ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA The 5th International Tour Guides Day was celebrated in Nigeria with pomp and excitement as tour guides from various parts of the country recently converged on Badagry, Lagos to toast to a day dedicated to recognising the importance of tour guides in the value chain of the tourism business. The theme for the 2022 celebration was; Recovery and growth of tourism: The tourist guides’ role. A number of activities were held on the day, one of them was a panel discussion, with panelists including: Ayokunnumi Salisu, a member of AHNACTG, and staff of Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) and Paul Ukpabio, a tour guide, journalist, and member of AHNACTG. According to the President of Association of History, Nature and Culture Tour Guides (AHNACTG), West Africa Tour Guides Association Nigeria Chapter (WATGA), Anago Osho, who is also a member of World Federation of Tour Guides Association Austria: “If no one appreciates us, then we should appreciate ourselves.” It was on this basis that the tour guides celebrated themselves while taking time out also to learn more about their trade and how best to continue to give value to tourists and enhance the tourism sector. One of the attendees, Olaide Osoba, who is also a restaurant and bar owner, was delighted by the opportunity to interact with other operators across the country, saying it was a day well spent in the midst of professional colleagues. Mr. Bode Hungbo was one of the tour guides honoured and celebrated by the association for their roles in elevating tour guide profession through the decades while the Green Janitor, an environmental organisation, was also awarded for it support for nature and heritage conservation. Special guests at the event included: Jamaican Ambassador to Nigeria, Esmond St. C. Reid, and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, Kamina Johnson Smith while performances by hip hop/Afro beat super star Tupengo and the Melani Records Crew, and upcoming Singer, Naomi Billz, serenaded the people.
