Ms. Lola Ade -John, Minister of Tourism, has said that Nigeria has 1,091 tourist sites across the 36 States of the Federation, adding that many of these tourist sites are currently being revitalised.

Ade-John, who stated this at a pre-summit webinar in preparation for the 30th Nigerian Economic Summit (NES#30), organised by the Tourism and Hospitality Industries Thematic Group (THITG) of the Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment, Creatives, Culture, and Sports Industries Policy Commission (THECCSPC) of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG),

highlighted the importance of domestic tourism to Nigeria’s future.

She noted that these notable sites include Obudu, Ogbunike, Osun-Osogbo Grove, Kajuru Castle, and Yankari Games Reserve, which are improving in terms of historic architecture, wildlife conservation, and ecotourism efforts.

She explained that the shifting of attention by the Federal Government to domestic tourism, would provide significant job opportunities for rural communities.

She noted that in 2022, the tourism sector contributed 17.3 billion Naira to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product(GDP), compared to 7.5% of GDP in France.

The minister further stated that Nigeria also hosts 814 festivals across 774 locations, offering rich cultural experiences.

Ade-John underscored the need for investment in domestic tourism to revitalise communities, spur entrepreneurship, and generate revenue, noting that the sector currently supports 1.9 million jobs but has significant growth potential.

In his welcome address, Mr. Udeme Ufot, Co-Chair of THECCSPC of NESG, emphasised that several factors have led Nigerians to favour domestic travel over international options since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ufot noted that safety and familiarity are key, as domestic destinations are perceived as safer due to better knowledge of local health and safety protocols.

He stated that reduced international mobility due to travel restrictions and global conflicts have made local destinations more accessible and convenient, noting that economic considerations also play a role; including the pandemic and political instability which have affected livelihoods, making domestic travel a more affordable option.

Ufot further expressed hope that the event would generate actionable recommendations to foster inclusive growth, potentially altering trade patterns, attracting investment and enhancing border stability across the continent.

During the panelists session, Mr. Folorunsho Coker, Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), spoke on the importance of public-private partnerships (PPP), community involvement, and sustainable funding models for promoting domestic tourism.

He noted that domestic tourism is six times the size of international tourism and is essential for addressing employment issues.

Mr. Obi Asika, Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), discussed the role of media, arts, and culture in developing domestic tourism.

He highlighted the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to bridge capacity gaps and the importance of story-telling in attracting tourists.

Ms. Sade Hughes, Managing Director of MIXTA Hospitality Limited, emphasised the impact of innovative real estate and distinctive tourism experiences in revitalising domestic tourism.

She called for government investment in infrastructure and urged Nigerians to support local brands.

Ms. Bolaji Mustapha, President of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), stressed the need for government support in policy and infrastructure to develop Nigeria’s tourism sector.

Ms. Adenike Macaulay, Chief Executive Officer of Wakanow, pointed out that the interconnection between music, art, and tourism and the importance of clearly defining tourism attractions to stimulate the economy.

Ms. Omoyemi Akerele, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lagos Fashion Week and Style House Files, shared how they have redefined Nigeria’s tourism through fashion and enhanced Lagos nightlife, using fashion week as a tool for ecotourism.

The theme of the webinar was “Domestic Tourism: A Powerful Tool for Rural Revitalisation and Economic Growth in Nigeria.”

Stakeholders in the hospitality industry have urged Nigeria to invest in cultural exchange and tourism, especially given the success of Ghana’s ‘Year of Return’ initiative which it said generated nearly $9 billion in its first year.

The stakeholders spoke at a press briefing in Abuja, highlighting the success of the initiative.

The event, aimed at fostering cultural ties between Africans on the continent and those in the diaspora, they said, has positioned Ghana as a leading destination for African Americans seeking to reconnect with their roots.

The Cultural Oneness Festival—an event scheduled for November 2024 in Northern Ghana—underscores the potential benefits for Nigeria if similar initiatives were adopted, they added.

The Cultural Oneness Festival Country Director, Kazeem Balogun, speaking at the event, emphasised the significant economic opportunities, particularly in tourism and entertainment.

“It’s more like the United States of Africa,” he noted, drawing a parallel between Ghana’s burgeoning tourism sector and the untapped potential in Nigeria.

“If we are not doing it right, I think it’s better we learn from those people that are doing it right,” he added.

Despite Ghana’s success, attempts to replicate the initiative in Nigeria have faced challenges, including resistance from government bodies concerned about the implications of granting citizenship to Africans in the diaspora.

Yet, he argued that the potential economic benefits outweigh these concerns. “If Nigeria gets something like that, it will be in the record that through creativity, tourism, and culture, such an amount of money got into the government’s purse, just like in Ghana,” he said.

Furthermore, the upcoming Cultural Wellness Festival in Ghana, themed “Leveraging on Strength for Shared Growth and Prosperity as One People,” is expected to attract 80,000 participants, offering a platform for cultural exchange, business networking, and the promotion of African arts.

Notably, the festival will feature a Nigeria-Ghana tourism roundtable, providing an opportunity for stakeholders from both countries to share insights and foster closer ties

Cultural Oneness Festival Assistant Director, Peace Onuiri, emphasised the importance of Nigeria embracing such initiatives to boost its own tourism and cultural sectors.

“When Nigerians partner and participate in this, we will gain a lot. We’ll learn how to do things properly and reap the benefits,” She explained, noting that the festival would also serve as a platform for fostering unity and integration within West Africa.

Onuiri highlighted the need for a cultural shift among Nigerians, urging greater appreciation for local traditions and attire. “Our mentality has to change that we are Africans,” she noted, encouraging the adoption of African attire and cultural practices in daily life.

Chief Executive of The Taste of Afrika Ltd, Tengol Kplemani, emphasised the rationale behind the establishment of the tourism festival.

“Our mission is to promote unity and diversity through cultural exchange and continental visibility for economic empowerment. The festival will serve as a platform for various traditional rulers, kingdoms and leaders from across the continent to come together, share their rich cultural heritage, and collaborate on ways to advance their communities,” he said.

“This event will also improve our relationship with Ghana even more. It will help us to understand ourselves better,” the statement noted.

You may know him from his thought-provoking posts on X, his insightful books, or his articles in newspapers. Perhaps you’ve heard his voice on podcasts or encountered his work in PR and marketing.

Regardless of how you’ve come across him, one thing is certain: Jide Taiwo—often recognized by the moniker The Jide Taiwo—is a prominent voice in the world of pop culture. The addition of ‘The’ to his name serves to distinguish him from others who share his name, particularly those outside the cultural sphere.

With a robust background in Digital Storytelling, Transmedia Storytelling, and Community Journalism, Taiwo has emerged as a vital commentator on the intersections of culture, history, and society.

Starting as an entertainment journalist, Taiwo has spent years dissecting pop culture’s intersections with various sectors. For example, in his latest newspaper article, he explored how pop culture can be leveraged for tourism and national branding, using Nigeria’s performance at the Paris Olympics as a case study. On X, he reposted the American actress Halle Berry’s mischievous meme of Nollywood actor Osita Iheme, popularly known as Pawpaw with the caption “The pop culture of Nigeria is undefeated and underrated.”

“The way I look at it is that pop culture is a very good marker of history,” he said during a recent chat. “If you study pop culture, or are involved in pop culture, you will find out either willingly or inadvertently the history of people.

He illustrated this by tracing the career of the late Onyeka Onwenu, whose journey reflects notable moments in Nigerian history. From her education in the US to her work with NTA and her BBC documentary on Nigerian corruption in the early ’80s, to her music with King Sunny Ade addressing family planning, and her later standoff with NTA over royalties, Taiwo sees pop culture as a rich source for understanding societal evolution.

“If you follow her trajectory or that of any other popular person, you can learn the history of people in a society, which I think is the most important element of pop culture. And that’s the kind of work that I’ve done, using culture to chart our course, to tell our stories across different formats.”

Taiwo’s storytelling reaches across demographics, from millennials to Gen Z, thanks to his diverse experiences that provide him with multiple perspectives.

“I’m finely placed at that edge of whatever history you are making. I lived through the military days. I have lived through the turn of the century. I’m living in the Wizkid era. So it helps me to see from various angles,” he said.

“Young people may not care for songs that were done in 1991, but the people who were young that year are at a certain age now. You speak to them a certain way. People that are just coming of age now have things that they’re interested in. If Wizkid is doing a song with Drake or Beyoncé, what does that mean for the culture? What does that mean for Wizkid? What does it mean for Beyoncé? These are things that can cut across any angle.”

He further elaborated on the importance of telling stories in different formats to meet audiences where they are.

“Some folks will read books, some folks will watch TikTok. And if the New York Times or The Guardian have highly well-curated TikTok, it’s because they know that there’s a segment of society where TikTok is their primary source of information. That means you have to be there. So for me, I don’t look at myself as a monolith because culture itself is not a monolith. Culture is dynamic, it changes. Some of the things that were not permissible 20 years ago are the norms now. So if you work in the cultural space, it’s important that you look at all the possible angles and take feedback from people who may not necessarily agree with you, but you need to see how they see it and that has helped me a lot.”

Reflecting on cultural shifts, Taiwo recalled growing up in Ibadan at a time when cinemas were copious, including the popular Pen Cinema which is now a bus stop in Lagos.

“These are cultural trends that have changed leading up to a renaissance or resurgence in the 2000s when Silverbird Galleria started. Nowadays cinemas are commonplace. Everybody just walks into a cinema, and is entertained not knowing that in the year 2000, it wasn’t possible.”

In the same vein, he noted society’s evolving attitude towards musicians. Unlike in the past when musicians were often seen as dregs of society, today, there is a positive attitude and acceptance of such careers.

“That is because culture has helped us to see that some of these things need a better look, society has evolved, and it’s important that we as a people, as a culture, also evolve with it.”

While Taiwo is happy that Nigeria’s pop culture is gaining wider appeal across the globe, he is concerned about recency bias where the contributions of pioneers are often overshadowed by current successes.

“It appears that there’s an unwillingness to learn or a deliberate attempt to minimize the achievements of people in the past. The reason we have success now is because there was a lot of work that has landed us to this point in history.”

This in a way inspired him to start documenting these aspects of our culture as he did in his book ‘History Made: The Most Important Nigerian Songs Since 1999,’ a collection of essays on the songs that defined each year.

He is also troubled by how lightly culture journalism is treated in Nigeria compared to other countries.

“Pop culture is as important as politics. If you’re talking about what’s happening at the polity, it is as important as what’s happening in culture, because at the end of the day, culture is that thing that can define you. It’s that thing that can even define what governance should look like. If you look at Europe and the Middle East, for example, they’ve used their cultures to build their civilization. So if you go to Qatar, Dubai, or Saudi Arabia, they don’t shy away from their culture. They’ve used it to build what they want their society, their civilization, and their riches to look like. Sometimes it can be a bit worrisome that we don’t take it as seriously in this part.”

He therefore believes that pop culture should be taken seriously because “we are at a place in history and time that anybody who takes it seriously will be greatly rewarded either financially or as a legacy.”