The elasticity of the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Dr (Mrs) Sally Mbanefo, for orchestrating practical promotion of tourism industry in Nigeria, with domestic tourism as a catalyst, to achieve a predetermined goal of creating wealth and jobs at the grassroots level in the country, is limitless.
Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation

Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation

The ebullient NTDC boss leverages on every opportunity to preach and promote domestic tourism . The latest one was the Iri Ji Ndi Igbo 2014 (National New Yam Festival 2014), where she calculatedly enlightened the community leaders and participants at the event.

Iri Ji Ndi Igbo is an event bequeathed on the Igbos by their great ancestor, Igbo, the head and father of Igbo race and nation. The festival is celebrated by the Igbo people, held at the end of the rainy season, to symbolize the conclusion of a harvest and the beginning of the next work cycle. The celebration is also a very culturally based occasion, tying individual Igbo communities together as essentially agrarian and dependent on yam.

The port of call of the NTDC boss in Ugbo Ukwu community in Anambra State for the celebration of this year’s Iri Ji Ndi Igbo was the Igbo-Ukwu palace to pay homage to the Idu II of Igbo-Ukwu, HRH Idu (Dr.) Martin Ezeh.

HRH Ezeh while reacting to the visit of Dr Mbanefo to his palace prior the commencement of the festival lauded the strides of the NTDC boss at promoting domestic tourism and cultural festivals in the country.

“Dr Sally Mbanefo has a blessing to Nigeria, and in particular the Nigerian tourism industry. If men and women of vision and passion for nation building like our daughter, Dr (Mrs) Sally Mbanefo are at the helms of affairs of every sector in Nigeria, the nation will not only express her appellation as the Giant of Africa, but also as the Giant of the whole world. This is because we have the resources, what we only need are men of vision and patriotism to manage the resources for the benefit of all,” HRH Ezeh disclosed.

The Odogwu of Ibusa and Director of Centre for Igbo Studies of the University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Dr Tony Nwaezeigwe, who corroborated the submission of the Igbo-Ukwu monarch on the efforts Dr Mbanefo at promoting Nigeria’s tourism industry, culture and tradition enjoined the NTDC boss to make a policy that will make the Igbos understand and appreciate their culture and tradition.

“Foreigners are coming to appreciate what we have, in terms of culture and heritage, hence we should never allow those inestimable virtues to go into extinction. Thus, I plead with our government to make Igbo language and history a must in the academic curricular, thereby protecting our language, culture and tradition,” Dr Nwaezeigwe submitted.

Like she did with other traditional rulers during their festivals, Dr Mbanefo presented HRH Ezeh with a cow for the celebration of the festival.

The National Yam House venue of the festival was electrified with the entrance of the NTDC boss, with the dancing troupe of the community welcoming her with series of melodious traditional songs and beats, while the DG alighted from the vehicle and dancing to the rhythm of the troupe’s traditional music to the admiration of participants.

In her speech, Dr Mbanefo noted that the Igbo nation is a people who are blessed with everything that make a great nation, adding that the human material resources that are found in Igboland are enough to make Nigerian tourism Africa’s destination hub.

Her words: “Tourism is a principal export for 83 per cent of developing countries and it is the most significant source of foreign exchange after petroleum. We committed to promoting domestic tourism, as its market has a very high revenue and job creation potentials. Tourism industry contribution to GDP is valued at approximately N1.3trillion with a 2.6 per cent contribution to total employment at 1,636,500 jobs.

“According to available data, Nigeria recorded a total 4,037,808 tourist arrival in 2013 while $649,468,486 forms their expenditure. As a result, I am committed to taking Nigeria tourism to greater height by increasing domestic tourism revenue, expand domestic tourism volume by at least 30 per cent and entrench a culture of tourism among Nigerians.

“I will continue to collaborate a sustainable partnership with the private sector operators to harness tourism resources and make Nigeria destination hub of Africa, and further grow the tourism value chain to enhance revenue generation in the country”.

She also enjoined the traditional rulers to intensify efforts at creating an enabling environment for domestic tourism to thrive in their community, while pledging the commitment of government to support and strengthen the festival in order to serve as a veritable channel to promote and market Nigeria’s rich culture.

The NTDC boss charged Igbo parents and guidance to ensure that the speaking of vernacular in their homes is encouraged as a means of communication which according to her “is a strong tool in promoting our cultural heritage.”

The Igbo-Ukwu community, in appreciation of the NTDC boss’ contribution to the development of Nigerian tourism industry and support for the Igbo community, conferred on her the Ona Mma Ndi Igbo.

Conferring the chieftaincy title on Dr Mbanefo, HRH Ezeh, said: “Mbanefo did not buy this chieftaincy title with money, rather we consider it apt for her, having considered her immense contributions to Nigeria and support for the promotion and development of Igbo culture and tradition. We pray that God almighty will continue to strengthen her and bless her with the wisdom to record a successful tenure in office, thereby propelling the movement of this nation and the Igbo communities to their respective promised land.”

http://dailyindependentnig.com/2014/09/2014-igbo-ukwu-new-yam-festival-boost-domestic-tourism/