Ogba Zoological Garden Urges NYSC Members to Lead Tourism Promotion & Peace Building Across Nigeria
… As MD Challenges Corps Members to Leverage Service Year as Ambassadors of Unity and Conservation
Benin City – The Managing Director of Ogba Zoological Garden & Nature Park, Sir Andy Ehanire, has commended NYSC members for their vital role in advancing domestic tourism and strengthening national unity, describing them as “mobile ambassadors of peace and culture” deployed to every state of the federation.
Speaking during a facility visit by the NYSC Community Development Service group on Thursday, the MD said Corps members are critical to Nigeria’s stability and economic growth because they carry the message of oneness.
“Tourism thrives where there is peace, and peace thrives where there is understanding,” Sir Ehanire stated. “Posted outside their states of origin, Corps members experience new cultures, languages, and traditions firsthand. When they share these experiences positively through storytelling, social media, and community service, they dismantle stereotypes and project Nigeria’s rich tourism assets to the world.”
Represented by Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria, the MD urged Corps members in Edo and other states to responsibly document attractions such as Ogba Zoo and local festivals. “Every Instagram post, every video, every story is free marketing for Nigeria,” he said.
He reminded the group of NYSC’s founding mandate to foster unity after the civil war. Corps members living and working outside their comfort zones remain living examples of peaceful coexistence.
“When a Northerner teaches in Delta or a Southerner serves in a Kano clinic, they prove we are stronger together,” the MD noted. “Male and female Corps members alike are agents of change.”
Sir Ehanire encouraged CDS groups to adopt environmental and tourism projects including tree planting, zoo clean-up campaigns, wildlife sensitization in schools, and anti-poaching advocacy.
“At Ogba Zoo, we welcome Corps members for conservation education projects. Protecting wildlife protects livelihoods. Ecotourism creates jobs for host communities and reduces conflict over resources,” he affirmed.
The MD called on NYSC State Coordinators, Corps Employers, and Corps Members to partner with tourism sites, museums, and cultural centers during service year. Ogba Zoo pledged to host Corps members for conservation education tours and CDS collaborations.
“Let us see NYSC not just as a requirement, but as an opportunity to see Nigeria, love Nigeria, and sell Nigeria to the world,” he urged. “When Corps members promote tourism and preach peace, they carry the responsibilities that keep our nation moving.”
The President of the NYSC CDS Group, Rasak Seyi Sunday, thanked the management for the opportunity to learn about ecotourism and wildlife conservation. He added that Corps members had gained deeper appreciation for Benin songs and the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom during their service year.
Earlier, the Administrative Manager of the Zoological Garden, Eseneh Jennifer, conducted the Corps members round the facility, giving them a memorable field experience.
Established by Decree No. 24 of 22 May 1973 by Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd) after the civil war, NYSC was designed to rebuild trust through national unity, rural development, and integration. Gowon’s logic remains relevant today: you cannot hate people whose food you have eaten, whose language you have spoken, and whose community you have served for 12 months.
Created as a conservation center for Nigerian wildlife, Ogba Zoo houses primates, lions, chimpanzees, giant tortoises, rock pythons, antelopes, equine species, and over 100 plant species in its botanical garden. It serves as a recreational center, research site for biology students, and an educational hub for conservation.
Recognized by former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, as one of Nigeria’s top tourist destinations, Ogba Zoo & Nature Park remains Benin City’s flagship ecotourism site, blending wildlife conservation, education, and recreation. Management has since strengthened security through collaboration with relevant agencies.
