Tourism is the aesthetic dimension of modern civilization invested in sufficiently by several governments bent on diversified route for wealth accumulation. The world now drifts away further from orthodox petrodollar revenue generation, as it is the case with so unfortunate countries denied of fossils resources, instead the hunt has been on exploiting wealth opportunities which tourism affords. Anyone who has jetted out to oil dried nations such as Dubai would attest to the beguiling sights of government and world class industrial edifices which hold spellbound amusement seekers.
Sane governments in order to check tides of unemployment and youth restiveness delve actively into reshaping sites of historic importance to diversify job creation. Today’s world is crammed of fun seekers and only leadership gifted of hindsight takes no chances in maximizing economic mouthwatering opportunities associated with tourist enterprises. It is another way of reclaiming cultural ancestry and reconnecting with the present. People are emotionally attached to sites that speak volumes about their historical antecedent and cultural heritage and the philosophical underlining of names, such prehistory edifice or so bears.
For instance, every seat of government has a sobriquet well conceived amongst citizens of the particular state. Endurable events which influenced in more ways than one the collective existence of the people usually contribute hugely in the moniker eventually earned by government houses. The peculiarity in what the name represents isolate it from others.
Down the memory lane, old Enugu played and still plays significant if not strategic roles in the geographical cosmology of the people of Igbo extraction since pre and post colonialism. In fact Enugu ranked in the imagination of Igbo man what present Lagos State portends to Yoruba Man. Enugu played host to all comers of goodwill for agricultural innovation and business industry, providing serene atmosphere for investors of every kind to root their enterprise in any quarter of the state deviod of criminalities that brings development to screeching halt.
Again, politically old Enugu was animated to humongous regional responsibility strapped to her neck. Questions that determines the peaceful co-existence of Ndi Igbo with her vast neighbors, and how they ply their business acumen in the larger polity are taken and decisively exhausted in the “Lion Building” or the popular Nike Lake resort serving alternative.
It is however regrettable that, most of the lionized edifices particularly government lodge and Executive guest houses had gone into pathetic state of disrepair and near unhabitable for official operational use. The comeuppance for their dilapidation became manifest in venue prostitution by Southeast Leader’s various summits on security and general welfare. Decisions that affect a whole Igbo nation, home and diaspora were either taken from scattered places or electronically, thus breeding questions of reports authentication and authority that sanctioned them.
Happily, the narrative altered dramatically since Governor Ugwuanyi’s ascent to office. One the attractiveness of Ugwuanyi’s democratic dividends is the touch of aesthetic dimension in refurbishing infrastructural putridity across local governments in the state. Ugwuanyi has demonstrated unimaginable perfection in artistic beauty given his continued efforts in wrestling away sites of cultural and political heritage from pangs of damning rot.
Capping it all is the infrastructural recuperation ongoing within the innards of old government houses. At least, 10 units of Executive guest houses, 24 units of guest flats with spacious Dinning Hall are on the record to have undergone structural remodeling including accommodative Lawn Tennis court ornamented with round the clock electricity supply facilities for rewiring of frayed nerves and decongesting arterial complications.
The artistic Ugwuanyi, found no rationale to relax on past laurels but has gone farther to put in place a gigantic structure of whooping 600 seater- state-of-the-art Banquet Hall with basement offices, meeting rooms and retaining walls. The objective for this critical moves aren’t in contrast with Ugwuanyi’s governmental prudence and frugality in managing state coffers as well as checking venue whoredom by SouthEast opinion leaders. States with no fitted jurisdiction for policy discourse, understand best economic lavishness such fate wrought on state’s treasury as hosting visiting governments outside state owned resort is by no means a tea party expense.
Enugu State seat of government under Ugwuanyi has long acquired a political mecca of sort , where pronounced Nigerian political pilgrims flock to for Ugwuanyi’s invaluable counseling and direction on approaches to lasting solutions for matters assailing the nation. And as such, the need to diminish governance streaking expense resurge in full swing.
Written by
Mrs. Bibian Anekwe
SSA to the Governor of Enugu State on Mobilization and Empowerment
Enugu Di N’akachukwu Movement (DG)
