly friends with the Senate. They can get things done so quickly and in tandem with the law. In fact, the Senate is the law; so all those who are upset that prayer points now form part of the legislative ecosystem should ask for forgiveness because a praying Senate is a winning kingdom.
All those who think that money answers all things should realise that the process of economic recovery and emancipation begins with prayers. To my distinguished senators, please, continue to pray ceaselessly, but remember that he who watereth shall be watered.
Now that we have Senate committees in place, let me share with you certain developmental expectations from a few committees that could help change our tourism growth narratives, going forward.
The climate change and ecology committee, headed by Senator Seriake Dickson, must brace for impactful turnaround in Nigeria’s quest to protect the national green biosphere space and ecology.
Nigerians, from all indications, are yet to truly factor in climate change politics and the hazards, choosing to panelize the process, drinking tea at global warming workshops, and ignoring danger signs at home.
Except for the visible capacity and proactive measures of the Nigerian National Park Service, there is no gainsaying that Nigeria would have become a cemetery of biosphere and ecological disaster in Africa.
Indeed, and as must be appreciated going forward, the climate change committee must be seen as joint heirs to the vision and mandate of the environment committee, headed by Senator Akintunde Yanus.
Significantly, these two committees are the engine room to our natural resources renaissance and effective greening of our country. All those who poke fingers into the eyes of our protected areas ecosystem are themselves blind to the huge challenges facing our country in these areas.
Even though there are other agencies and institutions mandated to watch our forestry and ecological ecosystems, the Nigerian National Park has creditably held fort in mitigating the impact of climate change hazards and in particular protecting our biosphere and marine resources environment.
One of the major gains of the last administration was the historical upgrading of 10 natural resources reserves across the country as national parks. The 9th Senate did a yeoman’s job in oxyginating legislative candour to these ecological locations, and to me the two marine parks in Bayelsa State are heartwarming.
Those who berate the National Park merely on ecotourism expectations submit their misplaced aggression on the altar of ignorance.
Ecotourism is not the major critical benefit of natural resources conservation and, in these climes, often pushed into our faces as examples of ecotourism remuneration baselines, the private sector tourism practitioners and investors are seen as key enablers.
Despite the open commercialisation invitation by the federal government’s Bureau for Public Enterprises, investment flow into these green markets remains a mirage.
We all know the reasons. Green tourism investment is a special curve, and it’s not Ankara sold off the frying pan as its profitability pans across passion and deliberate endurance.
Nigerian private sector financiers and even our banks dread businesses of long gestation profitable value chains, and certainly investment in these areas of tourism hardly flies.
As at today, it is only foreign investors in green tourism that have shown interest, but again with what is going on in our crude oil sector, to gyrate on emotions and sentiments in pushing for foreign green investors must be handled with care.
Unfortunately, those who mouth diarrhoea against the conservation mandate of the National Park Service are either strangers to protected areas management or sponsored busybodies who have never spent a day under a tree.
And with increasing violent attacks against rangers by insurgents and criminal elements seeking to profit from the flora and fauna resources under protection, the Senate committees on Climate Change and Environment must leverage the appropriation mechanism of the green chamber to effectively fund the security of the parks and welfare of the ranger corps.
Let us stop here today on the two very significant committees of the Senate and subsequently take a cursory look at culture and tourism, youth and sports, aviation, marine transportation, and diaspora economy.
In due course, yes, in due course, but to end this piece, we shall look at the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism. The committee is headed by Senator Abbo Elisha. I am sure you remember him! If you don’t, then you possibly won’t understand why Nigeria should be worried about the growing sex demon traffic across the country.
Everything in our country is now seen from the dog spirit. Every discussion, political, economic and social gathering is sexfied. Our communities and rural areas are in primary danger, with the youths heavily trafficked as part of the sex boom.
This “sex tourism” is one area hardly discussed and addressed. We pretend as if it never matters, but it has, over time, become a lucrative business venture. It is run by organised powerful sex tourism mafia, which does not give a damn about the destructiveness of the lustful poison to the emerging cultural tourism economy.
One of the pains, sadly unseen, is the sextification of most festivals and musical events in the country. Underage sex tourism is on spiral growth, a threat to the well-being of our young female folks and even young male persons.
Have you heard of gigolos? Young boys in their prime funnelled into lucrative sex bouts with women, old rich women, particularly widows craving for excitement in dark rooms?
Calabar Carnival over the years has become a veritable vehicle for sex tourism, lacking in strategic response to communication skills to address the impact. Denying the huge presence and challenges of unwanted pregnancies and divorce rates among our young persons, occasioned by the free sex opportunities in our cultural tourism festival and musical events, is like saying a drunkard unaided will not end up in the gutter.
The free and unguarded sex spirit in Nigeria is hyenaic, apocalyptic, and destructive. It’s like an opium and a satanic religion that has potentially buffeted the energy of our youth population. Indeed, sex trade agencies are on the rise, and the list of their clientele will shock you. Some are alleged to operate cells in churches and mosques, targeting innocent and unassuming blue-eyed lads.
I have nothing against Senator Abbo Elisha. My worry is that the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism should help us address squarely the emerging destructive sex tourism trade, which is threatening the foundation of our cultural tourism space.
Drugs , music, and sex , unchecked and regulated, will kill Nigerian people faster than pecuniary corruption. Senator Abbo Elisha, must work with stakeholders, religious, political and cultural groups including women societies to help us enjoy the beauty of cultural tourism and creative space without paying in kind.
Until we meet again in this space, let us wish our senators well, and we pray that they, too, will send prayer points to our various mailing addresses. What is good for the goose is better for the gander. Bye!
