Category 1 – Honorary Recognitions
This category recognizes individuals who have made outstanding public achievements and contributions in the Nigerian tourism industry.
1. Otunba Ayodele Michael Olumoko – Vice President, South-West Zone, Institute For Tourism Professionals
Otunba Ayodele Michael Olumoko, FITPN, F.ICA, F.IoD is a cultural heritage promoter and an integrated marketing communications professional. He is the current national Vice President, Southwest zone of Institute for Tourism Professionals in Nigeria (ITPN) and also the current cultural Consultant to the Ooni of Ile-Ife.
His immense contributions to festivals in Nigeria which are targeted at promoting cultural tourism cannot be overemphasized. Festivals such as the Osun Oshogbo International Festival in Oshogbo, Ojude Oba Festival in Ijebu Ode, Ebi-Epe Festival in Epe, Lagos, Argungu International Fishing Festival in Kebbi State and many more.
Otunba Ayodele Olumoko, Chairman and Chief Executive of Infogem, formed in 1998, joined Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN) as an Associate, now an affiliate member. He even served as the Chairman of FTAN, Lagos State Chapter between 2007 and 2010 before he later became the Secretary of the South West region of FTAN.
2. Amb. Nike Okundaye – Founder, Nike Art Gallery
Chief (Mrs.) Nike Monica Okundaye, popularly known and called “MAMA NIKE” by her numerous fans, is the Owner/Curator of the Nike Art Galleries at Lagos, Osogbo, Ogidi-Ijumu, and Abuja. She is also an accomplished professional artist, a painter, a textile artist, weaver, embroider, and an awards winner at many national and international art shows.
Ambassador Nike is a member of many national and international bodies including the Society of Nigerian Artists, ASA of USA and Canada, ACASA, Society of Nigerian Women Artists, Member of Osun Support Grove, Board member of the National Heritage Council of Nigeria, Member of the Board of Trustee of Osun State Centre For Black Culture and International understanding, etc. She is also principally a social entrepreneur and a well known philanthropist championing the cause of the neglected Nigerian rural women using art as a tool to accomplish these noble missions.
3. Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa – Director General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR)
Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, the Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, is a consummate and renown Tourism management technocrat in Nigeria and West Africa.
Alhaji Nura is an avid tourism professional and destination promoter per excellence. He is the mastermind behind the successful product “Argungu Polo Tournament & Cultural Fete” a tourism product he created in 2017. The event has developed to the level of attracting over 100,000 players, artistes and spectators from Nigeria, Niger and Benin Republic for a period of 5 days annually. Eventually, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa was instrumental to the revamping of the world-famous Argungu Fishing Festival, after a decade of the event no-show.
Alhaji Nura Kangiwa previously held different front-line and top executive positions in Nigeria’s tourism public and private sectors including: Vice-President, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), North West Zone (2017 – 2019), Senior Special Assistant on ‘Tourism Matters’ to the Governor of Kebbi State (2016 – 2018) and Member, Nigerian Tourism Development Master Plan Implementation Committee – 2007/2008/2009 to mention a few.
4. Otuba (Dr.) Olawanle Akinboboye – Founder, La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort
Otuba (Dr.) Olawanle Akinboboye is a Nigerian culture and tourism icon, who owns the world’s first African themed beach, forest and river resort – La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort. He has commissioned additional resorts in other destinations, such as in Grand-Bassam,Côte d’Ivoire; Wolyta Soddo in Ethiopia and Koton-Karfe, Kogi State, Nigeria. He also created and produces the popular Mare Festival for Ondo State government.
Dr. Akinboboye has consulted for several state governments in Nigeria to develop their culture and tourism sectors. He was the chief tourism adviser and consultant to the Ooni of Ile-Ife. He is currently an Advisor to the African Union Economic Cultural and Social Council in Nigeria (AUECOSSOC) and also the Tourism Ambassador for the Conference of World Mayors.
5. Otunba Segun Runsewe – Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture
Otunba Runsewe has remained a consistent phenomenon in the Media, Culture and Tourism Sectors in Nigeria in the last three decades. He worked as Marketing Manager at the New Nigerian Newspaper and rose to the position of General Manager at the organization. He also worked as Head of Public Relations (Media) National Theatre; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Sports Weekly and was Publisher and Editor-in-chief of National Network Newspapers. He was also the Media Coordinator, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2003, Abuja, Nigeria.
Otunba Runsewe was appointed as an Executive Director at the National Orientation Agency in 2000, a position he held until his appointment as the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) in August 2006. His tenure at the NTDC was a watershed in the development of the Tourism Sector in Nigeria.
He is currently the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), a position he assumed in 2017. The vision of the Council under his leadership is to reposition culture as a tool for national unity, peace and social integration as well as a machinery for stimulating rapid socio-economic growth and development.