Andrew Iro Okungbowa Ambassador Huxley Unumadu is the Izomo of Umuebu Kingdom in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State. He is the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, on Culture and Tourism, a position he occupied for over a year during the second tenure of the administration of Former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, he spoke with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA on his renewed mission of developing and promoting Delta as a tourist destination’s second term on 29th May, 2023.
Background
Ambassador Huxley Unumadu, who is the Izomo of Umuebu Kingdom in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, is a cultural icon that is devoted to the promotion of the culture of his people. In addition to this calling bestowed on him by his and by virtue of the traditional position that he occupies, he today wears a double cap, as he presently serves as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State on Culture and Tourism.
Unumadu is not few to this office, as he served in the same office for over a year during the second tenure of the administration of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. Today, the widely culture ambassador is charged with the development and promotion of Delta State as a tourist destination of first choice. With experience spanning over 23 in culture and tourism space, who is the organizer of the annual culture and tourism beauty pageant known as Mr. Tourism, is one of the founders and current chairman of the Association of Izom o Tittle Holders in Edo and Delta states (AITHED). He is also the Nigeria Ambassador International Community of African Diaspora (ICAD).
My return is God ordained
He described his reappointment as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Culture and Tourism, a positioned that he once served during the second tenure of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, for a little over a year, as God ordained to enable him complete the work of transformation of the state’s tourism market into a choice tourism destination in Nigeria and Africa.
This is as he said, ‘‘God Almighty is the force behind every issue, affair or event of my entire existence, from the very beginning of my birth to this present moment as we speak now. ‘‘I’m a man whose life is divinely controlled. ‘‘Every man who knows me from Adams will easily tell, you about most of my life’s engagements, as can only be controlled or determined by the divine power of my Lord Jesus Christ, because I, myself, cannot even tell you or boast of any strong personal input in life to be what I am today. Adding, ‘‘God equally used people and created the needed atmosphere to make things good things, happen to my life.
Even the challenges thrown in by satan, using my enemies where allowed to happen by him (God) for reasons best known to him, the Almighty God.’’ Unumadu is most grateful to former Governor Okowa and his present Governor, Oborevwori, for finding him worthy to serve the state in the capacity that he has been appointed to serve.
‘‘I give special thanks to my political father, his Excellency (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, the immediate past Governor of our dear state-Delta, and my leader, His Excellency, Elder Sir Sheriff Oborevwori, the new Sheriff in town for their great (positive) efforts in making me whatever I am today,’’ said the elated culture envoy. Noting further, ‘‘I will also use this opportunity to express my gratitude to my brother and good friend, Dr. in Ukwuani Local Government Area for their roles in my life, my business concerns and my politics.’’
Eyes on the MORE Agenda
While noting that the administration of Okowa and that of Oborevwori are Siamese twins, with Oborevwori consolidating on the Solomon Okowa and many other including the Honourable Chief Fidelis Okenmor Tilije, our political leader gains of the former, he, however, disclosed that the focus this time around is on the MORE Agenda of the present governor.
This is as he said, ‘‘Oborevwori is building on the Okowa’s platform. We, the Sheriff Oborevwori team on culture and tourism, have gotten a template from the governor, which was drawn from his MORE Agenda- a vision for Delta’s rebirth and we’re working on it.
‘‘The governor’s vision on culture and tourism is very clear and promising; Deltans should watch out for something new, something different and something that promises to jack up Delta’s revenue earning. ‘‘The governor is looking at making Delta state the tourism hub of Nigeria within a short time.’’
Delta is Beautiful campaign
Alongside the mandate of the governor, Unumadu disclosed that, ‘‘on my own level, I’m also working on a major tourism campaign with the theme; Delta State is Beautiful. We’re going to show the world the beautiful realities of Delta State. ‘‘We’ve come to the point where we need to tell the world our own story; the untold story of Delta State.
Our diversity and the unity, the harmony and the political gains we’ve derived from our diversity. We have to demonstrate how we found love, unity and progress from the challenges we’ve faced over the years past, the brotherly battles we’ve fought and the mutual suspicions which we’ve overcome to embrace trust and peace among ourselves, and how we’re benefitting and enjoying the gains of our peaceful co-existence and harmonious living.
“Delta is truly beautiful,’ and this is not only in our rich (natural) resources, not only in our diverse cultural heritages and not only in our rich human and natural resources, but most importantly, in the sustained peace and unity which is now the centerpiece of our narratives, as we’re coming from a period of ethnic confrontations.
“Dealt is truly beautiful also from the realities of the dividends of democratic rule we’ve enjoyed since the transition to civil rule in 1999 and how the visionary leaderships of James Ibori, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Ifeanyi Okowa were formulated and implemented, under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to bring about the new Delta; how the forward going geo-polity in the Niger Delta region of South Southern Nigeria is evolving and transforming.’’ Speaking further, he said, ‘‘Today, Deltans are looking up to the new administration of Sheriff Oborevwori, who is system bound to sustain the exemplary development paradigm which the institution of Delta PDP has created. We’re determined to demonstrate the fact that truly Delta is beautiful – in this new era. So you should watch out for the documentary which is coming in print and video editions.’’
Projects
While commending the visionary leadership of Okowa, which birthed a number of infrastructure and projects in tourism, he promised that the present government will not fall short in those areas, as there are a lot in the store. According to him, ‘‘There are tourism development potential projects in cultural tourism area, especially in our festivals, food and fashion.
There is creativity and talent hunt programmes in musical talents, acting, dancing, sports, natural medicines (Herbals) and so on. ‘‘In the past, I’ve recommended and talked extensively about a Christian prayer mountain, to be cited somewhere in the serenity of Delta’s rainforest area or a kind of an island in the wetland creeks, where people from all parts of the world can go and exploit the serenity of the place to seek the face of God.’’
Insecurity hampering tourism
Developing and promoting tourism, according to him is hampered by different factors. One of such he noted is insecurity, saying, ‘‘The first and most significant constraint to Delta tourism development is insecurity.
The entire country, Nigeria, is becoming overwhelmed by this sad and painful reality of insecurity. ‘‘All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government at the federal level is obviously confused by this challenge, which attained significant height in 2015 when former President Muhammadu Buhari came into office and that has continued with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with no solution insight.’’
‘‘Now, the kidnapping menace has become a wide-spread national phenomenon, and the criminals who are still majority fulanis have spread deeply into Southern forests where they built their short stay camps and operate their kidnap business from the virgin forest which the southern land owners dare not enter.
‘‘Today, no part of Nigeria is safe not even the federal capital territory, FCT, Abuja, where the seat of power in the country is located. Long distant travel- ling is therefore a dangerous pastime as people are not free to move around as a result of fear. How then can tourism grow in the face of this reality of kidnapping?
Lack of funds for infrastructure and investment
Besides security, Unumadu disclosed that lack of funds for infrastructure development and investment in tourism related businesses are part of the challenges that operators in tourism and even the state government are grappling with.
This is as he said, ‘‘Apart from insecurity, lack of funds to develop tourism destinations is another fundamental hindrance to tourism development in the country.
Absence of relaxation culture and quest for daily sustenance
The SSA on Culture and Tourism is bemoan the lack of relaxation culture of Nigerians and the drive for sustenance by the people, as people work on a daily basis without ever thinking of going on vacation. ‘‘Also, in a country where the people work every day; from January to December, when will they find time to relax, move around to places of interest, see the beauty of our nation’s diverse cultural heritage and tourism destinations?
Bad road network
Lack of good road network across the country is another factor that he lamented over, noting, ‘‘Where will they find good and motorable roads to move around the country and how would they be able to afford the high cost of intra-city travelling with the daily increase in cost of transportation and other essential commodities needed for daily survival? ‘‘These are the fundamental challenges faced by tourism in all parts of the country and Delta is no exemption.’’
