Justina Ovat, Susan Akporiaye and others elected into ARSO/TC76/ Working Groups (WGs) as conveners and secretaries.

The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN),has honoured the Director General of National Council and Culture(NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe with an artistic impression of himself, a bust Statue, crafted to show gratitude to the living memory of the tourism enigma of our time

This honour was done him at the first Nigeria Tourism icon Brand Award, instituted by FTAN President, Nkerewuem Onung

Recalled that a week earlier, he broke through international frontiers, and the Chinese Community and consulate in Nigeria noised and announced him as the Chinese tourism man of the year, for the championing cultural tourism relationship between Nigeria and china.

His FTAN  diadem is reflective of  the benefit of his uncommon dedication to course of tourism and culture in Nigeria and it is historic, distinct and uncontroversial.

Rauf ladipo, Bisi olatilo Nike Okundayo, Gani Tarzan Balogun,  Nigerians big and small, practitioners known and unknown, Lagos government tourism first eleven team, joined FTAN leadership and Trustees to appreciate and honour a man  who staked all to put Nigeria tourism economy at the frontage of national development.

Speaking,FTAN  Chairman, Board of Trustees,Samuel Alabi,  disclosed that with Runsewe, FTAN and the industry will get back the industry lost glory, adding that Runsewe will remain the hope for Nigeria tourism  administration for a long time to come.

“We are proud here to associate with Runsewe and pray for grace and mercy of God for him to continue on this progressive pattern. This FTAN  Nigeria Tourism icon Brand Award has insured his achievements for life and we are witness!” he said.

Matthew Olusegun Runsewe, Director General NCAC), is an uncommon Nigerian gifted with unexplainable passion to serve Nigeria tourism in an uncommon way.

Unassuming, detribalised and unputdownable, he has created a refreshing organisational order to a sector blemished by  despair and red tape  inoculation.

Like his Biblical namesake, Otunba Matthew Segun Runsewe is a cultural tourism gospel promoter, a tested war General for the industry and proudly Nigerian.

He believes that a nation and people without Cultural history are  dead and cannot sit among the community of nations.

From Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), where he turned a dump site in Abuja to a glorious show piece  for tourism economy, and now to the apex government Culture and Arts domain,  this Kaduna born but Egba, Ogun state son of the soil, have proved beyond doubt that all he touches must be transformed into gold. No pretence, no grandstanding, just pure hard work!

In the past two weeks, his verifiable achievements across our cultural tourism frontiers, have hugged the Nigerian media space. It was not his making for he desires that his love for country and people must be done differently but who can ignore the strides and passion to which he brought to bear, standing in gap in the quest to fault age long negative narratives about Nigeria and the poor interpretations and unappreciated cultural tourism history.

Indeed, from the Commonwealth Heads of government meeting hosted by Nigeria in 2013 and front lines repositioning of Abuja Carnival, a coalition of national cultural festivals, Runsewe peacocked Nigeria as a global destination to watch and there’s no doubt, it is for a reason.

He is unapologetically arrogant in showcasing Nigeria as the pride and champion of the black race. He was at the behest of the first ever Nigerian cultural evangelism to Russia at 2018 world cup, same in south Africa in 2010, and carefully brought the world to Nigeria through sports.

To Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, Runsewe has and reflects the traits of  the Igbo strong leader ” Dike ana  agbaluizu,”  a fearless warrior promoter of Nigerian Cultural tourism engagements, whose feats and achievements are discussed in awe and envyness by peers.

No doubt, Runsewe is  priceless, connecting culture to Sports, diplomacy, traditional, cuisines,  arts and moral regeneration, calling out Nigerian Cultural deviants to public ridicule and shame.

To the organised tourism practitioners community, Runsewe is not only a colossus, he is the statement, a touch bearer, the pride and hope for a better and progressive Nigerian tourism for tomorrow.

Curled:

Abel News