…the appointments reflect President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening key institutions. The President further urged the new appointees to bring their knowledge and experience to bear in advancing the mandates of their respective agencies for the benefit of Nigerians
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Olayiwola Nurudeen Awakan of TVC News as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC). Awakan, a seasoned journalist, will serve an initial four-year term beginning September 2, 2025.
Awakan, a seasoned journalist, will serve an initial four-year term beginning September 2, 2025. His appointment highlights the President’s resolve to inject fresh expertise into the tourism sector as part of broader efforts to boost Nigeria’s economy and global image.
In addition, the President also named Bello Bawa Bwari of Niger State as Director-General of the National Biosafety Management Agency for a four-year term, effective September 18, 2025, and Hon. Barr. Aminu Junaidu of Zamfara State as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Investment and Security Tribunal for a five-year term, also starting September 18, 2025.
A statement signed by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations, stressed that the appointments reflect President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening key institutions. The President further urged the new appointees to bring their knowledge and experience to bear in advancing the mandates of their respective agencies for the benefit of Nigerians.
- https://www.tvcnews.tv/updated-tvcs-ola-awakan-appointed-ntdc-dg
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PROFILE
He is the 2022 Nigeria Media Merit Award TV Production of the Year winner after receiving nominations for Best Reporter of the year for 2018, 2019, and 2020. He is a two-time Trek Africa TV reporter of the year for 2019 and 2020. Awakan is one of the recipients of the 2021 Royal African Award by His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and he received Honourary Mention at the 2023
OLAYIWOLA Awakan is a multiple award-winning broadcast journalist with TVC News and a dramatist. His successful combination of both journalism and the theatre arts has fetched him the pseudonym, Journathespian. He is the 2022 Nigeria Media Merit Award TV Production of the Year winner after receiving nominations for Best Reporter of the year for 2018, 2019, and 2020. He is a two-time Trek Africa TV reporter of the year for 2019 and 2020. Awakan is one of the recipients of the 2021 Royal African Award by His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and he received Honourary Mention at the 2023 Diamond Award for Media Excellence. Lead City University honoured him with the Guardian of Culture Award at the 2025 Omoge Asa event.
Ola Awakan holds a B.A. degree in Mass Communication from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, and a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.
Awakan is a playwright, poet, dancer, journalist and actor. As a poet, he has made his contributions in Five Hundred Nigerian Poets compiled by Prof. Jerry Agada, and several others by Poets in Nigeria, to mention a few.
He published his first play-text titled “Crows of the Dawn and The Scheme (Duology on NYSC)” as a serving corps member in Taraba State in 2009, where he wrote and directed the play, which won some prizes at the Arts Festival.
Ola Awakan has many creative initiatives to his credit. He collaborated with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board to compile and edit “Eko Poems: An Anthology of Nursery Rhymes” written by public primary school pupils in Lagos and endorsed by Professor Niyi Osundare.
The Lagos-born Ola Awakan has worked on many drama and dance projects of national repute.
His award-winning play, “Echoes of the Drums”, which he wrote in 2005, won a prize in 2015 and was premiered in Lagos in 2022 by the National Troupe of Nigeria to commemorate Nigeria’s 62nd Independence anniversary, and has toured LASU, OOU, UI, EKSU etc. Some of his other plays include The Madness that Cures My Land, Behind the Map, Time Up, Blind Stab, White Charcoal, Jagabanism, Crawling Speed, Blood and the Smile, White Cap, Lodavence, Rhythm of Feet, Tales at Dawn, Tafawa Balewa to mention a few. He produced ‘Abibatu Mogaji’, a play about the life and times of the mother of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
As a broadcast journalist with TVC News, he covered Politics, Arts, Culture and Tourism for many years.
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Actors Guild hails Tinubu for appointing Awakan NTDC’s AG
EMEKA Rollas, national president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, has lauded President Bola Tinubu for appointing Ola Awakan as the director-general of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority.
He gave the commendation in a congratulatory message on Thursday, describing the appointment as both “timely and symbolic”.
Mr Tinubu recently approved the appointment of Mr Awakan to head the NTDA as director-general for an initial four-year term.
According to the AGN helmsman, Mr Awakan is a journalist and thespian with the ability to deliver on the core mandates of the agency.
He thanked Mr Tinubu for appointing one of the guild’s members to such a strategic national role.
He restated the AGN’s unwavering support for his administration’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ in advancing the creative and tourism sectors.
“The Actors Guild of Nigeria proudly congratulates Mr Ola Awakan, a distinguished member of the guild’s Ogun State chapter, on his appointment as the DG of NTDA by the president.
“This is a clear demonstration of this administration’s uncommon support for Nigeria’s entertainment and creative industries. The creation of the Ministry of Creative Economy and the establishment of the Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF) are testaments to the president’s vision of empowering the creative sector.
“The AGN congratulates Awakan once again and pledges its full support as he embarks on this important national assignment,” he said.
Mr Rollas said that ongoing laudable initiatives focusing on skills development, international partnerships, intellectual property monetisation, and talent export are testaments to Tinubu’s vision of empowering the creative sector.
He said the appointment of Mr Awakan coincided with the unveiling of the National Arts Theatre, a gargantuan project spearheaded by the bankers’ committee to reposition Nigeria’s creative and tourism industries.
He expressed confidence that under his leadership, the NTDA will strengthen the bridge between Nigeria’s vibrant creative industry and its vast tourism potential, showcasing the nation’s cultural richness on the global stage.
(NAN)