Former Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has been honoured with the prestigious “Pillar of Nigerian Culture and Tourism” award.
The honour was conferred by the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET) during a colourful ceremony held on Thursday, October 23, at the Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Towers. The event brought together top figures from Nigeria’s tourism and cultural sectors, celebrating individuals who have shaped the nation’s tourism narrative.
Other distinguished Nigerians recognized at the event included Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu, former Minister of Tourism and Culture; Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, honoured as Foremost National Tourism Builder and Creative Mind; Mr. Jemi Alade, National Trailblazer in Inbound Tour Operation; Engineer Tarzan Ganiyu Shekoni Balogun, National Icon in Tourist Boat Operations and Water Transportation; Mr. Nkereuwem Onung, Icon of Consistency and Resilience in National Tourism Leadership; and Chief Abimbola Bode-Thomas, Hospitality and Tourism Management Amazon.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Okorie Uguru, President of ANJET, said the awards were designed to recognize and celebrate individuals whose dedication has left a lasting footprint on Nigeria’s tourism industry.
“It is not about celebrating those who are serving the country now, but showing appreciation to those who have served in the past, to challenge current political office holders to put in their best,” he stated.
“These are people who built the visibility and growth the tourism industry enjoys today. Even years after leaving office, their impact remains undeniable.”
In his acceptance speech, Runsewe expressed appreciation for the recognition but lamented the country’s lack of concrete action in developing tourism.
“I stopped talking for some time because there are too many talks in tourism, no action. We come, we speak big English, and go back,” he said. “If this country manages tourism well, we should not have a single child looking for a job. After agriculture, tourism is the biggest employer of labour, but we are still telling ourselves stories.”
He highlighted Nigeria’s untapped potential in religious tourism, referencing the global attention once drawn by the late Pastor T. B. Joshua’s ministry.
“T. B. Joshua was selling religious tourism and nobody keyed into it. When he had his conferences, over 20 private jets were parked at the airport. That is tourism content we ignored,” Runsewe noted.
The veteran tourism advocate concluded by thanking ANJET for the honour and urging journalists and tourism stakeholders to continue promoting Nigeria’s diverse cultural and tourism heritage.
