The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) has called on Rotary Club International to be objective in their appraisal of Nigeria's image abroad.

The director-general of NTDC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, made the call yesterday while hosting the over one hundred Rotarians from the United States of America and Canada to a launch, at the NTDC tourism village in Abuja.

Welcoming his guests to the tourism village, Otunba Runsewe said the idea behind the village was to realise a hundred per cent made in Nigeria structure such as the hall which will be commissioned soon. "All our activities here are conducted traditionally and virtually all the materials used in building this hall were sourced locally.

"We would show you round the colourful village including our newly built ultra-modern art gallery which houses the first camera and the first telephone in Nigeria, used by the Nigerian Railway Corporation as well as other prizeless collectives," the NTDC boss said.

He lamented the misrepresentation of Nigeria by non-Nigerians who use the Nigerian passport and are quick to declare they are Nigerians when arrested for one crime or the other, abroad, assuring however that the newly introduced e-passport will check the problem.

Nigeria, he said, is Africa's big brother hence, takes the blame for much of the wrongs committed by any African or even African American abroad.

Relating their experience in Nigeria, Mr. Brian Howard, leader of the delegation to Nigeria described Nigerians as warm and hospital, disposed to creating friendship and very focused on eradicating polio and doing community work that would help the people.

Courtesy of AllAfrica.com Click to Open Web Page