“He Has Done A Lot, I Drop My Cap For You” – Staff Testify To High Impact At NTDA Boss, Coker’s Grand Send-Forth

After 8 years, Folorunsho Folarin-Coker has bowed out as the Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA).

Staff of the agency, which transitioned from the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) to NTDA in 2021, testified to his high-impact two-term tenure at a formal send-forth that honored his service.

“He is a great achiever. He has done a lot, and we appreciate you, sir. Sir, I say may God bless you. I drop my cap for you,” Prince Obi of the marketing department declared, removing his red cap from his head.

Obi, who described Coker as a fierce agitator for better tourism and related industries, added: “When you are being victimised, go to him—he will look into the matter. And that’s not because of any special relationship with him. He will come to your rescue if your hands are clean.”

The event had in attendance industry stakeholders, cultural ambassadors, and top government officials in honour of the public administrator.

Coker’s diary of achievements includes the launch of the Tour Nigeria initiative in 2017; actualising the transition from NTDC to the more pivotal NTDA aligned with global standards in 2021; and recognition for his inclusive tourism promotion strategy across all regions by South East traditional rulers, who conferred on him the chieftaincy title of Enyi Ndi Igbo (Friend of the Igbo race) in November 2022.

He also launched the Food Flavour Festival in 2022 to celebrate Nigeria’s diverse food culture and its tourism value.

“We want to say we love you. We want to thank you for all you have been doing—the impact you have made in our lives. We want to also thank you specifically for bringing consultants to come and teach us and help us learn how to digitalise our data,” said Rachael Edeiki of the Hospitality, Travel and Trade Department, highlighting another way the Director General improved processes at the tourism agency.

The Tourism Hackathon, launched by the Coker administration in October 2022, was initiated to engage young tech talents in creating digital solutions for tourism growth and sustainability.

Another voice in the river of glowing tributes came from Afolabi Osalusi of the procurement department, who credited Coker for nationwide stakeholders’ engagements in 2023—a series of strategic town halls and forums across Nigeria that fostered public-private collaborations and grassroots tourism development.

“You came here healthy, and you are going back healthy. We appreciate God for that, and we want to thank God for what He has used you to do. We are praying that as you move ahead, the Almighty God will continue to enable you to do greater work, in the name of Jesus,” Osalusi declared at the grand send-forth ceremony.

Coker was known for building personal rapport with staff, which often led to private interventions that helped get things moving within the agency.

First appointed NTDC Director General in November 2017, his tenure was renewed in April 2021 based on exemplary performance that cut across establishing lasting structures and helping staff achieve optimal efficiency.

Multiple sources confirm that topping the list of Coker’s far-reaching achievements is redefining the legal framework guiding tourism operations in Nigeria—an effort that birthed the NTDA, with the achiever as its pioneer Director General.