The Premier Hotel used to be a picture of snobbery, taste and class in Ibadan. For decades now, it has been snubbed. Sitting in majesty on Mokola Hill in Nigeria’s largest city, it was not only a symbol of progress, it beckoned the city to move with it up that hill.
But, like many such establishments, it fell into rut and decay and close to desuetude. So, it was cheering news that it has been brought to life again by the Oodua Investment Group, a commercial concern of the old Western Region, and now a holding of all southwest states and Lagos.
The inauguration covers 154 rooms. This means the southwest states saw the need to hitch their dreams to a new Premier Hotel. For years, it was the number one place for elites and tourists who could afford it. Those who could not envied those who could.
It is not about the class and money that we welcome its rebirth, but because it is a reflection of how not to let a good thing die.
‘They undoubtedly understood that sustainable development required long-term thinking, strategic investment, and collective action. Their foresight laid the foundation for many of the economic and social achievements that continue to distinguish this region today,’ noted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he inaugurated it.
It is significant that all state governors of the southwest as well as President Tinubu were represented at the inauguration. They included Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo states.
We have seen similar projects go down over the years. It is not for lack of tourist potential or dearth of potential clientele. It was a blend of incompetence and corruption. Some of them are still alive with half breaths, like the Hotel Presidential in Enugu and Port Harcourt. Others are on life support in Kano, Sokoto and Kaduna. The famous Hamdala Hotel in Kaduna is not what it used to be.
The remodelled Premier Hotel in Ibadan is a triumph and a warning. It is triumph for the spirit of cooperation by states. The concept of federation does not only score for a unit’s idiosyncrasy but also for the ability of each unit to willingly work together for the good of all, not only in a region but the nation at large.
It reminds the citizens that governance is not about selfish cynicism but the bond of the elites for the people.
‘The success we celebrate today is powerful evidence of what can happen when governments synergise, leverage regional strengths, and create an enabling environment for enterprise to thrive,’ noted Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
The host governor noted that ‘For decades, the prestigious establishment had welcomed distinguished guests, hosted important events, and served as a meeting point for leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, tourists, and visitors from across Nigeria and beyond.’
It is an open door to tourism and excuse for corporate concerns and international agencies to cite Ibadan as a place to hold conferences and other meetings. That will inevitably boost revenue.
It is a warning in that it should remind the management that neglect comes in small doses and the fall swoops on us as though in a dream.
The hotel was established in 1966 when the army had taken over power but was conceived under Obafemi Awolowo and built under Samuel Ladoke Akintola. That was 62 years ago.
The top hotel in the country, The Transcorp Hilton, was established in 1987 in Abuja, and its quality has not abated. That is the quality of service that Premier Hotel lacked as well as the others.
Other institutions, whether of hospitality or not, should borrow a leaf from Premier Hotel.