…As MWP writers curate literature on marine tourism, shipping
Nigeria is listed among African nations with the lowest ranking on the marine tourism index despite having over 850km of coastline, according to the International Ocean Institute (IOI).
Akanbi Williams, director of IOI Nigeria, disclosed this while speaking at the 4th edition of the Maritime Writes Project (MWP) boot camp in Lagos, over the weekend with the theme: ‘Protecting Heritages in the Blue Economy’.
Williams encouraged MWP 2024 participants to write stories around maritime tourism and deep-sea exploration to correct the anomaly.
“At IOI, we have developed a curriculum for ocean literacy to address the problem of sea blindness. Coastal areas and organisms need to be studied as well as the deep sea.
“Unfortunately, Nigeria isn’t exploiting its potential in tourism. The nation has some problems that affect its ability to fully explore marine tourism. These include maritime security and cultural attitudes. If an environment isn’t secured, if it’s not clean and habitable; there will be no attraction for tourists,” he said.
Williams, however, expressed optimism that with the creation of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry in Nigeria, maritime tourism will be a huge component, and the ministry will help in the development of marine tourism with the security agencies.
He said that knowing the maritime sector in elementary and primary schools will better position the nation to harness the multiple opportunities in the sector.
Read also: Nigeria can tap coastal tourism, renewable energy to develop blue economy – Afolabi
“Most of the 2024 participants are young minds and they have an opportunity to get the correct information about maritime that could help them decide to build a future in the industry,” he said.
Also speaking, Funmi Shelika, president of the African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network (AWFISHNET) Nigerian chapter, said MWP 2024 will open the minds of participants to understand the diverse aspects of the blue economy.
“Participants have learned so much to help them conceptualise stories that will further promote awareness of the blue economy. The historical stories of the maritime industry and how it affects our daily activities have been explained by experts in this boot camp,” she said.
Shelika further said that there is a future in fish processing and that the business goes beyond catching fish, smoking, and selling to involve other aspects of the trade for participants to explore.
She lamented a decline in fish across several Nigerian riverine communities resulting from pollution and overfishing.
She encouraged the Nigerian government to do better to support artisanal fishers and grow small-scale fishing.
“Nigeria isn’t enacting policies and laws for people in coastal communities to enjoy the aquatic assets in their communities. There should be an agreement between the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the communities to preserve the aquatic life and the marine environment,” she added.
Earlier, Talwo Nolas-Alausa, head of the faculty and director of Business Education Services & Training at LCCI, said that several participants in previous MWP boot camps have been able to publish books and win international essay competitions after the learning experience
Nolas-Alausa admonished the participants to fully exploit the training to improve themselves as writers, while also encouraging them to network and open their minds to possible maritime career opportunities and businesses.
The Maritime Writes Project is a not-for-profit organisation that holds Creative Writing workshops annually to guide children, youths, and women of all ages, within and around littoral communities in Nigeria and Africa, to author fiction that is hinged on the Blue Economy. The project debuted in 2021 with 21 participants making it to its very first Creative Writing boot camp after scaling through an entry selection stage.
