Perhaps the most persuasive advertisement for Nigerian tourism would not be an expensive government campaign, a glossy brochure or an international conference, but something far simpler and more authentic, and that is the President of Nigeria choosing to spend his holiday in Nigeria. Rest has been earned, Mr. President. Let it be enjoyed. But whenever possible, let it be enjoyed at home.
By Shu’aibu Usman Leman
There can be no serious quarrel with a president taking a well-earned holiday. The office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is an extraordinarily demanding one, requiring long hours, difficult decisions, endless briefings and the daily burden of carrying the expectations of more than 200 million people. Anyone who occupies such an office deserves, from time to time, the opportunity to step away from the rigours of statecraft, clear the mind and rest. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is therefore entirely justified in taking a three-week holiday, and I have no difficulty with the idea of the President taking time away from the pressures of office. My reservation, however, is about the destination. At a time when Nigeria is struggling to rebuild confidence in its institutions, infrastructure, economy and possibilities, I cannot help wondering why the nation’s leader could not enjoy the beauty, tranquility and hospitality of Nigeria itself.
If I were to make a personal recommendation, I would suggest Yankari National Park in Bauchi State. Yankari offers precisely the sort of environment one might imagine would appeal to a president seeking respite from the demands of public life: expansive landscapes, relative seclusion, wildlife and the quiet that comes with being away from the political noise of Abuja. The Park has undergone significant renovations, alongside continuing efforts to improve its facilities and strengthen its wildlife population, and remains one of Nigeria’s most important tourism assets. That makes the idea of a presidential holiday there particularly compelling. If Yankari is important enough for Government to invest in, preserve and promote, is it unreasonable to ask whether it is also good enough for the country’s foremost citizen to visit? A presidential stay would not merely be a holiday; it would be an extraordinary vote of confidence in one of the country’s own assets.
The thought leads naturally to a much larger issue, because Nigeria’s tourism challenge is not simply that we lack attractive destinations. We have them in abundance. What we have often lacked is the confidence to value what we possess and the seriousness to develop it to its full potential. For decades, we have nurtured the assumption that anything foreign is automatically superior, while domestic alternatives are too readily dismissed as second-rate. We send our children abroad for education, travel overseas for holidays, shop abroad and seek healthcare abroad, and in some circles these choices have become badges of status and achievement.
READ ALSO:
Tinubu heads to Europe for 3-week vacation
Yet we simultaneously complain about the weakness of the naira, the fragility of our local economy and the difficulties confronting Nigerian businesses. There is an uncomfortable contradiction here. We cannot continually export our money, patronage and confidence and then wonder why local enterprises struggle to flourish. A nation cannot build a strong domestic economy if its most influential citizens consistently behave as though quality, comfort and sophistication are inherently foreign qualities.
This is where leadership becomes important, because leadership is not exercised only through laws, policies, appointments and speeches. It is also exercised through example. The choices made by those at the apex of society influence what ordinary citizens come to regard as desirable, respectable and worthwhile. A presidential holiday at Yankari would therefore have consequences far beyond the President’s own comfort. It would attract national attention to the park and generate curiosity among Nigerians who may never have considered visiting it. Families might begin to think about domestic holidays in a different way, while hotels, restaurants, transport operators, tour guides, artisans and other businesses connected to the tourism economy would have an opportunity to benefit from the increased visibility. Investors, too, might begin to look more seriously at the commercial possibilities surrounding Yankari and other national tourism assets. A single visit would not transform the tourism industry overnight, but it could provide something the sector desperately needs: visibility, credibility and the unmistakable message that tourism is worthy of serious national attention.
There would also be a practical advantage to the President himself. A holiday within Nigeria could become an informal but valuable field assessment, allowing him to experience the country beyond official reports and carefully prepared briefing notes. The journey would reveal the condition of roads and transport networks; the accommodation would provide an honest test of the quality of our hospitality industry; security arrangements would expose the realities that confront visitors; and interactions with local communities could offer a glimpse into the lives of people whose livelihoods depend on tourism. If the experience were genuinely world-class, it would strengthen the case for further investment. If shortcomings became apparent, the President would be uniquely positioned to ask why those problems persist and what should be done about them. There is something particularly valuable about a leader experiencing the country not as a distant administrator but as a visitor. Sometimes the most useful assessment is not the one presented in a report but the one discovered first-hand.
And Nigeria has other destinations worthy of such attention. If Yankari does not appeal, Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State offers a very different but equally compelling experience, with its mountains, cool climate and remarkable scenery. It could provide an ideal sanctuary from the political heat of Abuja while demonstrating that genuine relaxation and spectacular natural beauty do not require an international passport or a transcontinental flight. Across the country there are waterfalls, wildlife reserves, historic sites, beaches, mountains and cultural attractions capable of providing memorable experiences, yet we have often been more enthusiastic about discovering what lies beyond our borders than about developing and appreciating what lies within them. The irony is that we frequently tell foreigners that Nigeria is open for business and full of opportunity while some of our own choices suggest that we do not entirely believe the story ourselves.
Of course, the President has every right to decide where he spends his private holiday, and nothing in this argument should be interpreted as suggesting otherwise. Travelling abroad is neither a crime nor a betrayal of Nigeria, and there are many perfectly legitimate reasons why individuals may choose to do so. My point is about the symbolism of leadership at a particular moment in our national life. The administration has repeatedly spoken about economic diversification, support for local enterprise, investment and the need to conserve foreign exchange.
Domestic tourism fits naturally into that broader economic ambition, but no tourism industry can be built through policy documents and official pronouncements alone. It requires infrastructure, security, investment, competent management and, perhaps above all, confidence. Nigerians must believe that their own country has something worth experiencing; businesses must believe that there is a market worth serving; and investors must believe that the sector has a future. Government can provide incentives and infrastructure, but leadership can provide something equally important: an example that tells people that these destinations are worth taking seriously.
Nigeria possesses an extraordinary geographical and cultural inheritance, from the savannahs of the north to the forests of the south, from mountains and waterfalls to wildlife reserves, beaches and historic cultural sites. We have many of the raw ingredients required for a thriving tourism industry. What has been missing is the sustained seriousness, investment and national purpose necessary to turn those assets into a competitive sector capable of attracting Nigerians and international visitors alike. A presidential holiday will not repair the country’s roads, solve its security challenges or suddenly transform every resort into a world-class facility. Nor should we pretend that one presidential visit can achieve what years of consistent investment and sound management have failed to accomplish. But leadership does not always have to solve a problem in order to influence its direction. Sometimes it simply needs to demonstrate that a particular endeavour is worth believing in.
That, ultimately, is why the President’s choice of holiday destination matters to me. When a nation’s leader chooses to experience his own country’s attractions, the act carries a meaning far beyond the holiday itself. It tells Nigerians that their country is worth exploring. It tells local businesses that their efforts are worthy of patronage. It tells investors that there are opportunities here deserving of attention. And it tells the world that Nigeria does not merely ask others to believe in its potential; its own leadership believes in that potential enough to experience it personally. If the experience is excellent, the President becomes an ambassador for the destination. If it exposes weaknesses, he acquires first-hand knowledge of what needs to be improved. Either way, Nigeria gains something.
We often ask foreigners to believe in Nigeria — to invest here, visit here, establish businesses here and trust in our future. Perhaps the first people who must demonstrate that confidence are Nigerians themselves, particularly those entrusted with leading the country. A president who chooses Yankari or Obudu for a holiday would not need to make a speech about patriotism or economic nationalism. He would simply be making a personal choice. Yet personal choices made at the highest level can sometimes become national statements without their authors intending them to be. They can quietly tell citizens what their leaders value and where they believe quality and possibility can be found.
So, as President Tinubu steps away from the demands of statecraft, I have no objection to his resting. On the contrary, I hope he enjoys his holiday, finds the peace and privacy he needs, and returns refreshed for the responsibilities ahead. My modest appeal is simply that, whenever circumstances permit, he and other Nigerian leaders might look a little closer to home. Yankari is there. Obudu is there. Nigeria is there, with all its beauty, diversity and unfinished promise. Perhaps the most persuasive advertisement for Nigerian tourism would not be an expensive government campaign, a glossy brochure or an international conference, but something far simpler and more authentic, and that is the President of Nigeria choosing to spend his holiday in Nigeria.
Rest has been earned, Mr. President. Let it be enjoyed. But whenever possible, let it be enjoyed at home.
