By Ikechi Uko – atqnews.com
Never judge a book by its cover goes the saying and this best describe the country Rwanda. Africans have judged the country by its most famous episode the genocide. Until the Rwandan national ballet danced at Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos last year most Nigerians associated the Country with Evil things. But Rwandair a small African carrier that emerged from the ruins of the country have contrived to change the image and positioning of the small African Nation. Despite the small size of the Airline compared to the big African carriers of the East and Southern Africa Rwandair has done giant things. “In 2016 we will launch our Dreamliners B787 on long haul routes” an excited CEO of Rwandair told a motley crew of Tour Operators and Journalist from all over Africa in his office at the Kigali international Airport on Wednesday.
Then came the questions “B787? I thought Rwandair is a short haul Airline flying to destination of not more than 6hours with a fleet of B737-800 and Bombadiers jets?
A smiling John Mirenge allayed the fears of many and laid bare the growth plans of the Airline. Presently flying point to point to 16 destinations Rwandair plans to add more destinations and build more routes using bigger airplanes to serve more people in the coming years.
The airline growth plan is part of the Afrocentric policy of the government and People of Rwanda.Rwanda is the first African country to issue visa on arrival to any one with an 
African Passport. Rwanda allows 5th freedom rights to airline from other countries in respect of the much abused Yammassoukoru Declaration . Most African countries signed onto this Accord that will allow African Airlines fly freely within Africa but most have refused to implement it. Not only has Rwanda implemented this YD accord it has positioned itself to benefit from it.
Rwanda has three major Legacy projects,the almost completed convention Centre,Rwandair and the new Bugasera Airport. Of all the three Legacy projects Rwandair is the most known and have not failed in extending the image and brand of a brand new country Rwanda.
The country Rwanda is a strange country to most Africans. The neatest capital city You have seen with no “Pure water” sachets littering the streets,no beggars on the street. It looked too controlled to be real but it’s true. Our Tour guides Anne and Florence made sure we understand that in Rwanda you follow rules. Everything has a rule and Rwandans follow rules. They looked like a seal claque to most of us used to the rowdiness of Lagos ,Nairobi and Jo’burg. We even started wondering if they were not secretly controlled maybe by a device,it looked that surreal. Seeing 40’000 people clap and keep quiet at the same time during the Gorilla naming ceremony at Kinigi with not police or military action looked unAfrican.
Africa needs to look towards Rwanda to reinvent itself. After the genocide they had an opportunity to start afresh and they have made a huge success of it. They changed their official Language from French to English(this is incredible) though with a lot of hiccups it is done. There is universal health insurance in Rwanda. No one is allowed to walk bare footed. Women own 52% of city land in Kigali and they have 40% of all government positions.(the men seemed endangered to me)
The only sore spot for most of us (especially those coming from Nigeria with our history of pogroms,civil war and alleged genocide) was the constant reminder of the genocide. 
Everywhere you turned there was a reminder. You cannot escape it. Considering the facts that Igbos returned to Nigeria and reintegrated it might seem that either the igbos got it wrong by not building shrines to it or the Rwandans are right. Either way,it reminds Africans to eschew hate amongst themselves because hate leads to bad things.
With some of the most beautiful ladies in Africa the land of a thousand hills offers so much to the traveller. The Gorilla Trek is world famous but the history of the kingdom especially King Musinga and his son Rudihingwa whose conversion to Catholicism ended the Dynasty will interest the tourist. A visit to see the palace and the famous Nyambo cows must not be missed. These Royal cows are treated like kings and they grow horns of gigantic proportions. It is said that the graceful Rwandan ballet dance is copied from the movement of the Nyambo cows.
The musuem of ethnography is rich in history and the sociology of the Rwandans. You cannot understand the country without passing through the museum. It is rich and enlightening.
Lake Kivu is the cetre of attraction for the visitor. From the lakeside resorts on the lake you can visit the caves of Musanze and the volcanic mountains around it. The other side of the lake is Congo DRC and just 25kms down the road is Uganda.
The terraced farming landscape of the environs is a pleasure to behold. Tea, wild tomatoes, carrots and cabbages are common sights as you drive by. Don’t forget the rice paddies created by the side of the hills.
