Interrogating The Tourism Industry Of Benue State: The Past And Present Of Makurdi Zoological Garden And Ikyogen Cattle Ranch, Benue State, Nigeria

his paper presents an interrogation of the struggling Tourism Industry of Benue State, analysing the past and present states of Makurdi Zoological Garden and Ikyogen Cattle Ranch. The research is aimed at bringing out the untapped tourism potentials in Benue State and also promotes the reach cultural heritage of the Tiv people of Central Nigeria. Therefore, a purely exploratory research design, with qualitative instruments and review of relevant literatures on the subject matter were employed in eliciting data for the research. Thus, data gathered revealed gross negligence of the tourism sector in the State; evident in the present status of the Zoo and the Ranch. For example at Makurdi Zoological Garden, it was gathered that there has been dwindling funding of the Zoo, lack of facility maintenance and lack of staff welfare, which has resulted into the malnutrition and death of several animals in the Zoo amongst other problems. Also, similar issues were observed at the Ikyogen Cattle Ranch. The Ranch is presently abandoned and some structures put in place by the first Executive Governor of the State, Aper Aku in 1983 are deteriorating to an abysmal stage, while others have since collapsed. Consequently, this research highlights some of the problems that led to the destruction of the Zoo and the Ranch as well as the entire tourism sector of the State and suggests possible solutions to the problems. The research also outlines some recommendations for the revamping and further development of the Zoo/Ranch in particular and the Tourism Industry of the State in general, to harness its potentials for the economic wellbeing of the people and government of Benue State. 

Keywords: Tourism Industry, Cultural Heritage, Interrogation, Makurdi Zoological Garden, Ikyogen Cattle Ranch, Benue.