Stakeholder Tasks FG On Tourism Development
A key player in the nation’s tourism sector, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Omoba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation(OYASAF), Prince Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon has advised the federal government to emphasise more on tourism growth so that it can add to the GDP.
Shyllon also observed that government’s inability to promote tourism at the domestic level make is affecting the industry negatively.
According to OYASAF CEO, a lukewarm attitude to tourism development would not motivate stakeholders in their businesses, adding that in every 100 tourists, there are one potential investor and there are so many money in tourism.
Shyllon who spoke during an interactive session with Daily Times at his arts residence in Lagos recently pointed out that Nigerians do not travel far and wide apart from the Igbo people but added that , Ogun state In particular has a lot of heritage sites which tourists can be visited.
He stated that Nigeria has not been fully developed for tourism, despite Its natural inhabitants, identifying tribalism and ethnicity as vices for domestic tourism growth.
Speaking further, OYASAF CEO said that most of the international tourists face a lot of challenges right from the airport in the country. “The attitude of the immigration officers within the airport is bad, facilities are bad. Some most of them are not always happy with the situation.”
Shyllon advised government to stem the tide of kidnapping, violence, robbery, stressing that such social vices discourages international tourism.
According to him, “Transportation system is very bad and we do not develop tourist sites. We have Olumo rock at Abeokuta, yet not developed. We don’t have monuments, no artistry and tourism parks.”
Describing Lagos, Cross River, Oyo, Kano and Ogun as states that have the facilities to encourage tourism, she added “In Lagos State there freedom parks, museums , very good numbers of galleries, hotels, a situation she said would definitely promote tourism.
Applauding the efforts of the former governor of Cross River State Donald Duke, shyllon described Cross River State as best in terms of tourism in Nigeria. “Cross River State has many domestic tourism sites, which include, Tinapa, Obudu Cattle Ranch, Mary Slessor Slave yard and many others.
She said all these can be packaged for international tourism which in turn can earn foreign exchange and huge revenue for the state.
He said, “There are problem of power, banking system, transportation. All these do not help international tourism. Also single visa entry and short term visitation.”
Advising, government to develop all the tourism potential, she urged them to try and protect the tourist destinations and historical sites by building facilities such as Judiciary and Police station around it”
As far as l know, similarly, Shyllon donated a state-of the art museum to Pan African University (PAU), urging, he was motivated by certain factors to make the donation to the prestigious institution.
According to him, PAU has a very strong and dependable corporate governance principle in managing their affairs, which he said would ensure the museum legacy in perpetuity for the next generation to see and benefit.
According to Adedoyin, Nigeria does not have edifies where people can see all the various spectrum of art and creativity. He said, Nigeria has antiquities and traditional arts, but there are no contemporary and modern arts being displaced so that tourists and visitors to share in the creativity and culture of the people.
He further explained that, he has been collecting arts for 40years noting that what he was doing in art were properly positioned and proper furnished. “One of the ways which it can properly furnished if you are collector is to have your own museum or you contributing in an existing museum”.
“So in Nigeria I had to look around and study the environment and I found out that Pan Atlantic University was a very good place for me to site the museum containing my works of art, so we both entered in an agreement, we have started the production architectural brief and design and we are going to construct it”.
Describing PAU as having a corporate culture that supports art that he has been promoting tourism in Nigeria, Adedoyin said, “Pan Atlantic University has a corporate culture that supports art, on their own for some 15years they have been supporting arts exhibitions of Nigeria’s artists, not only that they have their own collections of art which they collected over the years since they were set up, thirdly and I found out in my interaction with them they have very strong and dependable corporate governance principle in managing their university and that is very important to make sure that my legacy in my museum continues in perpetuity
Recounting how art passion grew in him, Shyllon said “To start with I can draw; I drew up to class three in the secondary school, even though I went for sciences I still had the latent ability but more importantly when I was in the university of Ibadan as an undergraduate I used to go Yaba college of technology and they have a very good library. “During my holidays days in university of Ibadan I used go there to read in their library and behind their library was the student demonstration exhibition space and I used to leave my studies in the library to go enjoy their work and that was how it started”.
On Nigerian cultural heritage and artistic value, the art collector said, there is more than sculptors than painters.
He however, said that such drift is unfortunate because Nigeria’s history as a people was made from sculpting. He cited examples with the Igboukwu culture, the Benin works of art, Ife art, Terakulture, Iludun of Abeokotua, the Ibasingi amongst others.
Another reason, he went to the Pan Atlantic University is the robust maintenance culture which Pan African University is known for. “ I did not go for our normal public university because you need to go to their campus, and see the level of maintenance, they are very cautious of maintenance; they have long time view about management as against some of the universities you find around. That is one of the reasons I went to that place; so I have no fear or iota of doubt in my mind that I have gone to the right place where those works would be maintained and would be properly taken care of for the benefit of future generations of Nigerian and the non Nigerians that would visit this country”.
He said the investment runs up to N2.2billion which includes cash donations, the granted art works and the future art donations up to year 2031. “At present value in calculation, not future value in calculation, it is coming to about N2.2 billion”, he said.
The founder of OYASAF who said he was not investing on the project for financial gains said “Legacy is more important.” That is important to me and it is more important than every other thing. I want to leave the world fulfilled, that I have left this world more than I met it and I have also made my own contributions to the society. That is my ultimate goal and I am fulfilled”.
The art collector who confirmed that putting works of art together is not easy told Our Correspondent that it takes passion, interest and ability to differ your needs for satisfying one’s interest in art. “It takes somebody who is committed just like the economists said that “wants are unlimited but means are very limited. So my wants in life are so extensive that I have to prioritize. I rather spend my money on buying art than frivolities, so it is a question of deciding base on the different levels of scale of importance”.
Speaking further, Prince Shghyllon said his works of art have been a source of tourism development in Nigeria. According to him, some of his art works at Freedom parks is a source of attraction to most tourists who visit the country. That place is very conducive and also an art environment just like my museum too. These places attract tourists into the country. It promotes tourism in the sense that it will attract those who love art; both domestic and international lovers of art. “I have been promoting tourism in Nigeria, not just today, Art Collector concluded.
