Owing to the expanding trajectory of economic diversification and the need to earn more, many countries around the globe are now making deliberate forays into the tourism business as it has recorded great contributions to economic and environmental development.
This informed the establishment of the Bonny Tourism Initiative, in pursuit of which, Africa’s foremost gas company, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, in conjunction with the award-winning tourism and cultural promotion firm, Goge Africa, and the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC), sponsored 20 indigenes of Bonny Kingdom to a Two-Week Tourism Training in Lagos State, Nigeria.
The training was purposed to prepare the company’s host community, Bonny Kingdom for tourism ventures given its potentials evidenced in its unique culture, heritage and natural resources that renders it not only one of the best tourism locations but also one of the major tourism hubs in Nigeria.
It is common knowledge that Bonny Kingdom, an ancient conglomeration of communities, is replete with historical and tourism sites dating back to as far as the 17th century, but for these young people being taken from there to other equally historical communities and kingdoms, the thrill and prospect this training held for them was awesome as it would afford them the opportunity to visit other places they may not have been to before.
Main Roundabout, Bonny Town. Photo Credit: Bonny Island Magazine 
It is trite to quickly inform that this Goge Africa Tourism Training is just one of the many initiatives by the Nigeria LNG to promote tourism, economic diversification and entrepreneurial opportunities for its host communities and Nigerians in general.
For two weeks, the participants, who were mostly drawn from the Bonny Graduates Forum (BGF), a convergence of professionals of Bonny origin from diverse fields, underwent intensive training, which saw them through the classroom and experientials in diverse tourist locations across Lagos State.
They were flown from the Finima Airstrip, Bonny to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, from where they were driven to their various hotel rooms already booked for them by the sponsors.
The experientials took them to places such as the Palace of the Oba Akran of Badagry Kingdom, Royal Palace of the Mobee of Badagry Kingdom, and the Slave Port, all in Badagry; La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ibeju-Lekki and Lekki Conservation Center, both in Lekki, where they seemed to have connected with ages gone by through the stories told them by the locals and the relics of that age.
Journey Into The Past: Participants visit diverse tourism spots and soak in history.
By the morning of Friday, February 26, 2021, it was time to head back to Bonny after two weeks of breathtaking, mind-blowing and expository training where the scope of their understanding of the tourism sector’s potential for huge opportunities for investment, economic development, and recreation was expanded.
Upon arriving Bonny for the concluding phase of the training, they visited some very interesting tourist sites in Bonny too. These include Nigeria’s Premier Anglican Cathedral Church, established in 1864 and consecrated a Cathedral on February 27, 1889, by Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny, tomb of King William Dappa Pepple I, Perekule V (The Black Monarch) of Bonny Country, as he was then called, the progenitor of the current monarch, King Edward 1st, the Ikuba Square, Elesu Square, Finima Nature Park, ancient quarters of the old Bonny Town, namely, Madupolo, Polo Nwator, Polo Nkwere, and Polo Ada, among others.
Vantage Points: St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny
They were also at Cable Road area where most of the colonial relics are located such as the Consulate Building, Court of Equity, St. Clement European Church, Admiralty jetty, and old Lighthouse, among others. These relics though defunct and decrepit now, afforded the participants some perspective into the days of old when business between Nigeria, nay West Africa, and Europe were mainly domiciled along the shores of Bonny Town.
They closed out the day with a sit-out at D-Court Hotel, Akiama, Bonny, where the President of the hotel, Amaopusenibo Dimieari Green, hosted them to a dinner. Ace historian, Amasenibo Dave Banigo was on hand to give the participants and their handlers, the Goge Africa team comprising the Executive Director, Isaac Moses, his wife, Nneka Moses, and erudite journalist, Pelu Awofeso, among others, some insightful perspectives into Bonny history.
They were later treated to some good dance steps by Amaopusenibo Green, who himself is a celebrated dancer well recognized in Bonny tradition as the Firinwangibo Nyefifim Social Club of Bonny Kingdom entertained them with Bonny native music. Some of the participants joined in the dancing and it was an exhilarating experience for everyone.
They later converged at the Finima Nature Park for the closing ceremony of the two week training where the Chief and Head of the Captain Hart Chieftaincy House, Se-Alabo Reginald Hart represented the Bonny Chiefs Council, and the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Eyono Fatayi-Williams, represented the sponsors, Nigeria LNG.
Founder and Executive Director of Goge Africa, Isaac Moses, and his wife, Nneka Moses, Nigeria LNG’s Manager, Community Relations and Sustainable Development, Godson Dienye, Community Coordinator of the Mobil Producing Nigeria Limited (MPNL), Bonny, Dr Bara Kabaka Brown, and Chairman and Vice Chairman, Finima Youth Congress (FYC), Charles Brown and Ene Tobin, respectively, were among dignitaries that graced the occasion.
To underscore the value the programme sponsors attached to this training Nigeria LNG’s Manager, Community Relations and Sustainable Development, Godson Dienye, remarked that Tourism was becoming the new oil and a yet to be properly harnessed source of revenue south of the Sahara, urging the participants to make the best of the training, informing them that the company management and other stakeholders will be on the lookout for what they will make out of the training.
Some of the participants, who spoke to Kristina Reports on their experience expressed gratitude to the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC), the Nigeria LNG, BGF, and the Goge Africa team for making the training possible, describing it as a welcome development, saying that “we look forward to making our dream of a mini Dubai a reality”.
One of them, Rossphilips Irims, the Founder and Executive Director of De Creed, a history vending virtual medium, said “I had a great time during the Bonny Tourism Training sponsored by NLNG and facilitated by Goge Africa, noting that the training was really an eye opener for first timers in the Tourism business and a capacity building program for persons already in Tourism related activities”.
“For me, it was all about capacity building as I needed to learn professionally all it takes and requires to be in the Tourism business. This wasn’t disappointing as the courses lined up for the training were all topnotch; they were filled with the required elements to enable one to be a Tourism Entrepreneur.”
Another participant, Victor Henry, also known as Bonny Aproko, a stand-up comedian, said “For me, I’ll say this training is an eye opener, at first it sounded so common but as time went on I knew it wasn’t just tourism but rather a new oil and gas for Grand Bonny Kingdom.”
“The training was very much impactful and it was to the level of understanding for every trainee to flow on the same current. Amidst this training, we had to go through three means of transportation (water, air, and land) just to understand the importance of transportation in Tourism.”
On their visit to places like the palace of the Oba Akran of Badagry, the slave port, and other sites at Badagry, he had this to say: “We were also taken to different locations and were told stories and histories attached to those locations so that we can have an insight of how best we can package or tell ours in Bonny Kingdom.
“For me, this is the new era of economic growth for Bonny Kingdom, and I’ll ensure I put in my best to be part of this growth from the tourism sector in order to help sell Bonny in a better light.”
Financial Secretary of the Bonny Graduates Forum (BGF), Joan Benstowe described the training as a learning curve and great experience for her, expressing her gratitude to the organizers and facilitators for a successful training opportunity.
“During my experience, I learnt new things; like being innovative and creative. It was indeed, a great experience and an educative one at that. Thank you Nigeria LNG for this wonderful opportunity. Thank you Amanyanabo of Ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom for this initiative. Thank you Goge Africa and Team for being the best trainers.
On her part, Ibienebo Pepple described the training as a “lifetime experience”, noting that “even though it was a training, it was more like a vacation for me. The training was a lifetime experience, especially, the experiential. It opened my eyes to see that tourism can actually thrive as a business on its own, that little things we look down on in our day to day living can actually be a tourist attraction”.
“I benefited knowledge and exposure to the tourism world. I like the fact that it was a certification training which has added a plus to my academics. Also, I hope to benefit financially in the long run.”
Very great initiative. The way to go.