Date Published: 04/25/09
REBRANDING NIGERIA IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION
By Comrade Anavberokhai Isah
The Nigerian minister for information Professor Dora Akunyili recently lunched a new slogan aimed at rebranding the image of Nigeria in the international scene. To many, this is a welcome development and a way to restore Nigeria’s international battered image but to me, it is just a simple way of adding powder to the face of a pig that can never do away with the mud. The rebranding of Nigeria on local and international media will not help to change the political, structural and human decay that is visible in all areas of Nigeria
Most of the Nigerian leaders today including present and past political and military office holders have successfully gotten houses and other properties outside the shores of the country. This political office holders including the present minister for information Professor Dora Akunyili, most often travel outside the shores of Nigeria to other countries in Europe and America. They visibly see the developments and principled policies that have helped these countries to grow. These same policies are emulated and taken to Nigeria without effective implementation as a result of some bottled neck politicians that might be affected by the policies or will not benefit financially if this policies are implemented.
Categorically I can say, Nigeria is one of the countries in the world having the highest number of its citizens seeking political asylum and refuge in other countries in the world including neighbouring African countries that get its resources even from Nigeria. Nigeria is blessed with intellectuals that have helped develop other countries they have switched nationality to this countries either through sports or educational innovation. In most universities in the world today where Nigerians are fortunate to be studying, it is difficult for them not to be rated as one of the best student in regardless of the stress they go through in actualizing their academic goals. This is similar to what I have personally gone through during my international studies abroad. With this bunch of intellectuals scattered all over the world and some without recognition in Nigeria, how do we think about development through advertorial when there is still a lot to be done
The rebranding of Nigeria should start from the president of the country down to the local government chairmen whose role and responsibilities are to bring development to the grassroots. A country that does not even have efficient power, good and attractive tourist centres, functional policies, freedom of speech and expression, security and more to mention, how this country can attract tourist and other persons from the world. This can not be achieved through advertorials rather with innovative development visible to the entire world, people will be most interested in Nigeria and as well have a positive image about Nigeria
After the 2008 general election, the entire world criticized a political election which was mare with gross irregularities, killings, multiple voting etc and yet the judiciary in its judgement unanimously agreed that the election was fare, free and peaceful. How do we think the general world will look at us? No matter the amount of rebranding advertorial that is carried out on local and international media, these events can not be changed. In the world today, most countries cry for recession, job loss etc. Nigeria has been in rescission for over 30 years considering what we have been going through with joblessness, stress to feed or care for the family, etc. In Nigeria every year, thousands of youths graduate from higher institution and are made to go through the compulsory youth service program. After one year of service, this youths are thrown out from their places of primary assignments in completion of there youth services and they are allowed to stay jobless. How do the government expect a graduate with whom his family might be looking up to after school to remain jobless even when he or she has graduated with a good result? This is a simple way of helping to rebrand the youths into fraudulent activities that could help them sustain their livelihood.
Every year in Nigeria, billions of Naira is budgeted in the development of roads, waste management, etc. None of this project has ever been successfully completed and yet all the funds meant for the projects are paid out completely and documents are signed that this projects have been completed. Hundreds of Nigerians die annually on road accidents as a result of the dilapidated nature of the Nigerian roads. The road connecting Lagos and Edo state is always subjected to renovation every year and for over 12 years; this road has not been completed. Same implies to the single road connecting the southern part of Nigeria via Kogi state to the capital which is Abuja. How can a country blessed with such huge human and natural recourses be suffering these pains?
The worst pain to every Nigerian today is Electricity. Without power, it is definitely difficult to have effective development since all organization both macro and micro depend on electricity for production. Nigeria has one of the most expensive telecommunication tariffs in the world today and this according to the providers is as a result of the huge amount of money used in running generating plants to generate power for the telecommunication servicing machines. The past administration of Olushegu Obansanjo was accused of embezzling the funds budgeted for the boosting of electricity in Nigeria. Till date, nothing has been said about this enquiries or investigations in spite of the facts the records where visible, yet the persons involved in this dupe are still recognised and worshiped in the Nigerian political cycle till date while the ordinary Nigerian is left to suffer.
Members of the National assembles with whom the masses have given the mandate to serve collect huge amount of funds given to them for developmental projects and spend them on luxury cars and houses leaving the poor masses to remain poor. How then do we believe that the rebranding of the Nation through advertorial can blind the eyes of the international watchers that have access to these little villages and towns to visibly see the dilapidation and waste of human and natural resources. The rebranding of Nigeria should start from the president of the country and it should involve the implementation of policies and the enforcement of these policies on the entire citizenry of the Nation without any fear of favour.
The president of Nigeria Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has spent years in office and with a seven point agenda yet to be implemented, how do we believe that there is a better hope for the Nation. Some bottle neck politicians are already canvassing for a second term in office for a president that has not successfully completed one innovative or developmental project through out is present stay in office. As Nigerians, we should without fear of favour face the facts and call a spade a spade as this alone will help us innovatively move to the next level in our quest to attain development and positive international recognition. The president should show good example by ensuring that political office holders are made to account for their innovative and developmental achievements and failures when in and out of office.
Nigeria as a Nation should first rebrand its leaders, change the present political field from profit making to service to the Nation. Let political office holders sacrifice their time and efforts in ensuring that developmental projects are achieved just like the case of the governor of Lagos State Fashola, Adams Oshiomole of Edo state and a few others. Political office holders should not try to financially influence the judiciary in order to win favour into political offices with which there desire is to gain back all that has been spent. We should strongly rebrand our leaders and political office holders so that they can help improve the educational sector in Nigeria, upgrade our roads, make electricity available for all panelise office holders accused of fraudulent activities, rebrand the Nigeria police and other security agencies, and as well allow the judiciary to freely carry out its functions. With this, Nigeria need not speed so much on advertorials to impress other nations to have a positive thought about us.
We all have a role to play in developing Nigeria to be one of the best nations in the world considering the amount of human and natural resources we have that other nations beg to have. Let’s transform our fertile lands into high agricultural produce and change the attitude of selling our oil for individual profits to oil sold for national financial up-liftment that can raise funds for the countries development. Nigeria is our own we must stand and fight to make it a better place to leave.
Comrade Anavberokhai Isah (M.Sc)
University of Gavle , Sweden
