A combined photo of Otunba Olusegun Runsewe and the award plaque
By Adebayo Obajemu
Despite not currently holding a public office, notable organisations and institutions have continued to bestow awards on Otunba Olusegun Runsewe.
While some personalities slip into oblivion or retirement quietly. Not Otunba Runsewe. He has chosen another path, one paved with plaques, handshakes, and the glow of recognition.
His calendar these days seems filled with celebrations, as institutions line up to honour his decades-long imprint on Nigeria’s cultural and tourism landscape.
Just yesterday, April 30, 2026, the Management of National Chronicle newspaper presented him with the award of Africa Man of the Year in the areas of arts, culture and hospitality. According to the publisher, ” Otunba Olusegun Runsewe has, over the years distinguished himself as a visionary leader, cultural ambassador and a tireless advocate for the promotion and preservation of Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage. His remarkable contributions to the arts and culture and hospitality sectors have not only elevated Nigeria’s global cultural footprint but have also renewed appreciation for Africa identity and creative excellence.
His career has been a carousel of cultural interventions. Media coordinator for the 2003 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, pioneer chairman of the Abuja Carnival, Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation in 2006, and then head of the National Council for Arts and Culture until 2024. Each role placed him at the heart of Nigeria’s soft power.
Even after leaving office, the tributes have continued. Vanguard Newspapers named him “Arts, Culture & Tourism Icon” in 2024, a recognition that underscored his influence beyond any official post. Around the same time, he called for peace among warring factions in the tourism sector, offering his counsel as an elder statesman of culture.
He was also recently honoured as the Icon of Crafts, Culture and Hospitality in Africa during the 2nd World Crafts Forum held in Kuwait.
Runsewe’s list of titles is sprawling, almost folkloric. President of the Nigeria Golf Federation. Head of the African Tourism Initiative. Fellow of the London Institute of Management Studies. Holder of chieftaincy honours from both Igboland and Kebbi. A cultural diplomat who navigated boardrooms, festivals, and palaces with the same ease.
For a man who once declared that “tourism is life,” the applause arriving in this season feels like confirmation. The curtain may have fallen on his tenure, but the encore is still echoing, carried by the voices of those who refuse to forget.
