Entertainment
NTDC Boss Tasks Stakeholders On Digital Tourism
The Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mr Folorunsho Coker, says there is the need for stakeholders in the tourism industry to collaborate to promote growth of the sector.
Coker said this at the opening of the South South Tourism Stakeholders Forum in Calabar, yesterday.
The theme of the forum is “Use of Digital Technology to Revamp the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Amid Covid-19 and Security Challenges in Nigeria”.
Coker said that the time had come for actors in the tourism and hospitality industry to stop competiing with one another and embrace collaboration to move the industry forward.
“This is the season of collaboration not the season of competition. In this season of technological advanencement, stakeholders should collaborate rather than compete, “ he said.
He observed that there was a disconnect in the tourism policies between the Federal, States and Local Governments in terms of participation in tourism development.
He attributed the gap to tourism laws, and stressed the need for a new legal framework for the sector.
“Tourism begins at the local government, so, we need active participation of the local governments for tourism to thrive, “ he said.
He urged tourism stakeholders to embark on regular training of their staff in view of the new trend in the industry occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Dr Adoara Ayanwutaku, said the forum was timely in view of the damage done to the tourism sector by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ayanwutaku, represented by Deputy Director, Domestic and Eco-Tourism, Promotion and Control Mrs Sani Sodangi, said the forum would provide opportunity to stakeholders to make postulations on the way forward.
According to her, the theme is apt.
She pedged the ministry’s readiness to provide the enabling environment for all agencies “to perform optimally.”
In his keynote address, the Commissioner for Tourism and Culture in Cross River State Mr Eric Anderson, said that in spite of the setback brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism industry in Nigeria was still vibrant.
According to him, the industry has come to terms with the adaptation to product and service enhancing technologies, including online transport solution, and destination marketing on social media, among others.
Speaking in a recent interview with Lun Lifestyle TV, Rudeboy argued that social media, despite all its benefits, has shattered the illusion of artistes being mysterious and godlike.
This he said has reduced the buzz artistes previously enjoyed whenever their fans got the opportunity to see them whether physically or visually.
The ‘Reason With Me’ crooner explained that because artistes are no longer mysterious, fans are no longer eager to watch them in music videos.
He claimed that shooting music videos is now a waste of money.
Rudeboy said, “Music videos somehow now, because of this generation, is a waste of money. I am sorry to say this. But do you remember us [P-Square] before? You don’t see us anywhere. You just watch music videos, you see us and that’s it, or we come to your country, you see us.
“The reason you don’t see people faint for artistes anymore is because they see them on TikTok every day dancing and promoting your music. If Michael Jackson was alive now and doing promotional content on social media, nobody would see him and faint.
“Unfortunately, it’s too late for us to bring back the era of artistes being mystiques. How can you advise an artiste to post every day? How? Post what? You don’t need to.
“Social media brought positive change to the industry but it also led to ‘see-finish.’ Artistes are now too exposed. Fans see how they eat, cry. Before when artistes go to club, they stay in restricted VIP areas, but now when they are clubbing, everyone is filming.”
Dre made the appeal in a post on his Instagram page on Monday, pleading with the person who allegedly took the device to return it in exchange for money.
“If na u carry my phone for Zlatan wedding, abeg return am, I go give you money please,” he wrote.
The aide also expressed frustration over what he suggested was a method being used to take phones at social gatherings.
He said he would no longer tolerate waiters asking whether guests had finished eating so they could clear their plates, alleging that the practice could provide an opportunity for phones left on tables to be taken.
“From now on, if I go any party or dey any party and any stupid waitress tell me say are you done eating so I can pack your plate, na swear I go swear for you cause na pattern wey una dey use pack phone for table be that now,” he added.
However, Dre did not identify anyone suspected of taking his phone or provide further details about how the device went missing.
Zlatan Ibile tied the knot with his longtime partner, Davita Lamai, during a traditional wedding ceremony on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
The ceremony, held in Lagos, attracted several celebrities, fans and well-wishers, with Davido among the prominent guests and leading the groomsmen.
Speaking at a recent Eezee Conceptz event, Chidinma explained that she travelled abroad and wanted to secure permanent residency because she didn’t want to return to Nigeria, but failed.
She revealed that while she was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only person calling her from Nigeria, so she decided to work with him upon her return.
“I travelled. I ran away from Nigeria. I was processing my papers not to come back to Nigeria, but for some reason, it didn’t work.
“While I was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only one who was calling me from Nigeria. He kept encouraging me, and I found the strength to come back to Nigeria. When I came back, I asked him to give me a gospel music contract because I want to spend time with God. And he gave me a contract that even my lawyer said seemed like a charity,” Chidinma stated.
The music star added that she did not transition into gospel music because she wanted to make gospel, but because she wanted a serious relationship with God.
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