For somebody whose profession has spanned media, arts and tradition, tourism and now sports activities, promoting Nigeria to the arena has transform 2nd nature to the president of the Nigerian Golfing Federation, Olusegun Runsewe. As Vanessa Obiohalearns in a contemporary stumble upon, placing the Nigerian emblem first is a non-public legal responsibility.
Otunba Olusegun Runsewe had selected a a long way nook desk of the semi-lit lodge eating place in Ikeja for our assembly. It was once a sunny afternoon, however there was once a slight sit back within the air. His tall body was once embraced through the armchair. Wearing a beige caftan, paired with an identical cap, his poise exuded the boldness of 1 in a position to tackle any problem thrown at him.
It’s an artwork he has mastered over greater than 3 a long time of serving in a single govt capability or some other. Subsequently, after I requested him about his paintings on the Nigerian Golfing Federation (NGF), the place he serves as president, there was once no hesitation in his reaction.
Golfing is a recreation he were conversant in since his days in Kaduna, the place he grew up, even supposing he was once no longer dedicated to it. Since assuming the management of the federation, then again, he has been hands-on, injecting new concepts and reviving previous tournaments such because the Nigeria Open Golfing Event, scheduled for November 16-27, 2027. It’ll be the primary time the event shall be held in 20 years.
For Runsewe, the function is extra than simply elevating the usual of golfing in Nigeria to a world degree. Additionally it is about advertising Nigeria during the recreation. Golfing, he believes, has the prospective to generate extra income for the federal government, however extra importantly, this can be a recreation the place networking is important.
“Golfing is the most important community on the planet,” he shared. “In case you shuttle anyplace on the planet for a convention or a seminar, the instant somebody within the staff inquires should you play golfing, and also you reply within the affirmative, a circle of relatives is constructed right away.”
What makes it much more distinctive, he stated, is that not like different sports activities the place camaraderie and bonding are incessantly constructed amongst spectators, in golfing, the gamers pressure that dating.
“We’re simply figuring out now that golfing is not only concerning the sport however the community, dating and content material,” he added.
Simply as he did in tourism, the place he promoted the slogan ‘tourism is lifestyles’, Runsewe is the use of the similar template in golfing, seeing it no longer simply as a recreation however as a car to advertise the Nigerian emblem. He has additionally came upon that golfers are a number of the maximum travelled other folks on the planet.
For somebody whose profession has spanned media, arts and tradition, tourism and now sports activities, promoting Nigeria to the arena has transform 2nd nature to him. It’s tricky for him to talk about anything else with out placing the Nigerian emblem first.
That intuition was once shaped a lot previous in his profession. Runsewe’s enjoy on the Commonwealth Heads of Govt Assembly (CHOGM) in 2003 stays probably the most tales he recollects with specific fondness. The then President Olusegun Obasanjo sought after to ship one or two officers to understudy CHOGM in nations that had prior to now hosted it. A number of officers had been approached, however none was once to be had. Then the Everlasting Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Thelma Iremiren, urged Runsewe.
“I used to be rather a tender officer then, and Baba (Obasanjo) is somebody who loves to make sure that one can ship. However Mrs Iremiren insisted that I’d ship. I will let you know this: when God is with you, when your time has come, the entirety will fall into position.”
The younger officer discovered himself travelling to 5 nations.
“After they let you know that you’re going with the envoy of the president, please don’t take it without any consideration. It’s a life-time enjoy that I can by no means overlook,” he stated, recalling the ones days nostalgically.
However the enjoy didn’t finish there. When he returned, he was once requested to visit London to constitute Nigeria. He was once in his 30s then.
“I took a flight. I were given to London. A group of workers member of the Nigerian embassy on the airport took me directly to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, just for me to open the door and notice with regards to about 60 other folks all over the place the arena within the corridor. The following factor I heard was once, ‘The gentleman we predict has arrived.’
He panicked.
“I stated, ‘What is that this?’ I began reciting Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall no longer need. I began praying to God. ‘God, assist me.’ So I sat down. There was once not anything I may just do once more. I had to respond to the questions.”
The moderator, a Canadian lady, saved asking him questions. Deploying his journalistic talents, Runsewe rose to the duty. When she requested if Nigeria may provide 10 booths of web fibre, the younger Runsewe, rising in self assurance, answered that Nigeria had 20, even if he had no thought if the rustic had that or no longer.
He returned to Nigeria that day and right away reported to his essential that he had dedicated Nigeria to what he known as a favorable problem. He right away were given presidential approval to visit South Africa to discover a corporate that might ship what he had promised.
It was once the similar with the OB trucks. He contacted Peter Igho, then Govt Director of Programmes on the Nigerian Tv Authority (NTA), and he supplied the essential trucks.
By the point the Commonwealth Secretariat got here to Nigeria for inspection, the entirety was once in position.
“That was once my turning level,” he stated.
It was once after that tournament that he was once appointed to the tourism sector.
Runsewe has arguably spent a lot of his profession promoting Nigerian tourism to the arena. This was once in particular glaring all over his time as Director-Common of the Nigerian Tourism Construction Company (NTDC) – then NTDA. With a grasp’s stage in Advertising and marketing, Runsewe followed the SWOT means when advertising Nigeria, even supposing his specific approach was once anything else however standard. The primary position he visits each time he arrives in a brand new nation is the jail.
“I am going to the jail to test the power of Nigeria, to test the alternatives and the threats. In case you don’t get that proper, you can be promoting the appropriate product to the fallacious other folks.”
His findings had been incessantly revealing. The general public in prisons had been incessantly believed to be Nigerian, however this became out to not be the case. Extra revealing was once his declare that 80 according to cent of foreigners believed each black guy was once from Nigeria. All of this, he stated, took place at a time when Nigerian passports had been very porous.
Past correcting perceptions of Nigeria out of doors its shores, Runsewe left his mark at the tourism sector. Simply check out the Nigerian passport and the cultural icons published on it. He initiated them.
All the way through the 2010 Global Cup in South Africa, Runsewe wrote to then President Goodluck Jonathan, asking to construct a village the place Nigerians may just watch the event. He noticed it as a chance to advertise and have a good time the rustic.
His request was once licensed, and the primary Nigerian Village was once constructed, drawing masses of other folks in an environment of party and conviviality. Entertainers had been additionally available to stay the ambience full of life all over half-time.
“We had been in reality voted the most efficient village in that Global Cup,” he recalled.
He replicated that on the Global Cup in Russia in 2018.
However for Runsewe, selling Nigeria is not just about tourism sights. Additionally it is about how Nigerians see themselves.
“It’s unlucky that almost all people don’t know a lot about our nation,” he stated.
For that to switch, he urged a big public enlightenment marketing campaign.
“We want to remember the fact that our nation is essential and our identification isn’t our tribe or faith however the nation. We should see it as honour,” he stated.
He additionally talked concerning the loss of continuity in governance, mentioning examples from his tenure within the tourism sector, the place he prioritised group of workers welfare through offering positive amenities at subsidised charges. In his view, the welfare of the folk should at all times be paramount, as that will even carry out the most efficient in them
Runsewe additionally proposed the status quo of reorientation camps in each native govt to show younger other folks about Nigerian tradition, which, consistent with him, they’ve transform disconnected from. He urged that retired lecturers must be deployed for the duty as a result of they possess the instructing talents wanted to achieve the grassroots.
“Prior to, in case you are invited to return and play any recreation, soccer or tennis for Nigeria, we really feel very excited, so satisfied. Nowadays, they discount for a way a lot you’ll pay them. We want to enlighten our other folks at the significance of respecting and believing in our tradition.”
Like tourism, Runsewe additionally contributed to the humanities and crafts sector, serving as Director-Common of the Nationwide Council for Arts and Tradition. He’s these days President of the Global Craft Council, which previous this 12 months honoured him with the Icon of Crafts, Tradition and Hospitality in Africa Award.
Even his look displays the field that has formed a lot of his profession. He’s most commonly observed in kaftans with matching caps, a mode that has transform a part of his identification.
Now, in golfing, he seems to be making use of the similar beliefs that guided him in tourism: discover a platform, construct a community and use it to advertise Nigeria.
There’s nonetheless a lot he desires to succeed in. However for somebody who has spent maximum of his lifestyles occupying one place or some other, Runsewe is aware of there’ll ultimately be a time to decelerate.
Whilst he stays tight-lipped about his retirement plans, he’s mindful of the truth that “the instant I come to a undeniable age, I can take a wreck.”
He, then again, stays satisfied concerning the Nigerian mission.
“There’s nonetheless hope for us,” he stated convincingly, as though he had observed the way forward for Nigeria in a crystal ball. “No nation on the planet would get up at some point and get the entirety proper. As a result of in the event that they do, then the place is where for historical past or to inform a tale?”