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Creating Separate Arts, Culture and Tourism Ministry: Fayemi Set The Pace In Ekiti | By Olaoluwa Mimiola
The role of tourism in enhancing inclusive economic growth and development of both advanced and emerging economies cannot be overemphasized. Tourism stimulates economic growth by generating income, employment, investments, exports and it serves as a catalyst for socio-economic development.
In fact, tourism has been included as a target in goals 8, 12 and 14 of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs). Despite the increasing and unpredictable shocks from terrorist attacks and political instability, health pandemics and natural disasters, Travel and tourism continued to show it’s resilience in 2016 and accounted for about 30% of total global service exports.
Investment in tourism is particularly important for Nigeria due to dwindling government revenue and economic contraction as a result of the drastic fall in crude oil prices, and with the vision to be rated among the top 20 economies of the world today by 2020. Hence, tourism industry press t’s an alternative source of revenue for the government and job opportunities for the youthful population.
The landscape of Nigerian is, no doubt, dotted with innumerable enviable tourism potentials, both natural and man-made. But, the country could be said to be lagging behind in tourism promotion and development, in spite of the many tourism potentialities, both in material and human resources. This has continued to give stakeholders in the industry serious concerns.
Stakeholders in the industry including the press, have suggested a legal framework and creation of a separate Culture and Tourism Ministry, to improve accelerate development in the Nigerian Tourism industry. As at the time of publishing this piece, Tourism is buried in the Information and Culture Ministry, which Alhaji Lai Mohammed heads.
In the bid to ensure a favourable legal framework for the Nigerian Tourism industry, was the Bill for an Act on the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) Act Cap N137 LFN, 2004 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2017 (AN.429) on Thursday, August 17, 2017, on Conference Hall 022, Senate Building (New Wing), National Assembly complex. The bill successfully passed through three hearings by the Senate, hence the approval of the 8th Legislative arm of government, headed by Senator Bukola Saraki, to sequester the Tourism Ministry.
However, President Muhammadu Buhari conveyed to the Senate his decision to withhold assent to the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), among other 30 bills he rejected in his first term.
In a letter read by the then Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at plenary the President gave reasons for withholding assent to the bill.
Buhari said section 14(d), section 30(2d) of the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (Repeal and re-enactment) bill contradicts section 4 (1-3) and paragraph 60 (d) of the second schedule of Nigeria’s Constitution.
Section 30 of the bill proposing to levy a tourism fee on all inbound international travellers, a tourism levy on all outbound travellers and a tourism departure contribution fee of 1 per cent per hotel room rate.
“Such a flat fee has been fixed by the authority and a corporate tourism development levy of 1 per cent to be charged on the revenue of banks, telecommunications and other corporate entities. This will be inimical to the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria and constitute an additional burden on the tourism business,” the letter reads.
Director-General, Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture, Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre, prior his appointment, in the one-man campaign to some Media Houses in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital charged President Buhari to create a separate ministry for Culture and Tourism.
The efforts yielded no positive result at the federal level. In fact, no Governor in Nigeria has seen the need for a separate Ministry for Culture and Tourism.
But, Ekiti State Governor, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, took the giant and unprecedented step of creating a separate ministry for Arts, Culture and Tourism.
He made the pronunciation at the opening ceremony of the 2019 edition of the Ekiti State Festival of Arts and Culture (EKIFEST), by upgrading the state’s Council for Arts and Culture to the Ministry of Arts, Culture andTourism.
Fayemi also disclosed the determination of his administration to increase its investment and exploits in the arts and culture sector for the economic prosperity of the state and its citizens.
This singular, bold and laudable act of Governor Fayemi would no doubt speed up the development of Tourism in Ekiti State, boosting the state’s economy, creating wealth for her people and jobs for the youths, and exposing the state to the world for better patronage.
The Nigerian Tourism industry would, no doubt, develope at a faster pace if President Muhammadu Buhari could reason with the rightly-thinking stakeholders in the Tourism industry and borrow a leaf from other countries that are doing well in the industry, and sequester the Tourism Ministry.
Let Governors of another state in the country emulate Governor Fayemi and sequester the Culture and Tourism Ministry for faster and better development of the industry, which will no doubt better than lots of the states and the people therein.
The Kano State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo over allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and breach of public trust.
The notice was presented yesterday during plenary by the Majority Leader, Lawan Hussaini Dala, who said the action follows Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Dala said the allegations stem from Abdussalam’s tenure as Commissioner for Local Government (2023–2024) and his current role as deputy governor. He accused the deputy governor of diverting funds meant for the 44 local government councils.
According to the majority leader, Abdussalam allegedly received N1.5 million monthly from each council between June 2023 and January 2024, totaling N462 million. Between February and July 2024, he allegedly collected N3.255 million monthly from each council under the guise of special assignments, amounting to N726 million.
Dala also accused the deputy governor of abuse of office, claiming he facilitated payments of N10 million from each council to NovoMed Pharmaceuticals Limited, totaling N440 million, in violation of state procurement laws.
“The misuse of official capacity to confer undue advantage constitutes abuse of power and undermines public trust,” Dala told lawmakers, adding that the allegations amount to gross misconduct under the Constitution.
The impeachment notice was reportedly endorsed by 38 lawmakers, meeting the constitutional threshold to proceed. The Speaker has acknowledged receipt, and the House is expected to serve the allegations on the deputy governor.
If approved, a panel may be constituted by the state Chief Judge to investigate the claims.
As of filing, Abdussalam had yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
The Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, on Thursday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that he had joined the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, made the announcement during a media briefing in Abuja, attributing his decision to what he described as irreconcilable differences within the PDP.
The lawmaker said the emergence of the NDC would strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system by providing a credible opposition platform.
According to him, the party recently received its certificate of registration from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said, “Last week INEC issued a certificate of registration and we now have the newest party in Nigeria known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress and our symbol is victory, the victory sign.
“So, my dear Nigerians, you now have a credible alternative opposition party known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress.”
Dickson noted that although the party’s registration took longer than expected, its eventual approval was a welcome development for the country’s democratic landscape.
“Yes, it is coming at this time. We would have wished it started some years or months back. We don’t control INEC and their processes; they delayed. We don’t also control the judiciary, but thank God it has finally arrived,” he said.
The senator also stressed that Nigeria’s democracy must not slide into a one-party system, insisting that political diversity remained vital for national stability.
“This nation cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria is not designed to be a one-party state.
“We are a very diverse nation culturally, religiously and politically and that is the beauty of our country.
“So anyone or any party promoting one-party rule in Nigeria is mistaken. We build political parties and get involved in movements to access power for the good of the people, not for our personal benefit,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission recently announced the registration of two new political parties.
The parties are the Democratic Leadership Alliance and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, bringing the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
The announcement was made by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, during the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with political party stakeholders for 2026.
According to him, the Democratic Leadership Alliance completed the required verification process, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress was registered in compliance with a Federal High Court order.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old alleged drug lord, Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had reportedly been on the agency’s wanted list and that of British authorities for over 15 years.
Ilomuanya was apprehended in Lagos on Monday, February 23, 2026, following what the agency described as a high-level, coordinated operation by officers of its Special Operations Unit.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Media and Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi.
Babafemi said the suspect’s arrest ended a prolonged manhunt linked to his alleged involvement in drug trafficking activities across Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
According to the statement, Ilomuanya was first arrested in February 2003 in the United Kingdom and convicted for drug trafficking.
He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment but was released after serving two years following a successful appeal.
Babafemi added that the suspect was again arrested in the UK in July 2011 over drug-related offences.
He said, “He was granted administrative bail but jumped jurisdiction and fled to Nigeria.
“Typical of a recidivist, Ilomuanya was in November 2018 arrested in Nigeria by NDLEA operatives following the discovery of two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in his Obinugwu, Orlu Local Government Area country home in Imo State and at his No. 3 Barrister Declan Uzoma Close, Lagos residence where officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine and extensive production equipment.
“He was subsequently charged before a Federal High Court in Lagos, after which he jumped court bail and has been on the run since then.”
Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the agency’s ongoing war against drug trafficking networks.
Marwa said the operation demonstrated the agency’s resolve to track down criminal elements regardless of how long they evade the law.
He said, “This arrest serves as a stern warning to those who think they can hide behind borders to escape justice.
“Whether you jump bail in London or set up clandestine labs in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will eventually catch up with those who choose to undermine the health, security, and future of our nation.
“We remain committed to our international collaborations to ensure that Nigeria is not used as a sanctuary for global drug lords.”
Marwa also commended officers of the Special Operations Unit for their professionalism and persistence in tracking down the suspect.
He added that the agency would continue to strengthen intelligence-driven operations and international cooperation to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within and beyond Nigeria.
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