Few days ago, I was worried about some pot holes that dot the road
network within the expansive premises of the widely acclaimed Transcorp Hilton
Hotel in Abuja that I had to raise alarm calling for urgent facelift of the
infrastructural facilities. I also raised salient concern regarding standard of
services provided daily to clients by this hotel that is seen as one of the
most expensive places to visit.
Immediately the online version of the letter to the editor was
published severally including the photographs depicting the bad portions of
road inside the hotel premises, various reactions trailed it even as the
management of the hotel immediately established contact with me to offer their
own side of the story in strong defence of the tourism institution that has
made a mark as the number one choice of most foreign visitors to the Nigerian
political capital of Abuja.
As a professionally trained journalist of over two decades
of formidable experiences with investigative background, I decided to honor the
invitation extended to me by the top managerial team because I believe
in transparency, objective journalism and balance of facts and figures.
These traits of journalism excellence seem to be seriously lacking
in the practice of modern day 'citizen journalism' whereby untrained minds with
access to the social media have misused these beautiful opportunities and advances
in science/technology to market their warped ideas without regard to the time-
tested and time -honored values of objectivity and the worship of what I
may call the 'goddess of truth'.
At the end of two of the many deliberations I had with the
management, I came out with the impression that they indeed have extensive plan
to totally rehabilitate most facilities in the hotel to keep pace with growing
expectation of global best practices by their esteemed clients and other
observers of beauty and nature such as investigative writers.
The public Relations Unit of Hilton Hotel in Abuja further
disclosed that the princely sum of $200million USD has been voted and budgeted
for the comprehensive maintenance and upgrading of virtually all the facilities
in the hotel to satisfy the highest aesthetic demands of their clients who are
mostly global travelers.
Also, Transcorp Hilton Abuja is billed to host the World next year
for the 2014 World Economic Forum on Africa. Both the managing Director and Chief
Executive officer of Transcorp Hilton Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, a thorough-bred
gentleman and the Recreation/Public Relations Manager Mr. Shola Adeyemo, a man
with deep friendly disposition, assured that the management and staff of
Transcorp Hilton Abuja are ready and competently trained, motivated and willing
to host the World next year. For now, I am prepared to give them the benefit of
doubt given the fact that these are persons of high intellectual and managerial
pedigrees.
The great news that Nigeria is to host the 24th edition of the
World Economic Forum (WEP) on Africa in Abuja next year was announced by no
less a great nationalist in the person of the former managing Director of World
Bank and current Finance minister Dr. [Mrs.] Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at the venue
of the just ended World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town, South Africa
which hosted this year’s version in May 2013.
Specifically, the Coordinating Minister of the
Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, made the announcement
at the close of the 23rd edition of the WEF in Cape Town, South Africa.
Okonjo-Iweala thanked the WEF for choosing
Nigeria as the next host, expressing the readiness of the country to make the
next edition as exciting as possible.
She said that the choice of Nigeria was
appropriate given its position and huge economic potential.
“I think we epitomise a lot of things about
Africa. We have the excitement, the passion, the entrepreneurship, the private
sector drive and the glow for the future.
“But we also epitomise all of the difficult
challenges of the continent such as infrastructure deficit, governance issues,
corruption and transparency,” she said.
According to her, a combination of these
opportunities and challenges in one country makes Nigeria the most exciting
place to be on the continent.
Okonjo-Iweala said that the future of Africa was
bright, judging by the commitment and passion demonstrated by participants in
the forum, especially the Young Global Leaders, who represented the youths of
the continent.
The Director General, Nigeria Economic Summit
Group, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr, said that Nigeria was excited to be the host of the
next WCF.
He said that President Goodluck Jonathan had
already mandated the team to organise a successful forum.
After my various informal meetings with top
management of Transcorp Hilton, I also took some few days to interact with
different foreign visitors and well-mannered Nigerians on what their opinions
are regarding the fact that Nigeria is billed to host that global economic
parley, and most of them were confident that indeed Transcorp Hilton in Abuja
and Nigeria as the host nation will deliver one of the best events to the World
next year.
I also observed that some of the pot holes were
already being filled up just as most people spoken to are awaiting
the renovation work to commence. I believe in the 'I can do spirit' of the
typical Nigerian to showcase the best event whenever the opportunity
comes.
* Emmanuel Onwubiko; Head; Human Rights Writers' Association of Nigeria; blogs@www.huriwa.org; www.huriwablogspot.com.
05/06/2013
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