World over, the hospitality industry,is the cornerstone of the economy of many cities. Famous cities like, Las Vegas, Orlando, USA, Shanghai, China, Bangkok, Thailand, Paris, France, Tokyo, Japan and emerging hubs like Dubai, UAE, Lisbon,Portugal and Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam, are what they’re today because of this industry.
African cities like Marrakech, Morocco, Cape Town South Africa, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Giza and Cairo in Egypt, also owe their fame and fortune to the industry.
As the major industry in these cities, the hospitality industry creates most direct and indirect jobs in them, pumps significant amount of money into public and private purses, emerging the backbone of the wealth and prosperity of these cities, and their residents. These roles speak to just one fact,and that is that hospitality and tourism adds enormous value to these cities.
Owerri, our state capital is also a notable hospitality hub, like the mentioned cities. Like them also it’s hospitality industry, is supposed to be significantly contributing to its economy,and that of the state. But, this hasn’t being happening. The reason for this is because Owerri doesn’t boast of the type of topnotch conducive environment, that these thriving hospitality hubs boasts of. Because it lacks the competitive edge, making profit is problematic. It’s this handicap which is beyond the industry, that make Imolites perceive hotel business as valueless. When on the contrary, practical experience shows that it’s a value driven sector, as shown by the thriving hospitality hubs across the globe.
However, it’s gratifying to note that Gov Hope Uzodimma, is working tirelessly and purposefully to bridge that gap. Since he took power, he has built, commissioned and continues to build world class facilities and infrastructures inside Owerri,and across the state, which,not only hold the promise of transforming the environmental and infrastructural landscapes of Owerri, and Imo generally, but also, transform hospitality business in the state into a competitive, and profitable sector.
Like Owerri, Ngor Okpala LGA,is one council area, that boasts of enormous hospitality and tourism potential. However, these have remained largely untapped, because those who have had the privilege of public leadership in the council, lacked the vision to lay the foundation for the harnessing of this potential. Ngor Okpala’s strategic location is what positioned it as true tourist and hospitality haven. The council is gateway to Imo and Abia States’ by air; it’s the gateway to Aba, being the boundary town separating Imo and Aba; and also partly the gateway to the oli rich Rivers State, by virtue of being one of the two LGAs in the state,sharing boundary wuth Rivers States. These God given advantages, are more than enough to make the council a renowned and thriving hospitality hub, but this dream remained a pipe dream for several decades, due to visionless leadership.
However, as we speak, the failure of the public sector players to kickstart that transformative journey, has been amended by visionary and courageous indigenous private investors. Ngor Okpala business men and women,having discovered that hospitality business in the council, is still an untapped goldmine, have started making substantial investments in the sector. The result of these investments, is the standard hotels, event centres and ancillary hospitality facilities, found in different parts of the council.
Obviously, this sector is truly witnessing rapid growth in the council. And that’s clear sign the future is brighter for the council, and the people.given the many benefits — jobs, revenue, exposure, etc–that would accrue to the area from it. Of course, we know it’s no yet uhuru for the sector, but what has been achieved in the past few years or thereabout, is worth commending. The same way the men and women behind this new dawn,should be given their flowers, for demonstrating vision and mission. And for making the love for the development of their ancestry, and not profit, the main motivation for their investments. Certainly, if profit was their focus, there’s no way they would have invested at home, because at the time pioneers of the movement started out, the odds were stacked so high against them. But, they braved them, and persevered, since their main interest is the development, and progress of Ngor Okpala.
As we laud these apostles of Ngor Okpala development, it’s also important that, we extend special gratitude the man, who inspired this revolution. The man is no other than High Chief Nnamdi Oparaugo, alias Morocco.He was the man who nearly two decades ago, made the first substantial investment in the hospitality sector of Ngor Okpala, with the construction of a brand new hotel at Ihitte Junction. He didn’t build massive mansion, but rather a modest edifice, which he tastefully packaged to meet both national and international standards, guaranteeing its ranking as the first real hotel in Ngor Okpala.
Chief Morocco should be praised for being the “John The Baptist”, the visioner, and, the inspiration behind the ongoing transformation of the Ngor Okpala hospitality landscape. We must also praise his courage for demonstrating that love for the fatherland, and its sustainable development should transcend words, promises, and personal interests; and for putting into practice the age old saying that east or west, home is the best.
Obviously, what these our brothers and sisters, have amply demonstrated is leadership, vision,love,passion and dedication to the growth and development of Ngor Okpala,as private citizens. And this is more than enough proof that any responsibility entrusted unto them, in the future by Ngor okpala people, would with the same mindset.
