The Nation Newspaper

Category: Travels on Saturday

  • Federal Palace to reward customers

    Federal Palace Hotel & Casino has decided to give out a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser by December this year.

    The hotel has called on all lovers of the casino game to come and play its ultramodern slots and tables casino games and stand a chance to win a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser in the “Land A Cruiser Jackpot” which ends on Saturday, December 14 at 11 pm.

    Uche Ogbu, Marketing Manager, Federal Palace Hotel & Casino, said: “The promo is aimed at appreciating the hotel’s casino patrons who have sustained gaming in the hotel”.

    According to him, the casino is one of the products the management of the hotel is using to sell the already running 146 tastefully furnished rooms and ensure an all-round unique entertainment experience for guests at the hotel.

    It would be recalled that while receiving the Best Casino in Nigeria Award from the organisers of Travellers’ Awards, Ogbu noted that the award was in recognition of “the quality casino game and leisure offering the hotel has sustained over the years”.

    Guests wishing to participate in the jackpot promo can make further enquires at the MVG desk in the hotel.

  • See Dubai and Drool

    See Dubai and Drool

    I was excited when I got an invitation to cover a workshop in Dubai in August. It was my first trip ouside the African continent.

    Though I had enjoyed previous trips to Ghana, Gabon and stopovers in Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin Republic, those experiences paled in comparison with the one week I spent in Dubai, the commercial capital of the United Arab Emirates. The workshop was organised to include a bus tour of the city, boat cruise and shopping which all featured after the business of discussing research and mentoring in tertiary education was completed. The participants were top administrators and lecturers from Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

    The flight

    I was surprised to find that the flight was nearly full. The passengers were mostly Nigerian couples travelling with an average of three children for the summer holidays. Flying for six hours was something I was not sure I could endure. However, Etihad Airline made it worth while. I settled comfortably in my 33G seat with a vacant seat by my left and the aisle by my right. I spent most of the flight watching a TV series on the cabin monitor in front of me, pausing only to visit the bathroom and eat the many meals provided by the crew (they fed us almost throughout). Towards the end of the flight, thankfully, I had to chat with five-year old Nnenna who commandeered the seat next to me and forced me into her world of cartoons and video game.

    Desert heat

    The jolt of the desert heat is unmistakable to a first- time visitor. We landed at the Abu Dhabi Airport around 8pm local time. The air conditioning in the plane and airport made me oblivious to the weather until we got outside and were enveloped by the suffocating heat. I could have run back inside if I could. Many times during my stay, I had to run for cover shortly after venturing outside.

    Abu Dhabi, the capital and second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates, lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast. The city has a population of 921,000. It is relatively small compared to Lagos with about 18 million inhabitants.

    Abu Dhabi is home to important financial institutions such as the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates and the corporate headquarters of many companies and numerous multinational corporations. One of the world’s largest producers of oil, Abu Dhabi has actively attempted to diversify its economy in recent years through investments in financial services and tourism.

    We endured about an hour and a half of the heat travelling in a bus limousine from Abu Dhabi to Dubai.

     

    The city

    The bus tour we had gave us a good glimpse of the beautiful city that houses 25 per cent of the world’s cranes, a demonstration of the pace of its development. Dubai is not only beautiful but well organised. And despite the heat, it attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world, ranking as the ninth most popular destination. Our tour guide, an Indian, told us that the city is populated by 12 per cent locals and 82 per cent foreigners, mostly visitors. He informed us that Dubai owes its development to an illiterate king, Sheikh Rashid, who got funds from a Kuwaiti King to extend the Dubai Creek from the Arabian Gulf to promote commerce.

    Dubai is divided into two areas: Bur Dubai and Deira Dubai. Bur Dubai is the exclusive home of the Emiratis (UAE citizens). Deira Dubai is downtown and houses most of the skyscrapers and massive shopping malls.

    In Bur Dubai, we visited Jumeirah Road, a 15km long road that houses the most expensive residential buildings, mostly occupied by very rich Emiratis. We visited Islamic Art centre; open beach which is open to the public; Burj Al Arab, the most expensive hotel in the world built on a island; the Atlantis Hotel located in the manmade Palm Jumeirah Island; the Dubai Mall, a huge shopping mall housing hundreds of malls so huge that it takes up to three hours to tour; the Burj Khalifa which is the world’s tallest building at 880metres high and the Dubai Creek which hosts boat cruises every night.

    The Emiratis

    I fell in love with the Emiratis. You hardly find them because we learnt they don’t work. They don’t need to work because they own 40 per cent of every foreign investment, a government policy put in place to ensure they are rich. We met them mostly in the malls, shopping. Though the women were dressed in black burkas, we could tell they were rich. They looked really clean and their children were dressed in the western fashion.

    Deira is the commercial area of Dubai. It hardly sleeps. Here, the buying and selling go from late morning when the Dubai wakes up till the early hours of the next day. It is a melting pot for virtually all nationalities as people come from all over the world to shop there. Most of the trading in Deira is most from traders from Pakistan, India and many other Asian countries.

    In all, visiting Dubai was an interesting experience. It is a city that has an allure that keeps pulling on any visitor for a return.

  • The Unique Nature of Rivers Niger, Benue

    The Unique Nature of Rivers Niger, Benue

    The middle-aged woman was engrossed in her rowing.  Gentle stroke of the wooden oars flapped the water, as she manoeuvred the canoe through the water.  At the bank of the river, children and adults  were engrossed in their petty trading activities.

    The water of the River Niger flows swiftly heading for the confluence.  It has been like that for thousands of years. It would likely be the same thousands of years to come.

    The woman checked her net to see if there were fish. The net came out from the river empty, nothing. It did not seem to bother her. She simply sorted out the net and doggedly turned the direction of the canoe and continued in her search.

    At the bank of the River Niger  in Lokoja, we waited for the person that would take us to the point of Confluence between the Rivers Niger  and Benue.

    The point of confluence of these two rivers has been the basis of the strategic importance of this old, cosmopolitan city of Lokoja.  It really does not have the complete stamp of a particular tribe. Many ethnic groups have regarded the town as their home.

    Although there has always been indigenous inhabitants of Lokoja on top of the Mount Patti,  it was the intrusion of a certain British explorer  in 1775, Mungo Park,  that changed the complexion of this beautiful environment.  He was  the first European in Lokoja.  Others were to follow.  McGregor Laird and Richard Lander carried another expedition more than 50 years later  in 1832. This was to be  followed in  1841 by an exploration commanded by William and Bird Allen. Subsequently, Dr. Belfour Baike and other explorers followed suit in 1854 and 1857.

    In the course of these unwanted intrusions by  these foreign visitors,  the importance of the town as a link between the River Niger and the Atlantic Ocean became known. Trading followed, and with its search for wealth. Wars, either as punitive or in whatsoever guise, were not far away. Just about 50 metres from the bank is the colonial cemetery. All the names of the those buried were likely British.

    Of course, it was here that the reason for Nigeria’s marking of 100 years as a single entity was first muted by a Flora Shaw.

    For our trip to the confluence point, two boats were at our disposal. Unfortunately, the life-jackets were few . More  misfortune still, I was among those that had to do without one. Ordinarily, I never risked travel on water without a life-jacket, but the tug of an adventure trip to the point of confluence was stronger. I had not phobia for water, so off we went.

    The engine seemed to protest the excess the canoe was carrying, but we went. Further in the water, the city of Lokoja unfolded from the bank of the river sweeping through the town and at the back. Due to the heavy rain, the current was a little fast and the water muddy. But we paid little attention, lost in the wonderlust of the  scenic beauty that unfought on this water, many colonial soldiers that the bottom of this water serves as their everlasting resting place and the natives whose bones are sitting deep at the bottom of the water.

    Gradually, we inched towards the confluence. Our tour guide told us there is a distinction between the water from Benue and Niger and that despite the fact that the two water meet at this point, they still maintain their identity like oil and water not mixing together. He said because of the muddy nature of the river as a result of the rains, it was difficult to notice that at this time of the year.

    On our left we could see the bank of  River Benue. At a point in time, I could picture the map of Nigeria and where I was.

    The boat did a U-turn and headed for the Benue River upstream. I scooped some of the water. There seemed to be no difference between the two rivers, yet their distinct identity is like the day and night. Although the point of confluence is the point where the two rivers become one, there are other tiny rivulets where the two rivers also link up.  It was from one of these  we linked back to the Niger and then to the bank of the river.

    As we approached, I thought of Lokoja today, its position in history, the people living there and every other thing about the town.

  • Gambia, Rwanda, South Africa for AKWAABA 2013

    If you have not seen the classical Rwandan dance at the London WTM or at ITB Berlin, then you must be at Akwaaba 2013, as the Rwandan delegation is bringing the party to Town at Eko Hotel for three days,culminating in the Rwanda Day on October 29 by 2pm.

    The 9th Akwaaba African Market, taking place in Lagos from October 27 to 29, will be declared open by the former President of the Africa Travel Association and one of the hardest working ministers of tourism in Africa, Mrs. Fatou Mass Njie Jobe, the Minister of Tourism and Culture from the smiling coast of The Gambia.

    ”As part of our continuous efforts to increase awareness within the sub-regional market, most especially Nigeria, as a strategy to ensure an all-year round tourism destination, The Gambia Tourism Board is pleased to inform you of The Gambia’s participation in this year’s AKWAABA Trade Fair in Nigeria,” said Adama Njie, the Marketing Director of The Gambia Tourism Board in a press statement recently.

    “The Gambia will also organize a Gambian Day on October 28. This day is another platform to showcase what the Gambia has to offer, including serving our national dishes called BENACHI and DOMODA”, he said

    South Africa, the African economic and tourism powerhouse, will be playing a major role in Lagos at the same event. South African Tourism (SAT), the national tourism agency responsible for the marketing of South Africa as a preferred tourist destination, will be participating at the 9th Akwaaba. SAT plans to host its annual trade workshop in one of the available conference rooms on October 28 and 29. This will end with a networking cocktail function on the evening of October 29 at Eko Hotel.

    SAT Chief Executive Officer, Mr Thulani Nzima said: “SAT will be bringing around 20 South African product owners, hoteliers, inbound tour operators, provincial tourism boards and our national carrier, SAA”.

    As part of the new marketing partnership between the Kenya Tourism Board and Kenya Airways, the Magical Kenya brand will fly in Lagos at the annual Akwaaba fair, ending with a Kenya Day on on October 28. The Kenya Day celebration will be held to draw attention to the rich offerrings of Kenya.

    The modern resorts, fantastic beaches of Mombassa and the great safaris are Kenya’s drawing power. With its emergent IT savvy, Kenya is positioning itself as a destination and a partner to Nigeria.

    Zimbabwe of the Victoria falls fame has indicated its interest in joining the African Tourism event in Lagos, according to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority. Zimbabwe will want to expose its attractions to the West African audience at Akwaaba as first timers.

    Rwanda, the East African poster boy of emerging markets, will be showcasing its huge tourism products at Akwaaba African Travel Market. Recently, Rwanda was rated as the most improved tourism destination in Africa.

    It is the first country to open its borders to other Africans,a milestone in tourism and intra-African relationship.

  • InterContinental Lagos opens in style

    InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened its first hotel in Nigeria and the  company’s first InterContinental hotel in West Africa.

    The 358-room InterContinental Lagos is located on Plot 52, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, the Nigerian business and diplomatic hub, home to numerous embassies and multinational companies. Close to Lagos Creek, the 23-storey hotel offers guests stunning panoramic views of the Gulf of Guinea. Lagos is the largest city in the country, as well as one of the biggest and fastest-growing cities in Africa.

    The hotel is set to appeal to local residents and international travellers alike with four restaurants and stylish bars on offer. Ekaabo, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, serves up a blend of Nigerian and international cuisine and overlooks a majestic waterfall, while Milano offers contemporary Italian cuisine. For those after Far Eastern fare, the hotel’s Chinese restaurant, Soho, is the ideal option.

    At the hotel’s poolside restaurant, PS/SP, guests can choose from a variety of healthy lunch and dinner choices and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, while seated next to the hotel’s Zen Garden.

    For event planners and business travellers, the hotel offers state-of-the-art facilities. Its Grand African Ballroom can seat up to 1,400 people with an additional six other meeting rooms, a boardroom and business facilities. The hotel also features a luxurious health and fitness centre which includes a sauna and steam room, and Club InterContinental.

    The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who was joined by other eminent persons from all walks of life, performed the grand opening of the hotel at a colourful ceremony characterised by glitz and glamour.

    Fashola, in his speech, commended the promoters of InterContinental Lagos for their vision, saying the building of the hotel was a welcome development at a time Nigeria was yearning for foreign direct investments to grow the economy. He noted that continuous investment in the local economy was the answer to creating more jobs for the teeming unemployed Nigerians.

    “It is clear that there is growth on the African continent. But growth is a cycle as economists will tell you, and if we do nothing with the cycle of opportunity, it will move on. It is here now, but we are dealing with growth without enough jobs. There is no miracle about it. The answer lies in continuous local investments, continuous pushing of the frontiers of commitment, continuous investments at home and emphasis on the possibilities that lie here”, he said.

    Fashola, who commended the Milan Group and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) for the multi-billion naira investment in the state, specifically saluted the courage of Mr. Ramesh Valechha for the bold move, even as he assured willing investors of his administration’s commitment to the growth of the tourism and hospitality sector as well as foster an environment that can enable investments thrive.

    “The Milan Group and InterContinental Hotels Group did not make this investment because the Lagos State Government went to look for investors. They made this investment because the environment was enabling. I salute the commitment and the belief of the Milan Group in the Lagos and the Nigerian economy.

    “And if you want to know how deep that belief is, you need to take a turn to the basement of this building. You will see that persistence and conviction expressed in several metres deep of concrete and steel and it shows you how difficult it was to get this project under way. But they did not give up because they were convinced that this was the place to put their money”, the governor said.

    Fashola also enjoined Nigerian entrepreneurs to tap the opportunities created by the current deficit in key sectors such as hotel, road infrastructure and other utilities that could create economic growth, jobs and make life better for the people as he declared InterContinental Lagos as a ‘’life-defining’’ infrastructure. He urged Nigerian professionals and entrepreneurs to continue to be the drivers of more landmark projects of this nature.

    Speaking on behalf of the owners of InterContinental Lagos, the Chairman of Milan Group, Mr. Ramesh Valechha, disclosed that the newly opened first luxury five-star hotel in the history of Nigeria has created 650 direct employments and scores of indirect employment in the hotel value chain.

    ‘‘We note with a high sense of satisfaction that we have created 650 direct employments for some Nigerians and indeed scores of indirect employment for others connected one way or the other to our hotel value chain as suppliers and service providers. This is part of our noble contributions to the economic environment within which our businesses are set,’’ Valechha said.

    The chairman disclosed that the architectural design and construction of the 358-room and 23-storey magnificent hotel were executed by Nigerian professionals, while the financing was undertaken by two local banks – Skye and Wema.

    He stated that the successful completion of the hotel, despite the challenges associated with projects of this magnitude, underscored the greatness of the vision of the owners and the belief of various people involved in the project.

     

     

     

     

     

    ‘‘Like all large construction projects, we had our share of challenges associated with projects of this magnitude. But members of our team have done their utmost to make certain that we are ready for our opening day! This kind of loyalty has been truly inspiring and makes us proud of the people of this great country and their unbroken spirit in the face of challenges. In spite of these challenges, we have made it, and you are all here to celebrate our success with us’’, he said.

     

    InterContinental Lagos, he added, was purposefully built and reflected the highest international standards while assuring consumers of value for their money. According to Valechha, ‘‘we have, in our own little way introduced some positive narratives that will form the basis for new conversations about Nigeria at the global stage. I am confident of one thing; this iconic structure opened today will form the topic of new positive discourse by International business and leisure tourists who will have cause to visit Nigeria from now on.’’

     

    In his remarks on behalf of Nigerian professionals that worked on the design and construction of the magnificent hotel, the Managing Director of Design Group and the lead architect who designed the building, Arc. Bayo Odunlami, said the complex was a testimonial of the high professionalism of Nigerians. While expressing gratitude to the promoters for their confidence in Nigerians, he said ‘‘this edifice is an outstanding testimonial that Nigerian professionals have come of age‘’. He added that it was also a boost for the country’s perception.

     

    On his part, the Managing Director of Skye Bank, Mr. Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti, commended the resilience of Mr. Valechha and his team for seeing the project through despite the challenges. He said apart from changing the Lagos skyline, InterContinental Lagos was ‘‘a hotel of the future’’ for Nigeria. His Wema Bank counterpart, Mr. Segun Oloketuyi, described the project as ‘‘a landmark and destination hotel’’, noting that it would impact the nation economy in terms of direct employment and several value chain benefits.

     

    Veteran architect, Mr. Robin Johnson, whom Mr. Odunlami acknowledged as his professional trainer and mentor, saluted Mr. Valechha for making his vision to become a reality and expressed joy with the high quality of work done by the local professionals whom he said had helped the owners ‘‘built their dream exactly the way they wanted it.’’

     

    Earlier on, a media interactive session was held by the Milan Group and InterContinental Hotels Group managements during which they spoke on the hotel project and its offerings. According to them, some of the state-of-art facilities at InterContinental Lagos include 260 superior rooms, 61 club or business rooms, 36 suites and a presidential suite all totalling 358 keys.

     

    Other facilities are seven different types of restaurants and bars that serve continental, Nigerian, Chinese, and Italian cuisine, a 1000-seat ball room, eight meeting rooms, a business centre, a board room, and a health floor consisting of most modern gymnasium, swimming pool, sauna, spa and steam rooms. There is also a swimming pool deck floor with an open space for seating 1200 or more guests in an open area for cocktails, leisure and after work relaxation.

     

    General Manager of InterContinental Lagos, Mr. Didier Coeln said, “Given its excellent location, InterContinental Lagos is perfectly placed to give our guests access to central business areas, pristine beaches, and some of the best entertainment options in Lagos,”. “We also understand that our guests value authenticity and want to experience the local culture. Our concierge team looks forward to sharing their local knowledge of Lagos so guests can enjoy an authentic and enriching stay with us.”

     

    The grand opening event was attended by eminent persons among whom were Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; his predecessor, Chief Joseph Sanusi; Lagos State Commissioners for Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Sola Oworu; Mr. Kayode Opeifa (Transport); Engr. Taofiq Tijani (Energy and Mineral Resources); Group Managing Director of Milan Group, Mr. Rajesh  Valechha; Executive Director, Milan Group, Mr. Vikram Valechha; General Manager, InterContinental Lagos, Mr. Didier Coeln; Regional General Manager Africa, IHG; Mr. Maher Nasr and Regional Director, IHG; Mr. Karl Hala.

     

    Also present were former Managing Director, Skye Bank, Mr. Akinsola Akinfenwa; Managing Director, Wema Bank, Mr. Segun Oloketuyi; former Managing Director, Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia while the royal fathers present included the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo and the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Abiodun Idowu Oniru. Other dignitaries were former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Inuwa Wushishi (retd.) and Chief Executive Officer, Guardian Press Limited, Mrs. Maiden Ibru among several others.

     

    InterContinental Lagos is the sixth InterContinental hotel in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the next five years the hotel is due to be joined by an additional two InterContinental hotels in Senegal and Uganda.

     

     

  • World Tourism Day : Travel writer launches e-books

    TO mark this year’s World Tourism Day celebrations, award-winning travel writer, Pelu Awofeso, has launched the e-versions of his travel books, Tour Of Duty: Journeys Around Nigeria And Sketches Of Everyday Life And Nigerian Festivals: The Famous And Not So Famous.

    Both titles have been available in print over the years but travel book lovers can now get them in the electronic form. “I have opted for a 21st Century approach to book publishing, which is the e-book,” Awofeso, winner 2010 CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Awards (Tourism), says. “What this means simply is that there are no physical inconveniences of any kind—the books can be bought at the click of a mouse and from anywhere in the world.”

    In 2009, with just a backpack and a camera, Awofeso crisscrossed 18 states in eight months in his ‘Underbelly’ project, giving birth to the entralling collection in Tour Of Duty. With Nigerian Festivals, he celebrates the rich, exotic and diverse culture on Nigeria and Nigerians.

    “At a time when the world is used to being fed with lots of negative news about Nigeria, Nigeria needs to encourage the publication of more travel-based literature,” Awofeso asserts. “Tour of Duty and Nigerian Festivals show some of the absorbing sights and stories that make Nigeria a go-to destination for both domestic and foreign tourists.”

  • World Tourism Day : Travel writer launches e-books

    World Tourism Day : Travel writer launches e-books

    TO mark this year’s World Tourism Day celebrations, award-winning travel writer, Pelu Awofeso, has launched the e-versions of his travel books, Tour Of Duty: Journeys Around Nigeria And Sketches Of Everyday Life And Nigerian Festivals: The Famous And Not So Famous.

    Both titles have been available in print over the years but travel book lovers can now get them in the electronic form. “I have opted for a 21st Century approach to book publishing, which is the e-book,” Awofeso, winner 2010 CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Awards (Tourism), says. “What this means simply is that there are no physical inconveniences of any kind—the books can be bought at the click of a mouse and from anywhere in the world.”

    In 2009, with just a backpack and a camera, Awofeso crisscrossed 18 states in eight months in his ‘Underbelly’ project, giving birth to the entralling collection in Tour Of Duty. With Nigerian Festivals, he celebrates the rich, exotic and diverse culture on Nigeria and Nigerians.

    “At a time when the world is used to being fed with lots of negative news about Nigeria, Nigeria needs to encourage the publication of more travel-based literature,” Awofeso asserts. “Tour of Duty and Nigerian Festivals show some of the absorbing sights and stories that make Nigeria a go-to destination for both domestic and foreign tourists.”

  • South African Tourism congratulates CHAN 2014 qualifiers

    SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM (SAT) has congratulated each of the 16 teams that qualified for the African National Championship 2014(CHAN). SAT said all was set to welcome them to South Africa

    “The passion and energy of AFCON 2013 – as Africa came together in South Africa and celebrated the game of soccer as one – was incredible. CHAN moves to three new host cities in South Africa and they are eagerly preparing for the tournament next year. We invite all soccer enthusiasts to come to South Africa to support their teams and to enjoy the diverse leisure and lifestyle activities here in South Africa,” says South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer, Thulani Nzima.

    The cities: Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Polokwane were announced by the Local Organising Committee (LOC). The three cities offer soccer fans limitless choices for adventure, culture and heritage, shopping, dining, nightlife, wine tasting and scenic beauty… and opportunities aplenty to make new friends.

    “African tourists are the backbone and lifeblood of South Africa’s tourism industry, and they are highly valued by the destination. African markets are critical markets, and South Africa invests heavily in growing its share of visitors from the rest of the continent. In 2012 tourist arrivals from regional Africa grew by 8.5%. The individual markets performed really well: Nigeria grew by 13.8%t, Ghana grew by 23.8 %, Uganda grew by 7.4%, Kenya grew by 9 %, Angola grew by 21.7 % and Tanzania grew by 25.4 %.

    “CHAN gives South Africa an important platform to follow up on the awareness and visibility that AFCON afforded us earlier this year as we continue to entrench South Africa’s status as a welcoming, exciting, alluring, capable and accessible destination. We want to build on that momentum, push it forward and keep African tourist arrivals to South Africa growing strongly,” concludes Nzima.

    The 16 teams that will compete are: South Africa, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

  • Hotel Geneza to boost tourism in Ebonyi

    EBONYI State tourism received a boost with the opening of Geneza Hotels recently. To consolated gains made be the state in hospitality busines, the owner of Geneza Hotel has tasked the state government to capitalize on the investments in hotels by private individuals to develop the vast array of potential tourist sites dotting the entire landscape of the state waiting to be exploited.

    Mr Maduka who made the call in Abakaliki, the state capital during the official commissioning of the hotel located at No 19 Onwe Road Abakaliki listed some of such tourism sites to include the Oferekpe beach, the Afikpo beach and the water walks plateau.

    “The water walks plateau is a potential tourist site waiting to be exploited. We, therefore, request the state government to invest in the plateau by building cable car that would cris-cros the hill and terminating at the foot where a museum will be built to showcase the cultural heritage of Ebonyi people” he said.

    The about 30 room hotel among other packages has 24hr power supply and security with CCTV, high speed Internet access in all the rooms, electronic room safe, car hire services, electronic key door, business centre with high speed Internet access and a well trained staff.

    Commissioning the Hotel, the State Governor, Martin Elechi noted that tourism is one of the chief drivers of economies of many nations hence an investment in the sector is an investment with astronomical prospects of success.

    Elechi represented by his Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hycinth Ikpo commended the owners of the Hotel for such massive edifice which he said signifies yet another victorious milestone for tourism and infrastructural development in the state.

    “For every developing state, there must be corresponding expansions to engender a congenial atmosphere for socio-economic activities to thrive. Therefore the building of Hotel Geneza is most timely”, Elechi added.

  • Glamour of green world carnival unveiled

    It was a night of glitz and stars. It was also a night of songs and dances. Members of the carnival bands of the Rivers State came in their full costumes. People became excited as some of Nigeria’s finest home video icons sauntered into the banquet hall of Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt. There was Monalisa Chinda, Ini Edo, Mike Ezuruonye, Norbert Young and many others.

    But it was not all about the screen; it was also a display of all that was good in the culture of the riverine people. There were the voluptuous and beautiful adorned maidens in their traditional regalia. They were bedecked in huge beads, some as huge as the arm of a child and other colourful attire.

    It is a night like this that one truly appreciates the richness of Nigeria’s diverse culture.

    The night was for tourism and all had gathered to unveil a tourism product that is geared towards wooing local and inbound tourists, and in the process to celebrate all that is good in our culture and environment.

    It was for the unveiling of the theme and logo for this year’s edition that the Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA) decided to explore seriousness, even in the revelry of a boisterous street party. The theme for this year is the Green World Edition. The thought process that led to this, according to Dr. Sam Dede, is the efforts of the tourism board to engage in sustainable tourism. According to him, over the years, the environment has been degraded by the activities of man, hence the need to engage in conscious efforts to make a change. What better opportunity than to pass across this message through the boisterous revelry of the CARNIRIV, a fiesta that has the whole state and beyond glued to it.

    The Rivers State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Nabbs Imegwu, talked about the what the night was all about: “As Africans and especially as Rivers people powering the cultural base and resource of Nigeria, we do have a lot of activities relating to our culture. When we say culture, it is not about masquerades. Ordinarily, we relate with culture as masquerades, but it goes far beyond that.

    “We have a lot about our culture which basically and fundamentally refers to our customs and values within families, within communities and within societies. A lot of activities that hallmark the very essence of us as a people tend to be concentrated in the last quarter of the year. On behalf of the governor of this state and the deputy governor, I fully express their apologies for their inability to be here tonight.

    “This is a state that has over time , especially in recent times, attached importance to the development of our rich economic potential and improved economy. It is not just the black gold, but for the fact that there are diverse rich elements within us, one of which is the rich cultural heritage that should and ought to be harnessed as a product of attractive tourism.

    “This administration is aware of the fact that tourism perhaps ranks second to some other economic sector. We are, therefore, working towards that. We will do the best we can to headline the tourism products we have identified to assist in driving and expanding the economic space in Rivers State.

    “The local government chairmen are very important in what we are doing; there cannot be CANIRIV without the local government chairmen. I say so because often times the chairmen have stood out as the anchor point for the first lap of out street parties. The street party is what carnival is about and it is two-pronged – we have the heritage float and the sea side floats. Majority of us are aware, but we have to say this for the benefit of all and for the benefit of the press and publicity.

    “Our heritage street party is anchored on the very core value of our existence as a people. We use as a rallying point the local government unit which is the last unit of governance. And over the years in our experience to rejuvenate what we initiated in Nigeria, the first ever carnival in the country was initiated in this state. Now in our attempt to rejuvenate that, we have used the local government chairmen as the rallying point being the last point of formal government, formal administration to mobilize our people and till date, they have done resourcefully well.

    “Many people see Nollywood as a local phenomenon, but except you travel wide, you would not appreciate how Nollywood has impacted globally, how much Nollywood has sold this country in the aspect of diplomacy and economy”.

    Dr. Sam Dede, the Director–General, Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTA), is used to glitz of the nights like this. But his was a sombre capture of what the essence of what the tourism board was trying to rekindle.

    He said: “This is the second in the series of our strategic development of CARNIRIV Global branch. We have a five-year development plan, so we have one year down, and in the next four years, we are thinking that if you tell anybody in Australia about CARNIRIV, they will say yes I know about that carnival. It took place in the city of Port Harcourt. Last year, we had our centenary celebrations and we titled that carnival ‘Port Harcourt 100 Edition’.

    “ So, we thought that we could use carnival to mobilize our people to realize the extent of damage that we have done to our environment and we begin to make amends towards righting the wrong. So the theme we chose for this year carnival is ‘Our Environment Bedrock For Sustainable Development’, for short ( Our Environment, Our Sustainance). We call it the ‘Green World Edition’, and we are hoping that at the end of the carnival season, even in our merriment and joyous dancing and singing, we will remember to do good for our environment before it gets worst than this. Incidentally, the world tourism day has the theme: Tourism and Water. And we are water people. We have conterminated our water and this is the time to get it right again .

    “Ok, we want you to leave this place with this statement in your mind that our land is green, and we must celebrate this. We need to celebrate the greenness of our land with potential investment opportunities, lingering on the horizon and with the rest of the world, singing the now familiar tune of environmental sustainability.

    “The time to join in order to utilise attendant opportunities is now. So even the papers that you use help in a way to deplict the environment, so we need to begin to get conscious and get involved. I will like to leave you with a statement by the president of the United State of America during his last visit to Africa. He said that we must teach our children to treasure what the earth gives us and nurture it for the next generation.

    “I think the greatest gift that the people of this generation can give to the next generation is the extent of green green we can leave behind. It is so simple, it is no money, it is not gold, it is not silver, it is not diamond, but just leave some kind of green green for the future generation to inherit.

    “So,during the carnival season, we are going to plant together. All the bands, RSTDA, all the ten bands in the free style parade from the 23 council areas are jointly going to plant one thousand trees to commemorate this edition of CANIRIV.

    “Let’s look at the brands for CANIRIV this season. Last year, we introduced the Egelede, and it became an instant success at the carnival village, but this time around we are going to get a celebrity wrestler to be a guest at Egelede. Those of you who are diehard fans of wrestling like me, you are likely going to see one of those major wrestlers as a guest at our own traditional wrestling. If you love John Cena, if you love Undertaker, if you love Hoc Organ. Just pray for us, we will do it for you.

    “CANIRIV Praise Jamz is also one other event to look out for. It is the carnival that opens the entire carnival season. We give all the praise to God. For those of us who go to church, those of you who believe in God, we will give you that. And for those of us who believe in the ancestors, we will also give the praise.

    “The International Heritage Parade is one other event you should not miss. It is what we call the boat regatta. We have the Garden City Free Style Parade, and you can see all the beautiful colours here representing the ten bands of the CANIRIV brand. The entire carnival season will close with the World Peace Concert. Last year, we had an incredible sixty thousand viewership at Port Harcourt Liberation Stadium, and before we knew it, the police asked us to stop the show because the stadium was bursting. We had to stop it. So this time, we are making the preparation to accommodate more of the crowd. We will put huge mega screens outside so you would not need to come into the stadium.”

    Gradually, the festival is becoming noticed and drawing support from ouside.

    Former CEO, Notting Hill Carnival,London, Mr. Shabaka Thompson, said: “One thing we have achieved in CARNIRIV in London is that the project has become a forerunner at the front of cultural tourism in the United Kingdom, and we should take pride that Rivers State is leading that good example of how we can sell cultural tourism to the upside of this country and CANIRIV is a very good example of that for the efforts of RSTDA.

    “ It was the first time in the 25-year existence or maybe they have won before,but they came first in their catergory and second overall in the carnival, and it boils down to the presence of that wonderful creative float and the masquerade that followed.

    “What we have learnt as well is that in including the float and the music to Notting Hill, we are generating a particular interest for the whole of Nigeria, the whole of Africa. Afrobeat music was popular on the parade route because the parade route was used to the Caribbean calypso-sucar music. The introduction of the Afrobeat muscic has attracted a large flock of well-behaved Nigerians who are only too eager to jump behind the Afrobeat music. We intend to build that, we hope that will continue, that RSTDA and the government of Rivers State will see it neccssary to continue building this relationship with NottingHill.

    “We at NottingHill welcome it. It has injected a new dimension into the carnival, and we want to make sure you continue to be leaders in this cultural, tourism development”.

    It was not just all about the future, the past was celebrated as the last year’s event winners were given prizes and monetary rewards.