MEET EX LAGOS TOURISM PS. DR. BABATUNDE MESEWAKU

 The Root Gazette Africa

Can we meet you Sir?

I am Dr. Babatunde Mesewaku.

Former Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and a published author.

Sir, can you share specific details about your past and present community development projects?

Like I said, I am a retired PS from the Lagos State Public Service. But a good number of my service years was spent in the Local Government service where I served as Head of Administration/Council Manager from 2003 to 2017 when I was deployed to the mainstream of Lagos State public service and after spending about 3yrs I was appointed PS and deployed to the Ministry of Tourism.

To me community development has to do with how you are able to deploy your talent, position and knowledge to advance the course of your community.

While in service both Local Government and the State, I have been able to get over 100 youths both from Badagry and outside into the service.

Another very important aspect of this is knowledge production, that is, publishing of books on Badagry  on history, culture and tourism.

I have also helped a number of Badagry youths to fulfill their dreams in fulfilling their higher education pursuits.

The proposed AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE MUSEUM seems to be a significant project. Can you elaborate on your vision for the realization of this museum and the role it will play in preserving history and fostering community development?

Let me also remind you that the Badagry Diaspora Festival and the Door of Return ceremony has been one of the projects initiated to project and develop Badagry in the global tourism space.

With regard to the proposed African Slave Trade Museum in Badagry announced by Prof. Julius Garvey, no doubt, it's a positive fall out of the Diaspora Festival. 

The African Slave Trade Museum will finally take Badagry to the pinnacle of global recognition with immense socio-economic impact. Badagry, in Nigeria today, remains the only community with profound relics, monuments and history that perpetuates the history of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. And many past Administration in Lagos State realized this hence the building and construction of monuments, statues and museums to preserve this history. It's therefore no surprise that Badagry has been chosen for the museum project. We are in contact with the proponent of the idea, anyway.

Lastly sir,

Can you kindly share with us your culture and tourism projects in view?

There are many projects in the context of your questions in the pipeline. The first is a museum of colonial Administration and Ethnography..a lot of collections have been made over the years which I will come to light soon.

Then the issue of the Badagry Cultural Center too is there. All of these are rolled into one.

As God lives and His spirit lives, these shall come to fruition.

Thanks.