What rhymes with the word, Africa? Safari?
Those of us outside the continent, who tote around African names, can count on the “Safari conversation” occurring at some point. Nostalgia, a yearning, or just a need for small talk; something about that African name invokes Safari thoughts in non-Africans. Yet, chances are near certain that that Africa has never been on a Safari.
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To whom do we owe this notoriety? I largely credit our East African brothers for a branding and catering job phenomenally well done. The word ‘Africa’ is synonymous with Safari because this is the one side of Her face that she is brave enough to show with pride. This, she has convinced the world, is beautiful and worth the precious dime to explore.
But there could be much more. Nigeria could uncover another beautiful side of that face in every single one of her 36 states. In culture and in nature, there is a wealth of charm in our mundane. But, to see it, we must first unblind the appreciative eye. Then, recognizing our bounty, we can become cultivators and caretakers, making the original even more valuable. It is only after this that we can gain the confidence to expose our other assets to the world. We can then credibly say with authority, “This is beautiful, this too is Africa worth exploring.”
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Said differently, Nigeria could be gaining a whole lot more in tourism revenues. “Low hanging fruit” – a thing that can be obtained with little effort; this is tourism in Nigeria. While due credit is given for the ongoing efforts to boost tourism, much more is needed. On this matter, the people have as much a role to play as the government. Emptiness is the remainder when we trade our birthright (our culture and natural environment) for a second-hand identity. But when we delicately preserve, we can attract positive attention along with their pockets; we can create jobs and business opportunities for our people; we can spike our reputation and strengthen our economy.
All this, tourism can do, on a foundation of appreciation of nature, love for our neighbors (regardless of creed or tribe), and responsibility by our government. Raise the bar, clean the dust, this land is beautiful….
