Ibom Air Marks 5th Anniversary, Unveils Plans for the Future.
She is a rare gem, more like a dazzling diamond beaming brilliant light across the hospitality and tourism spectrum for which she has exhibited her professional excellence for over two decades.
She is indeed, a beacon- bearer; the leading light who has shown the way forward with passion, character, commitment, courage, and of course, constancy of purpose, as Sam Walton the American business icon rightly noted. Mind you, this is not mere flattery or adoration but a well-deserved appreciation for someone whose remarkable achievements have reshaped the present and future of what Nigeria, nay Africa’s hospitality industry should truly be. But who are we really talking about?
She is none other than Dr. Iyadunni Gbadebo, the distinguished Sales, Marketing, Branding, and PR, professional.
As the Director of Sales and Marketing for Eko Hotels & Suites, she has become pivotal in reshaping Nigeria’s hospitality landscape and elevating its global reputation. Her outstanding career spans hospitality, aviation, travel, tourism, and entrepreneurship, demonstrating exceptional strategic vision. At Eko Hotels & Suites, she leads sales and marketing for Nigeria’s most preferred corporate hospitality brand, generating billions in revenue yearly.
She has led the hotel’s diversification effort in sales, marketing, and brand perception, from a business hotel to a tourism destination. She not only oversees the strategic direction at Nigeria’s biggest inflatable theme park- Hakuna Matata, she has also established Theatre at Eko Hotels, where exciting broadway style theatre productions are staged all year round. So, we decided to engage her to shed brighter light on what the momentous occasion means to her and the hotel at large, the programs to be highlighted, and her innovative approach deployed in running the sales and marketing department as the world-class hotel celebrates 50 remarkable years in the highly competitive industry
In response, she explicitly states that: “Well, we are truly grateful to God that Eko Hotel is standing tall, 50 years on. The brand, ownership, management, and the staff are quite elated. This year for us, I am not sure it will be just Eko Hotels celebrating turning 50. I think it is an interesting landmark for the city of Lagos, for Nigeria, and indeed Africa.
“I like to think of things, you know from an almost awkward perspective. If most hotels in Africa aspire to become an international branching or the afflicted branching and for 50 years we started out being an international chain Hotel,. 50 years after we have now left being affiliated or associated with any International brands, still nesting International standards with African hospitality.
” We maintain and remain the only Nigerian Hotel, as you know competing on the international scale. I think there is something therefore, for the African continent to be proud of. It is an exciting year for us. We have a long line of different things that we are to celebrate. Furthermore, she explained that: ” We started the year on a very high note. We had the most phenomenal staff engagement party that we have not had in 15 years that I have been here. It was important and significant because it was themed in the 70’s. So, I don’t know if you remember or recall what Lagos was like in the 70’s, what this building was like, or what Victoria Island was like in the 70’s – it’s beautiful to see that stretch of five decades just show off the hotel in different characters. You know it’s phenomenal
” I am proud to be a part of this journey, to be a part of this story, to be a part of the legacy of the next 50 years is going to present in the line of activities we have for the year. And then, I think it’s something that every Nigerian and every African should be proud of ” . We have been a stage and platform for businesses to interact; to have handshakes, for marriages to be made, for new industries to be birthed. I mean, the Convention Centre.
“So I think even your artistes, Nigerian artistes that are now globally acclaimed- they were boys when the Convention Centre was birthed. And today they are on international stages – you can really see- if you look at 20 years ago, the Burna Boy, Davido, and Wizkid of today, I will say that the Convention Centre is where they started out. You know, it means a lot to everybody. Talking about it is very nostalgic for me as well because it’s an emotional conversation to see Eko Hotels at 50, which was designed 50 years ago in the city of Lagos for FESTAC ‘77, and today it’s the one leading the way. It is the one taking the part for the next legacy of Travels, Hospitality, and Tourism. It’s something that the world should celebrate with us.”
With waves of praise the hotel received on the 2025 Christmas celebration, especially during the Detty December event, she throws an insight into what it really entailed:
” You know what I think, I am one of those people who is a bit off about calling it Detty December. I am sure there must be some positive narrative to what that season is being called. That is the story for another day. Seven years ago, as part of the Eko Hotels characters, style of thinking out of the box, of being more that just an hotel, of being more than just a restaurant, a Conference Centre and Exhibition Centre, a Convention Centre as a hotel serving different kinds of cuisines, you know, one thousand, eight hundred and more people servicing the world within this space, I will say that our Tropical Christmas Wonderland event is one thing that makes Eko Hotels undoubtedly special.
“We don’t think from the small lens, we look at the big picture. We see the future even before you realize that future. And we start to feed that future and the narrative of what that future can be and that is how Tropical Christmas Wonderland was birthed.
Seven years ago, you dropped a pin at the lobby and all the businesses had to shut down for the holidays, people have travelled and it is time for everybody to rest. But last year, you know, you could tell from what happened within the city that it had become the busiest time of the year. And why? Why has it become that?. “It’s because Africans have started to think of Africa, Nigerians have started to think of Nigeria. And we are positioning brands, people, products that are speaking to that storytelling narrative that Africa is not a jungle where monkeys jump up and down- that it’s a place where you enjoy – you know, the season in its fullness and there are moving parts of it. Right? And there are some imperfect parts of it, but in that imperfection, there is a perfect Nigerian-led holiday experience that the vibe of Lagos alone can give you- Nowhere else in the world can give you! Again, I say, it’s not
perfect in itself, but in that imperfection, the world is hungry to see it. Even when the world is telling its own narrative about Nigeria and Africa- all our hotels are full in December, even where you have a few people with not so beautiful experience of their own Detty December story, you have thousands of people who are like- oh my God, this is the best place to be and that’s why we have been intentional about it.
” We said that Africa needs to take its place on a global stage, and to take that place, we need to curate products and experiences that speak to what we are offering that global stage- and so in December, you find, you know we are hosting over 4,000 people in this space where families who don’t know each other from anywhere, meet one other here, they are here for 5 days, some people for 7 days, some for 11 days some even up to 13 days. And you know they are visiting families, they experience the city of Lagos, our experienced curators have now designed a product where you are coming here to stay for the Tropical Christmas Wonderland. Guess what? You could do 5days here, but you can do another 5 days where you experience the city. We have families going to Lekki Market, Nike Art Gallery, going to Jara Beach, going to Lagos Water Sports, going to beautiful beaches that we have, and Freedom Park. We have people going to Abeokuta to see Olumoko Rock.
We have people going to experience different parts of Nigeria. And again, this is what puts us right in the forefront – that we are not here to sell you a fancy bedroom, that is not what it is. We are here to sell an experience that in itself is holistic, we are here to get you into places you don’t realize that you have a need but we have thought about and fed even before you realize that you have it. ” I mean, compare having to do a 20 million Naira holiday where you only cover tickets- maybe a 3- star accommodation package. Here we are giving you breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We are giving you shows, we bring you to musical theatres, Santa Clauses, etc.
We are bringing all of Africa to Africans because we don’t explore Africa enough and now with all the global restrictions, the travel restriction especially the people of colour- you know, you are now forced to think internally and promote what we have. And what we have is absolutely beautiful. So why not? And that is what Tropical Christmas Wonderland does. And that is what it has done for this global landscape in the last 7 years.”
Highlighting the next line of activities commemorating Eko Hotels at 50, she beamed with a warm smile as she explained the nitty-gritty: “We have some interesting line- up of things we are putting together. One of such things is what I said before; the staff engagement that we did. The 70’s themed Staff Party that we did which you saw, and you could also testify to. We have a gala coming up sometime towards the end of the year. We have a symposium which is a global discussion, where we are bringing together the most brilliant minds on the African continent. Countries and their representatives in hospitality, travels and tourism- where we would sit down, to share and cross-pollinate ideas.
“It is not going to be a conference as usual. It is crystal clear what this symposium is going to achieve. One of them is: we are going to develop from this symposium a policy document that we imagine connecting Africa for Africans for Diasporas and for the international community to say that if we are Intentional about saying, instead of coming to spend 13 days in Lagos, you can do 5days or 7 days in Lagos to crown your holiday experience. But before that, you could have visited through one travel network by one African Airline. It could be Air Peace, Kenya Airways, Ethiopia Airlines. It could be any of these airlines that connect Africa very intentionally. And we create these packages with them.
“We already have Tropical Christmas Wonderland, and it’s been booming for the last 7 years. But why not see the culture and tradition in Cotonou in the Republic of Benin? Why not then go and see another style of culture in Ghana? Why not go to Rwanda to experience its history; to see, you know tech and what Africa has to offer in that regard? And then do a safari in Kenya where you can see all that Kenya has to offer. Why don’t you go to South Africa to experience something different?. And by the time you are done with the 15-day holiday, you have toured Africa?”
With regards to Eko Hotels and Suites standing out to promote Destination Africa, her response serves as food – for – thought. Said she:” Of course, why, not? Eko Hotel has stood at the forefront of consistently creating and curating all of these kinds of experiences. We are intentional about it. We understand we cannot provide you with everything. I mentioned earlier about what our experienced curators are doing, I mean things that would allow you to experience all of Nigeria, all of the city of Lagos- and that is how, when we are intentional, and when we are purposeful about the end goal, we have much more beautiful you know, African experiences to explore”.
On her views of the Festival of Hospitality and Tourism 2026, she elaborated :
” You guys are always coming up with beautiful stuff, and the idea of Festival of Hospitality and Tourism is a loudable one. It does not take one person, one brand, one institution,. It takes all of us being intentional about how we sell the story of Africa. And I think that with a project like this, you are one more intentional organization that is looking to position Africa where it rightfully belongs. And yesterday is a day too late for that – and yes we are always in support of things like this.” All these in-depth responses are not only commendable but call for more insight into what her rich and robust background portends.
Dr. Gbadebo’s academic credentials powerfully complement her professional achievements. She holds a PhD in Business Management, with distinctions. Her extensive academic research work critically interrogated smart cities and the future of Tourism in Lagos State, Nigeria. She has a Master’s degree in Marketing from the University of Salford, Manchester, and a BA in Theatre/Performing Arts from the University of Lagos. Her educational background has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of business that extends far beyond traditional boundaries. Her diverse skill set encompasses unconventional sales and marketing strategies, business development, corporate communication, event management, revenue generation, and leadership.
More than just a professional, Dr. Gbadebo is a visionary, committed to showcasing Nigeria’s cultural richness on the global stage. She believes that every interaction has the power to reshape perceptions and open new possibilities. With an unwavering belief in Nigeria’s potential, Dr. Gbadebo views the hospitality industry as an intricate tapestry—where luxury, wellness, corporate services, and cultural experiences converge to create extraordinary narratives. Her mission transcends traditional hospitality boundaries, focusing on creating transformative experiences that challenge existing perceptions, developing innovative revenue models, and mentoring the next generation of industry leaders.
In all of these intellectually engaging discourses, it is patently clear that Eko Hotels and Suites has over the past five decades met the Vision and Mission Statements of the great minds behind it all.
And good enough, it has got not only the best of hands as the Sales and Marketing Manager but a committed, beautiful, and brilliant Brand Ambassador in the person of Dr. Iyadunni Gbadebo whose engagement with us has been most intellectually rewarding
We therefore, wish Eko Hotels and Suites all the best in the years ahead.
Copyright: Travelogue Magazine
