The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has written the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Industry, Hannatu Musawa, expressing concerns over the Motherland Initiative 2025 project by the Ministry in conjunction with a private organisation, named; Motherland Africa.
The Ministry in a letter titled; Request for Nomination: Motherland 2025 Initiative, dated February 19, 2025 and signed by Hadizer Ali on behalf of the Minister, requested FTAN, which is the umbrella body for private sector operators in tourism, to nominate a representative to the Motherland 2025 Ministerial Committee to be inaugurated on February 20, 2025 at the conference room of the Minister’s Abuja office per the letter.
According to the letter, ‘‘Motherland 2025 Initiative is a key project in line with the activation of the Destination 2030: Nigeria Everywhere soft power initiative. The initiative aims to fulfill the mission of the Ministry by positioning Nigeria as a premier global destination where tourism drives economic empowerment, cultural preservation, and national pride, guided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.’’
Meanwhile, in its letter, titled; Re: Request for nomination: Motherland Initiative 2025, dated February 20, 2025, and signed by its President, Nkwereuwem Onung, FTAN expressed thanks to the Minister for the invitation, and apologised for its inability to attend the event, stating, ‘‘Thank you for your letter of invitation dated 19th February 2024. Please permit our inability to attend the event due to the late arrival of the invite.’’
However, of grave concern to the federation, is the fact that the Motherland 2025 Initiative of the Minister and her partner, is a duplication of effort and if allowed to stand will not bode well for the nation, the cultural tourism and creative sector, as a project akin to that already exist in the nation, fully supported by FTAN, the President, Presidency and even the Minister and the Ministry.
This is as it noted, ‘‘Also, permit me to seize this opportunity to call your attention to this commendable Initiative by one of the key private players who has been in the tourism sector over the decades, promoting Africa and calling on Africans in the Diaspora to heed the call to come home to develop Africa.
‘‘As a Federation, we are part of the Motherland Beckons movement, which is supported by the President of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, as the Grand Patron, Global Ambassador, and Chief Host of the Motherland Beckons—IPADA Initiative Celebration.
‘‘We have concerns about the potential confusion that could arise from portraying this same event as a maiden edition, particularly among our fellow community members in the Diaspora who have participated in the previous editions.’’
It should be noted that over the years, the Founder and President of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, set up Motherland Beckons and Continent Building Initiative, with different activations that are centred on the development and promotion of tourism, arts, culture, music, entertainment, security and resort development among others.
One of those initiatives specifically targeted at bringing Blacks and lovers of Africa to Africa (Motherland) to reconnect with their root and be part of the development and promotion of the economy and physical well-being of the continent and its people.
These efforts climaxed last year with the IPADA Celebration 2024, which saw mass movement of Africans, and lovers of Africa visit Lagos, Nigeria to participant in a 10-day event held at the La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort between November 29 and December 8, 2024.
Besides musical concerts and festival, carnival, cultural and culinary displays, two of the major components of the celebration were the Business Unusual that witnessed the signing of MoU among different countries, corporate bodies and individuals and the training of over 10, 000 youths pro-bono on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
President Tinubu was the grand patron, global ambassador and chief host of the event, however, neither the president nor his representative were present at the event despite the assurances given by him to personally attend the event. To this end, he hosted African envoys to Nigeria at the Presidential Villa ahead of the event where he formally briefed them on the benefits of the celebration for Nigeria and Africa, and extended invitation to them.
It also on record that Musawa endorsed the project and met twice with the team from IPADA led by Akinboboye in her Abuja office where she pledged her commitment and that of the ministry to the project. However, neither Musawa nor her representative attended the 10 days gathering.
Many followers and observers of developments in the sector are taken aback by this present happening, wondering what the Minister wants to achieve by the attempt obliterate an already existing project instead of supporting what has been fully established for the benefits of the nation and the sector.
They further disclosed that given the vast experience and pedigree of Akinboboye and the mileage that his Motherland Beckons and Continent Building Initiatives have achieved across Africa and the world, and the recognition and followership that IPADA Celebration 2024 garnered last year that Musawa’s Motherland 2025 Initiative will only be a poor imitation and bad for the nation’s image if allowed to stand.
Noting that the Minister should be seen to advance the cause of the operators and not to compete or rival operators in the execution of projects as it is now. To save the nation the shame and embarrassment that this may bring, they advised her to put aside her project and partner with Akinboboye and FTAN to properly situate IPADA Celebration for this year so as to consolidate on the gains it garnered last year.
