Prof. Abdalla Adamu, the Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Tuesday identified poverty as a major factor hampering recreation and tourism in Nigeria.
Adamu spoke at the 10th Inaugural Lecture of NOUN delivered by Prof. Abubakar Suleiman at the institution’s permanent site, Jabi, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture is entitled, ‘The Need to Know and Understand Recreation, Leisure and Tourism in Practices in Nigeria.
The vice-chancellor said that an average Nigerian would rather look for food than embark on tourism, due to economic difficulties.
“People are poor; they are struggling to survive; they are looking for what to eat; therefore, it is very difficult for them to go for leisure and holidays.
“You can imagine going to the beach or a posh location; that requires money; it requires resources; only people who have extra money can do that.
“For the vast majority of Nigerians, life is a struggle; so, going for tourism is not something they think of.’’
According to him, an inaugural lecture is an occasion of significance in an academic staff member’s career at the university.
Such lectures, he said, provide newly appointed professors with the opportunity to inform colleagues, the campus community and the general public of their work and current research.
In his lecture, Suleiman, who is the Director, Abuja Model Study Centre, said that there were lots of constraints to recreation and tourism in Nigeria.
He said that many Nigerians might like to take part in recreation and tourism but were faced with the problem of low income.
According to him, social activities such as dancing, draft, `ayo’, ludo, card games and partying can provide less expensive forms of recreation.
Suleiman listed other factors that militate against tourism as ill-health, age, social issues, religious background, inadequate security, time factor, psychological reasons, unstable government policies, among others.
“In order to facilitate the growth and development of recreation and tourism, government has to embark on a massive and aggressive publicity campaign.
“Government has to simplify the issuance of visas to intending visitors by lessening the difficulties associated with it.
“On a regular basis, government can organise training for the purpose of re-orientation in the discharge of their duties,’’ he said.
The inaugural lecturer noted that tourist sites abound in all the states of the federation which could be harnessed for economic growth and diversification. (NAN)