By Okorie Uguru
One of Nigeria’s leading tourism industry technocrats, Chief Mike Amachree has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his efforts to reshape the tourism industry in the country. The latest, according to Amachree, was the personally signed official letter written by the president to throw his weight behind the Ipada Initiative and Carnival.
Amachree, regarded as the Father of Nigerian Tourism, said by openly identifying with the festival as Patron and Chief Global Ambassador, the president has shown the seriousness of his government to develop the tourism industry in Nigeria.
The Ipada Initiative is a private sector driven by the Motherland Beckons group under the leadership of Otunba Wanle Akinboboye. The project aims to attract a large number of international tourists from the Diaspora and other parts of the world to Nigeria and other African countries. He also praised the president for accepting to be the patron and Chief Global Ambassador of the event set to be held in December.
Amachree said: “I wish to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for throwing his weight behind this laudable tourism programme by Otunba Wanle Akinboboye. By authorizing a personally signed letter, it is a major boost for the tourism industry in the country now.
“President Tinubu, with this action, and also by his creation of the tourism ministry, has shown the seriousness of his administration to reposition the industry.”
Amachree, a former President of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN) and also proprietor of Brooklyn Group of Hotels, is the founder of the Port Harcourt Tourist Beach Resort. He said he has followed the growth of Otunba Wanle Akinboboye in the industry, and praised him for his passion and commitment to the growth of the sector.
He said: “Otunba Wanle Akinboboye has been very active and consistent in the tourism industry in Nigeria. He has supported the growth of the sector for so many years.
“I remember some years back when he and other dignitaries used to fly down from Lagos to Port Harcourt to support my tourism programmes, including the launching of the Brooklyn Museum and Port Harcourt Zoological Garden, where he would make meaningful contributions. I think his current Ipada Initiative is laudable and will help to boost international tourist reception in Nigeria.”
