The Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, is no doubt a woman of many parts. With over three decades experience working in the boardrooms of various blue chip organisations, she is presently faced with the task of developing the nation’s tourism industry, a task she admits is tough. Mama, as she is fondly called, speaks on the challenges of promoting tourism in Nigeria, her love for painting and many other sundry issues. Excerpts:
How fashionable are you? I used to be very fashionable when I was much younger.
What happened?
You know, fashion is comfort. You need to be comfortable, and I won’t wear a mini-skirt and be walking around if I am not comfortable, and be disrespected by people when they look at me. I like respect, so I dress in a way that people will respect me. I want people around me to always take me seriously. I don’t want people to see me from my gender perspective.
Do you go to parties at all?
No, I don’t go to parties.
You are also an artist. Do you still have the time to paint?
Like I told you, I don’t party, I don’t have friends and I value my time a lot. I have been painting for over 30 years now. Some of my best paintings were done in the 80s when I was in school and had no responsibilities. But with age, the subject matter has changed. I now do a lot more of abstract paintings. Arts keep you out of trouble. When some people have problems, they go drinking or smoking. But as an artist, all you need to do is get engrossed in your work.
What inspires you?
My state of mind inspires me a lot. I use my art to glorify God for His blessings. I want to build a school in Lagos for the less-privileged. It would be a vocation and skill-acquisition school. I have spent about 30 years of my life in the west, so it is my own way of saying thank you to the people. It gives me lots of satisfaction. We are already talking with Lagos State to get a land.
