Wale Ojo-Lanre , Nigerian Tribune
)
In July 2013, the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation Chief Edem Duke dragged eminent personalities, business dignitaries and tourism practitioners to the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa for the launching of a tourism brand christened ‘Fascinating Nigeria’, a new way of communicating the tourism brand that Nigeria is offering to the world.
The event was not just one of the run-in-the-mills programmes as it commanded the presence of the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who was represented by the Vice-President, Alhaji Mohammed Sambo.
Others at the venue were Governor Liyel Imoke, Cross Rivers, Mrs Folorunso Alakija, a fashion icon, selected media houses and executives of Tourism Associations, state Commissioners for Tourism and others.
Packaged to be a great event, the pre- launching of Fascinating Nigeria Project was greeted with publicity and marketing campaigns raising the hope and making the nation to believe that a solution has been found to the lingering underestimation of the tourism sector.
The launching ceremony was handled in the most glamorous style, which belched out glitz, colour and fantasy with almost all leading musical stars, comedians, artists, Nollywood icons displayed their talents to excite the world that Nigeria is simply fascinating.
A Nigerian journalist who witnessed the launching vividly captured the night thus, “The foyer of the Banquet Hall was a grand exhibition room with artefacts from across the country competing for attention with models adorned in the best of Nigeria fashion, and giant portraits of past leaders hung on the walls.”
Nikki Laoye who belted out a rousing rendition of the National Anthem kicked off the formalities. This was followed by a cultural dance by the National Troupe tagged “A coat of Many Colours” to celebrate Nigeria’s diversity.
Up next was a medley of musical performances starting with Omawumi, then Inyanya, Tuface and and P-Square. Veteran juju artist, King Sunny Ade, also dazzled the audience with dance steps that belied his age.
It was also a night of screenings as Nigeria’s history and heritage was shown through footage of some of the country’s important sites, rich endowments, the Nollywood industry, football icons and the forthcoming centenary celebration.
Some of Nigeria’s leading hospitality spots where also included in the minutes-long video which to a large extent portrayed Nigeria as an interesting proposition for potential tourists.”
The Minister did great work to uniquely express and impress the guests and the world that Nigeria did all have what it takes to become a force to be reckoned with in the comity of tourism nations.
“This is a new beginning for Nigerian tourism and the brand Nigeria.”
Thus with the grandiose launching which was not only a star-studded, culturally expressive and touristically explosive, Fascinating Nigeria Project raised the hope of tourism stakeholders and Nigerians who believe that a year after the launch, Nigeria and Nigerians would have been reaping the dividends of the branding and Nigeria would have fascinated a lot of people.
Despite the successful launching of Fascinating Nigeria Project some critics were of the opinion that the project was nothing but a charade concocted by the Minister to dazzle the President and Nigeria that he has something to offer
According to Otunba Adewale Martins, Public Communication Director, Hospitality Watch, who reacted after the launching of the project last year, ”Brand or branding in tourism is a good idea especially for a country like Nigeria which is suffering from battered image and under reporting particularly in the tourism sector. But, I will tell you that very soon, we shall all realize that this Edem Duke’s one is a charade and a dazzling stunt to impress the President that he is working and to pool wool in the eyes of the nation. I bet you, going by the circumstances of the launching when Boko Haram insurgency is biting hard and the conception of this project, which is not altruistic; it is another white elephant project, which will not withstand the test of time. Nothing good will come out of it. Let us wait for the next 12 months.”
It is exactly 12 months that Fascinating Nigeria Project was truly launched with pomp and ceremony, apart from the fact that the replica of the launching was held at the World Travel Market in London, (WTM), in November last year, nothing stronger seemed to have come out of the project.
Also, the Minister has not only failed to follow up on his expressed determination of making the branding a useful project to Nigeria, but also failed to ensure that the President affirmed his promises to the sector according to the content of his speech on that fateful night when the Fascinating Nigeria Project Nigeria project was launched in the most fascinating manner and delightful colours.
Chief Duke owes the nation and tourism stakeholders the duty of revealing what truncated the promising glow of the much celebrated Fascinating Nigeria Project launched extravagantly at the bowels of the Presidential Villa and attended by the President last year July or he wants us to believe that it was just an ill conceived, revenue guzzling white elephant projected beautifully collared and packaged to deceive Nigeria?
