Ikechi Uko

Ikechi Uko was born in Abia, Nigeria on 12 January 1964 to Samson Uko and Salome Uko, (née Azubuike). Uko attended National Secondary School Nike in Enugu. He worked as a ticketing officer with Nigeria Airways ABC in Enugu.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} He studied geography at the University of Ibadan and graduated in 1985. He then served in the National Youth Service Corps in Bauchi. Afterwards, he moved to Kano and taught at the Gwarzo Secondary School in Gwarzo and the Rogo Secondary School in Rogo. He returned to the University of Ibadan in 1988 to obtain his Masters Degree of Science in geography with an emphasis on environmental planning and remote sensing. After graduating in 1990, Uko earned a certificate in journalism from the Times Institute of Journalism and his PRINCE2 Practitioners License.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} His father Samson worked with the Nigerian Railway Corporation, which he has stated influenced his passion for travel.

Uko was an editor of Tourism Fact-finders, a book on Nigeria published to mark Nigeria's hosting of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit in 1991.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} Between 1991 and 1992, he was a tourism editor of Happy Land, Happy World Tourist Guide. Happy Land, Happy World was an attempted Nigerian version of Disneyland and Disney World, a project that did not materialize when its Certificate of Occupancy was revoked by the Lagos government. In 1998, he published "Festivals In Nigeria" in collaboration with The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}

Inspired by his passion for traveling and adventures, he published Travelers Weekend Magazine, a weekly magazine founded in 1996, and later launched Travelers Awards.Adie Vanessa Offiong [http://www.weeklytrust.com.ng/index.php/business/16398-nigeria-will-become-major-player-in-global-tourism-ikechi-uko "Nigeria will become major player in Global Tourism - Ikechi Uko"], Media Trust, 3 May 2014. Retrieved on 7 May 2014. *Travelers Weekend* was the first regular travel magazine in West Africa. In 2004, he launched Travelers Awards and Exhibitions, and in 2005, Travelers Awards and Exhibition was rebranded as Akwaaba African Travel Market.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} Akwaaba African Travel Market is an international travel fair in West Africa with participation from international dealers in travel, tourism, aviation, and the hospitality industries. It is designated by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) as the official travel exhibition in Nigeria and is listed by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), partnering with the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA).[http://weeklytrust.com.ng/index.php/comments/19-weekend-magazine/travel-and-leisure/3793-nanta-partners-akwaaba-for-wafrica-tourism-fair "NANTA partners with Akwaaba for W/Africa tourism fair"], Media Trust, 20 October 2012. Retrieved on 3 May 2014. It is the only member of the International Tourism Trade Fairs Association (ITTFA) in West Africa.Chinedu Eze [http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ittfa-welcomes-akwaaba-african-travel-market/82726/ "ITTFA welcomes Akwaaba, African Travel Market"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104084243/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ittfa-welcomes-akwaaba-african-travel-market/82726/ |date=4 November 2014 }}, Thisday, 23 July 2010. Retrieved on 7 May 2014.

In 2010, with the ATQ magazine team, he set up a committee to choose the 7 wonders of Nigeria, known as Naija7Wonders.[http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/19133/6/search-for-seven-wonders-in-nigeria-begins.html "SEARCH FOR 'SEVEN WONDERS' IN NIGERIA BEGINS"], The Nigerian Voice, 15 April 2010. Retrieved on 7 May 2014.

Upon realizing that most travel businesses concentrate on Lagos instead of the other northern states, including capital Nigeria, he launched Abuja Bantaba on 5 July 2011. It is a one-day event for investors and clients in the travel and tourism businessAndrew Iro Okungbowa [http://www.newtelegraphonline.com/adventures-of-ikechi-uko/ "Adventures of Ikechi Uko"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005033846/http://newtelegraphonline.com/adventures-of-ikechi-uko/ |date=5 October 2015 }}, New Telegraph, 22 March 2013. Retrieved on 7 May 2014. that includes workshops. In celebration of the centenary of Nigeria, the 4th edition of Abuja Bantaba honored 100 personalities for contributions to tourism development in Nigeria on 25 April 2014.

In 2013, he launched atqnews.com, the online version of African Travel Quarterly Magazine. According to Uko, it focuses on forecast, market, and political analyses of developments in travel, transport, and tourism from a global perspective and their impact on countries' economies.[http://allafrica.com/stories/201304140111.html "Nigeria: Atqnews Partners NANTA for AGM 2013"], AllAfrica.com, 14 April 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2014.

On 3 July 2015, he launched Accra Weizo, an event related to the founding vision of ECOWAS: to create a region of integrated people growing together. Accra Weizo brings travel professionals together to determine a pathway for the future of the African region, hosting tourism, aviation, and immigration key players and decision makers.Wale Olapade [http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/content/akwaaba-launches-weizo-ghana-july-3 / "Akwaaba Launches Weizo in Ghana, July 3"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801130503/http://tribuneonlineng.com/content/akwaaba-launches-weizo-ghana-july-3 |date=1 August 2015 }}, Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved on 5 August 2015.Vanessa Offiong [http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/the-arts/21265-weizo-seeks-seamless-travel-across-w-africa / "WEIZO SEEKKS SEAMLESS TRAVEL ACROSS W/AFRICA"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923212703/http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/the-arts/21265-weizo-seeks-seamless-travel-across-w-africa |date=23 September 2015 }}, Daily Trust, 12 July 2014. Retrieved on 5 August 2015.

In August 2015, he was appointed as the international tourism consultant to the Calabar Carnival.[http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/ikechi-uko-appointed-carnival-calabar-consultant/ "Ikechi Uko appointed as Carnival Calabar consultant"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006000531/http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/ikechi-uko-appointed-carnival-calabar-consultant/ |date=6 October 2015 }}, Nigerian Tribune, 2 September 2015. Retrieved on 18 September 2015.

Uko has proposed building an aviation museum for Nigeria using abandoned aircraft as exhibits, stating that the project would promote Nigeria's tourism, empower and educate a new generation of aviators, and draw international investors in the aviation industry to Nigeria.[http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/let-s-use-abandoned-aircraft-as-aviation-museum-says-ikechi-uko-of-7-wonders-of-nigeria/137562/ "Let's Use Abandoned Aircraft as Aviation Museum, says Ikechi Uko"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512223742/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/let-s-use-abandoned-aircraft-as-aviation-museum-says-ikechi-uko-of-7-wonders-of-nigeria/137562/ |date=12 May 2014 }}, Thisday, 27 January 2013. Retrieved on 7 May 2014.[http://www.nationaldailyng.com/waka-person/naija7wonders-proposes-aviation-museum-for-disused-planes "Naija 7 Wonders proposes aviation museum for disused planes"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330142052/http://www.nationaldailyng.com/waka-person/naija7wonders-proposes-aviation-museum-for-disused-planes |date=30 March 2014 }}, National Daily, 28 January 2013. Retrieved on 2 May 2014.[http://silverbirdtv.com/tourism-coy-build-aviation-museum "Tourism coy to build Aviation Museum"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003040154/http://silverbirdtv.com/tourism-coy-build-aviation-museum |date=3 October 2014 }}, Silverbird Television, 25 January 2013. Retrieved on 2 May 2014.

In 2008, he was appointed a member of the tourism committee Nigeria Vision 2020 in the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.[http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/35996/1/ntdc-fulfils-promise-records-historic-world-touris.html "ntdc fulfils promise, records historic world tourism day"], The Nigerian Voice, 7 October 2010. Retrieved on 7 May, 20114.

In July 2014, Uko was chosen by the government of Rwanda as a namer at the 10th anniversary of Kwita Izina, the annual gorilla naming ceremony in Rwanda.[http://www.gov.rw/Thousands-gather-to-celebrate-the-10th-edition-of-Kwita-Izina-as-18-newly-born-baby-gorillas-are-given-names/ "Thousands gather to celebrate the 10th edition of ’Kwita Izina’ as 18 newly born baby gorillas are given names"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227131616/http://www.gov.rw/Thousands-gather-to-celebrate-the-10th-edition-of-Kwita-Izina-as-18-newly-born-baby-gorillas-are-given-names/ |date=27 December 2016 }}, Government of the Republic of Rwanda, 1 July 2014. Retrieved on 4 July 2014. In 2015, he was appointed consultant to the Calabar Carnival 2016 by the Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, with the vision to reposition Calabar Carnival. As the international tourism consultant for the 2016 Calabar International Festival, Ikechi Uko brought in over 10 countries from various continents of the world to participate.[http://thenationonlineng.net/brazilian-band-others-return-for-calabar-carnival/ "Brazilian band, others return for Calabar Carnival"],The Nation. Retrieved on 15 January 2016. He was reappointed in 2016 for the 2017 edition.Chuks Nwanne [https://t.guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/ikechi-uko-returns-as-calabar-carnival-consultant/ "Ikechi Uko returns as Calabar Carnival consultant"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621221156/https://t.guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/ikechi-uko-returns-as-calabar-carnival-consultant/ |date=21 June 2018 }}, The Guardian (Nigeria), 22 October 2016. Retrieved on 27 June 2017.

In January 2016, *The African Sun Times*, awarded Ikechi Uko as its Tourism Ambassador of the Year 2015.Charles Ajunwa [http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ikechi-uko-emerges-tourism-ambassador-of-the-year-2015/229726/ "Ikechi Uko Emerges Tourism Ambassador Of The Year 2015"]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Thisday, 8 January 2016. Retrieved on 15 January 2016. According to the organizers of the Award, it was earned by Ikechi's tourism promotion and development campaign in Nigeria and Africa through projects showcasing Africa.[http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/ikechi-uko-wins-african-tourism-man-of-the-year"Ikechi Uko wins African Man Tourism Man of the Year"], Nigerian Tribune, 8 January 2016. Retrieved on 15 January 2016.

At the 2017 MICE East Africa Forum and Expo held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ikechi Uko was presented with the 2016 MICE East Africa's Tourism and Hospitality Personality Award for his contributions towards developing tourism, travel, and hospitality businesses and investments in Africa.Chuks Nwanne [http://guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/travel-a-tourism/ikechi-uko-wins-tourism-award-in-ethiopia/ "Ikechi Uko wins Tourism Awards in Ethiopia"], The Guardian (Nigeria), 17 June 2017. Retrieved on 27 June 2017.

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Category:1964 births

Category:21st-century Nigerian businesspeople

Category:Branding consultants

Category:Igbo businesspeople

Category:Living people

Category:Businesspeople in mass media

Category:Nigerian publishers (people)

Category:21st-century travelers

Category:University of Ibadan alumni

Category:Nigerian consultants