Operators react as stranded Owerri hotel guests rampage, amid Imo Govt directive

[By VICTOR NZE]

Stranded hotel guests of Protea Hotel in Owerri, Imo State went on rampage over refusal by the management to allow them access to their already book reservations.

The incident which occurred, Thursday, and was subject of a viral video on social media, at the 90-room Protea in Owerri flagged by the Marriott Hotel Group, however, appears to have been resolved as the aggrieved guests were reportedly reallocated rooms later by the management.

The incident follows report that the Imo State Government had earlier directed major hotels operating in the state to cancel all previous room reservations and reallocate same to preferred but unnamed politicians arriving in the state for next week’s governorship elections in the state, on November 11.

The guests, said to members of the famous Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Owerri  Old Girls, had arrived the hotel from across parts of the world for their annual gathering only be denied learn of the cancellation of their reservations reportedly made months back.

In the viral video, a voice was reporting: “A deeply regrettable incident occurred at the Marriott Hotel in Owerri where reservations for the Federal Government Girls College, Owerri, who had gathered for their 50th global reunion, were left disheartened.

“What we have learned is that, despite reservations made several months prior to this date, at the last moment, the hotel management gave the reserved rooms to politicians who arrived, leaving many former students of the Federal Government Girls College, Owerri, stranded in the lobby with no place to rest and no accommodation to stay.”

However, attempts to get the hotel management restore their reservations turned awry as the women went physical with the facility’s staff in their rage.

The hotel management could not provide a valid explanation to the frustrated guests as to why the reservations made earlier by the women was cancelled without notifying them, leading to the ensuing chaos which saw much of the concierge staff seeking cover while abandoning their front desks.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the Imo State Government had directed major hotels to cancel previous reservations and reallocate same to it as prepares to accommodate its own guests arriving for the November 11 governorship election in the state.

The Imo Commissioner for Tourism, Jerry Egemba, had in a memo addressed to all Chief Executive Officers of all the hotels in the Owerri metropolis, informed that the state government would pay for all the rooms in the hotels starting from November 4 to November 11.

The memo, dated November 25, requested all the CEOs of the hotels to forward details of their hotels and accommodation bills on or before Thursday, October 26 for payment by the state government.

Meanwhile, weighing in on the hotel guess incident, Vice President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Mr. Odunayo J. Ogunyemi , said he believes the incident is political related, as according to him, ‘it’s just to scare the opponent from accessing accommodation during the election.’

“Let me throw more lights to what transpired between Protea Owerri and Federal Government Girls College old girls.

“There was reservation made by the state Government to reserve all Hotel rooms in Owerri between 4th November and 11th November, 2023.

“This letter was dated 25th October, 2023.

“The old girls arrived the hotel a day before the video went viral and requested for their rooms which were reserved months back, they were told that the rooms were not available instead of telling them that the rooms were not ready.

“This got the old girls angry since that they know that the Imo State Government had booked all the rooms, hence the video you saw.

“These rooms were available for the old girls but were not ready as at the time they arrived.

“The old girls were later accommodated in the same hotel, though there was delay in the check in.

“Note that, Government reservation states 4th -11th Nov. and the old girls reservation was for 1st November, no clash in the reservation.

“Also note that the reservation made by the Imo State Government is a political reservation, there is no way Government could book all the rooms in Owerri. I think it’s just to scare the opponent from accessing accommodation during the election.

“I have advised Protea to grant a press briefing on the issue to clear the air,” stated Mr. Ogunyemi

Also reacting to the incident in Owerri, President of FTAN, Mr Nkereuwem Onung, aligned with his Vice President, adding that the Protea incident ‘appears to be a new tactic by incumbent governments to outplay opposition during elections.’

“This appears to be a new tactic by incumbent governments to outplay opposition during elections. This is also happening in Kogi state.

“We need to get the correct perspective on the issue in Owerri.

“Hospitality has grown on its own without much help from the government, we should not allow them to destroy the business,” said Mr. Onung.

However, reacting, Secretary of the Nigeria Hotels Catering Institute (NHCI), an affiliate body of FTAN,  Mr Victor Kayode, opined that latest incident in Protea Owerri is not ‘new in the Hospitality Industry as government reservations for public good overrides every other reservation be it Federal or State.’

This just as Mr Kayode faulted the Protea Hotel management for not communicating effectively with the guests ‘to enable them make a date change.’

“There is a problem if the memo referred to was date November 25th when today is 3rd Nov.

“However, issued like this are not new in the Hospitality Industry as government reservations for public good overrides every other reservation be it Federal or State.

“The error was that the Management of the Hotel should have communicated this scenario to the Old Girls leadership to enable them make a date change. It is unfortunate that the Marriott hotel Management goofed in that situation and should be take full responsibility.

“Whether this breach is actionable in Court or not can only be confirmed by the BOT Chairman- Chief Alabi. But if the management communicated to the old girls, then they are on their own. Government orders for public interest overrides every other interest,” he said.

The latest incident in Imo State follows barely days after another incident involving the brutalization of the National Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Joe Ajaero by suspected thugs in full view of stationed police operatives at a protest ground in Owerri, on Wednesday.

The police had even checked in the brutalized the NLC president into a hospital for treatment following horrible injuries inflicted on the latter by the political thugs sent in to disperse NLC members protesting over 20 months unpaid salary arrears and allowances by the Governor Hope Uzodimma-led administration in the state.

Protea Hotel by Marriott, themed; ‘Owerri Select,’ opened for business in Owerri, the Imo State capital, in September 2021.

The 90-room hotel was developed by African Capital Alliance, a leading investment firm, and Kunoch Limited. ‎

Hospitality giant, Marriott International Group leads hotel operations in Africa, and currently operating over 140 hotels in 20 countries, including Nigeria.