Umbrella body of private sector operators, the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has told the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Mrs Hannatu Musawa that the Motherland Initiative 2025 Project is ‘a duplication of an effort’ which ‘already exists in the nation, fully supported by it, the President, Presidency and even the Minister and the Ministry.’
FTAN President, Mr Nkwereuwem Onung
The Motherland Initiative 2025 Project is a recent collaborative venture between the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy with a private sector firm, Motherland Africa. An official inauguration of its Ministerial Committee holds on February 20, in Abuja.
This is just as an existing project driven by a private sector operator, Motherland Beckons, has long existed with its Ipada Initiative, and further enjoys the endorsement of the Federal Government and President Bola Tinubu, who is the brand ambassador of the tourism product.
*Onung, Musawa
It would be recalled that 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, had requested FTAN, to nominate a representative to serve in the Motherland 2025 Ministerial Committee to be inaugurated on February 20, 2025 at the conference room of the Minister’s Abuja office.
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.’’
However, in its letter, titled; Re: Request for nomination: Motherland Initiative 2025, dated February 20, 2025, and signed by President, Nkwereuwem Onung, FTAN, while thanking the Minister for the invitation, apologised for its inability to attend the event, citing, among other reasons, ‘late arrival of the invite.’
Explaining further, FTAN in its response described the Motherland 2025 Initiative of the Minister and her partner, as ‘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 exists in the nation, fully supported by FTAN, the President, Presidency and even the Minister and the Ministry.’
‘‘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,’’ the FTAN President stressed.
It would be recalled that over the years, Founder and President of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, set up the 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 Diaspora Africans and lovers of the continent (Motherland) to reconnect with their roots 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 hundreds of Africans, and other tourists arrive the country to participant in a 10-day event held at the La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort between November 29 and December 8, 2024.
President Tinubu was the grand patron, global ambassador and chief host of the event. However, despite not physically attending the event, he had separately 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.
Similarly, Musawa had also endorsed the project and met twice with the team from IPADA led by Otunba Akinboboye in her Abuja office where she pledged her commitment and that of the ministry to the project.
