Golden Tulip Agulu Lake: Gov Obiano’s gift to Anambra tourism

Sustainable governance is not just a whiff of brain wave which rises after several droplets of choice wines or highly filtered whiskey or brandy. It is a product of deep thinking and stern determination by philosopher governor who loves to leave indelible footprints in the sand of time for posterity.

Boko Haram: Nigerian govt never lost control in engaging terrorists, US agency counters ISSA

Such men who possess unquestionable integrity and clean-cut vision for their state and people are not common to come across particularly in this era of cosmetics policies and programmes just to cultivate cheap popularity and temporary applause from the people.

In the South-East of Nigeria, in Anambra State to be precise, a state which has produced great names which resonate and shine in the literary history of Nigeria, in commerce, business and politics, has also produced a philosopher governor, Dr Willie Obiano, who only thinks how to sustainably ensure the permanence of developmental projects – all projects dovetail into the economic emancipation and betterment of ordinary people

Anambra State is not only a paragon of cultural tourism, being the state in Nigeria which has the most beautiful masquerade in Africa it is also blessed with wonderful ecotourism and geographical natural tourism sites .

As one of the few philosopher governors ever in Nigeria, Governor Obiano understands perfectly the import of tourism and its wondrous economic potency. He, being a cosmopolitan banker who has traversed the four corners of the globe and witnessed what tourism has done in some of these countries, determined to add value to the state via tourism.

The first step taken by him was to take tourism inventory of the state, slate them for enhancement and development. He also stretched further to fetch one of the best tourism administrators and mangers of tourism policy in Nigeria, Dr (Mrs) Sally Mbanefo, a corporate banker who had served excellently well as the Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation as his Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artworks, Culture and Tourism.

With the right hand for the job, Governor Obiano embarked on development, enhancement and retrofitting of some notable tourism sites in Anambra under the competency of Dr Mbanefo and her team at the ministry .

As this was going on the realised that his drive at turning Anambra state into a tourism destination will be meaningless without a first-class hotel with intercontinental standard with local flavour and a peaceful environment where lives and properties are safe.

And Governor Obiano has never looked back. He, within a spate of time, turned Anambra State into one of the safest states in Nigeria while he intensified his action on a five-star hotel which his predecessor had left at about five per cent completion.

Being a proactive governor determined to harness copiously the tourism potentialities of the state, Governor Obiano ensured that a five-star hotel  structure being constructed in  Amobia, one of the most scenic environment where bliss and tranquilly located and beside the historical Agulu  Lake which harbours the largest crocodiles in Nigeria  is completed!

And just because he is a man who thinks sustainability, in his modus operandi, he sought for one of the best hotel brands in the world—Golden Tulip — signed an MOU with this intercontinental brand, thus removing any bureaucratic incursion for ease and profitable business

You just need to visit this hotel which is planted majestically on a  14-hectare piece of and the three-storey building has 81 standard rooms and presidential suite, a conference centre, a gym, a spa, an outdoor pool bar, a bush bar and six meeting rooms with lovely swimming pool. Other facilities are clinic and a nine-hole golf course which will soon be upgraded to 18 holes.

Manned by a competent team of thoroughbred professionals under James Ochei General Manager, the hotel has been able to absorb over 200 applicants from the unemployment market while almost all the building articles were sourced locally.

According to Lola Itayemi, a visitor to Anambra, “The only thing that consoled me when my flight was cancelled until the next day was the fact that I was going back to Golden Tulip Hotel and Resort, Agulu Lake Amobia. The blissful experience I had the previous night sweetened my spirit. There hotel has a blissful aura. It is a place where you can consummate your holiday in quietude and serenity. Here, you forget the worries and romance the peace, the tranquillity of the countryside, the solemnity of a natural environment which can stimulate and enhance mental cogitation. This is a good testimony of a good governor who genuinely loves his people and sustainable development.”