Sanwo’s Visit To SCOAN Indication Of Better Days Ahead For Religious Tourism In Lagos

The recent visit by Babajide Sanwo Olu, Lagos State All Progressives Congress [APC] Gubernatorial candidate to Prophet TB Joshua, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations [SCOAN] at the headquarters of the church in Ikotun area of the State on Tuesday, January 15, has kept many in doubt as to why the visit.

Though, there is this speculation that the August visit may not be unconnected with the APC Guber candidate’s desire for prayers ahead of the forthcoming elections in March.

However, should Sanwo Olu emerge as Lagos State Governor, after the elections that would amount to more attention to religious tourism following this in-road through the recent visit to the church.

This visit has also shown the role played by TB Joshua in the religious circle in Lagos State and Nigeria in general, with regards to providing solution to peoples’ religious aspirations, promotion of religious tourism, as well as positive image for the state and Nigeria; boosting revenue generation through foreign exchange earnings to the economy via religious pilgrimage.

The visit for once goes to show that Sanwo Olu, though, not yet elected, on like his predecessor before and after emerging as governor of the state, recognizes the importance of religious institutions and most especially, religious tourism for economic sake, so it was not out of place that apart from the leadership roles of their general overseers and positions in the society.

So paying a courtesy visit to SCOAN demonstrates his willingness to identify with them if he eventually wins as governor of the state.

In order words, if Sanwo Olu wins the election, the faith or religious sector of the tourism industry will receive a boost during his tenure compared to its negligence by the present administration, which failed to tap into the industry’s huge potentials.

With him as the governor of the state, maybe the Ikotun area where the church is located such as Isolo, Ejigbo, Igando, Idimu and others, that benefit from the various religious activities of the SCOAN will feel government impact and receive attention in terms of good road networks leading to the church and other infrastructure as this is presently lacking.

And by so doing these, towns will attract more investments to boost the state’s internally generated revenue.

The Lagos State Ministry Tourism, Arts and Culture can also establish a tourism information centre around the church to get an accurate data of tourists to the church for planning purposes and dissemination ‘To Whom It May Concern’, pertaining to the tourism potential of the state.

It is expected that with such move as beaming search light in this sector and the hotel scattered all over the state, this will afford the State government an opportunity to properly regulated and standardize the activities of these hotels to meet international standards in prepapration to accommodate foreign tourists into the state.

Even, the state can go as far as giving a helping hand to hotels in the state to enable themto meet the minimum required standards.

The viability of these areas would lead to small scale business springing up into, which would eventually metamorphose into big businesses, as they are seen as an essential tool for economic development where ever they are allowed to thrive, which Lagos state is not an exception.

The ripple effect of all these leads to the provision of employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths in the state, who might have acquired some skills, set in the relevant areas of the sector.

And subsequently, prepare them for setting up their small businesses as entrepreneurs