By Renn Offor
The first Nigerian woman to win the global crown of Mrs. Tourism of the United Nations, Mrs. Eberechukwu Enemchukwu has revealed that her driving passion is to be one the people who will drive the success story and growth of the tourism industry in Nigerian, though saying it might sound too lofty and ambitious a desire to express, she maintained that it is her desire to see herself achieving that feat.
This was her assertion on Tuesday when she paid a courtesy call to the office of atqnews.com, the online platform of Travellers Magazine in Ikeja Lagos as path of her familiarizing tour to the media outfit and seek audience to further steer her pet projects and create more value for people in Africa and all over the world.
Speaking further, she said that for her, winning the globally coveted crown was not enough, that she is keen on pressing towards opportunities that could create a platform that will impact humanity. “Winning the title is not enough. I want to do more; I want to do something more specific and valuable to my country. Nigeria depends too much on oil. Tourism is another great area of opportunity the government of Nigeria should look at.
“I know in my capacity, in whatever level, I’m willing and looking forward to promoting tourism in Nigeria. I’m looking forward to partnering with relevant authorities and agencies in the tourism sector. I’m willing to be of help, either to learn new ways or to partner in all efforts geared toward promoting tourism’.
Responding to her speech, Mr. Ikechi Uko, the publisher of atqnews.com thanked her for counting it necessary to pay him a courtesy call while explaining that he has “been on the sidelines on issues about pageantry and beauty queens. Initially, I was involved in pageantry, but after a while I decided to concentrate on how people can sell their products. So, I ignored pageantry and avoided every effort to drag me into anything that has to do with it. I’ve never really been interested.
“Well, right now, in any way we can help you achieve those dreams, we will be willing to do: get you into places, give you the needed push, and also try to get you involved with our projects”, the Atqnews.com’s helmsman said. Mr. Ikechi Uko is also the brain behind the Akwaaba African Travel Market exhibition which holds in Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos annually.
Appreciating the reception and acceptance accorded her, the Masters’ degree holder from University of Lagos explained that she has been involved in several charity works, visiting orphanages and hospitals in her effort to give succor and support to the less privileged, while revealing that the greatest challenge to achieving her aims in reaching out to the less privileged has been the non-supportive gestures from many Nigerians. She subsequently accepted to join Mr. Uko to Calabar for the NATOP AGM.
