Tourism awareness creation and sensitisation got another boost in Ibadan, Oyo State last Friday when Noble 107.1 FM, located at Gbopa, Ologuneru, floated two programmes aimed at sensitising Nigerians to the import of tourism.
According to Miss Mariam Ogunremi, coordinator of the two programmes; “The management of Noble 107.1 FM has found it imperative to accord tourism the pride of place by creating two different programmes in a week at a prime time for the vending of tourism news as well as showcasing tourism sites.”
She added that: “The two programmes, Meriri (Wonder) aired on Tuesday, 7-8 and Bembe Oro (Spectacular information), which is on air every Thursday 8 – 9 pm, are presented in the Yoruba language for the benefits of the people.”
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Miss Ogunremi revealed: “We found out that one of the problems confronting the spread of the gospel, according to tourism in Nigeria, is the adoption of the English language as a means of creating the awareness. Thus, it makes tourism to look like an elitist sector, whereas it is a sector which belongs to the ordinary people on the street, the taxi driver, the roadside food seller, hawkers of items and workers in the hospitality industry. The town people where tourism sites are located must understand what they have. You cannot pass this message on successfully if you don’t employ the language the local people understand. That is why the two programmes are in Yoruba.”
She disclosed: “I am happy to inform you that since we started the programmes, they have enjoyed tremendous acceptance and popularity better than those ones in the English language. The feedback has been high and impressive. Airing the tourism programmes in Yoruba has been a wonderful experience.”
Miss Ogunremi revealed: “Of course, we are going to launch another tourism programme which will be aired in the English language for the benefits of those who are not Yoruba and the elite too who may not comprehend the Yoruba programmes”
She called on tourism stakeholders, associations, groups and buffs not only to listen to these programmes, but “join us as productive partners in progress for the spread of the gospel according to tourism. I assure you it will be a symbiotic relationship of a win-win platform”.
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