By Jimoh Babatunde 

At the Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Towers, applause rose as Otunba Segun Runsewe , former Director-General of both the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) , walked up to receive the award of Pillar of Nigerian Culture and Tourism. Yet, behind the cheers lay a sobering message about an industry he has spent his life building.

The award, presented by the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET), was not just a celebration of Runsewe’s decades-long career. It was a tribute to a man who, in the eyes of many, has become the conscience of Nigerian tourism.

Honouring the Pioneers

The event brought together distinguished figures from the tourism, culture, media and public sectors. 

Among them was former Minister of Tourism and Culture, Frank Ogbuewu, who was also honoured for his contributions.

ANJET President, Okorie Uguru, said the awards were designed to celebrate those who built the foundations upon which today’s industry stands.

“We are not just celebrating those in office now, we are recognising those whose work created the visibility tourism enjoys today. They are the custodians of this industry’s institutional memory,” he said.

A Call for Action, Not Speeches

True to his outspoken nature, Runsewe used the moment not for praise, but for a reality check.

“There are too many talks in tourism — no action. We speak big English and return home,” he said, drawing murmurs and nods across the hall.

Runsewe said he had deliberately stopped speaking publicly for a while because discussions in the sector rarely translated into action.

He reminisced on past moments of leadership and innovation , such as when former President Olusegun Obasanjo led a delegation to Trinidad and Tobago, putting Nigeria on the global cultural map in his own unique style.

Religious Tourism: Untapped Goldmine

Perhaps the most striking part of Runsewe’s speech was his revelation about the economic potential of religious tourism in Nigeria.

“How many of us know the late Prophet T.B. Joshua was selling religious tourism? At his conferences, over 20 private jets would be parked at the airport. I used to go there to count the countries. I have the data,” he said.

To him, the failure to commercialise and structure such opportunities is a national loss.

Tourism as a Solution to Unemployment

Runsewe was emphatic: tourism could be Nigeria’s biggest employer of labour if managed well.

“After agriculture, tourism is the largest employer of labour in the world. If we take it seriously, no Nigerian child should be jobless,” he said.

Celebrating While Still Alive

Runsewe acknowledged former Minister Frank Ogbuewu for honouring the invitation despite initial reluctance.

“It is only the living that can be celebrated. Let us thank God that during our lifetime, we are being appreciated,” he said.

What Next for Tourism?

The award ceremony was more than a night of celebration. It became a mirror reflecting the unrealised potential of Nigeria’s tourism industry — creativity without structure, passion without policy, and opportunities waiting to be harnessed.

As the night ended, Runsewe left the audience with one message: tourism is not just culture, festivals, or travel , it is an economic lifeline waiting to be activated.

Vanguard News