Economic Confidential, June, 2009

FEATURES

The Other Side of Re-Branding Nigeria

By Saka Raji Audu

Since the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Professor Dora Akunyili came up with her project to re-brand Nigeria's image, there has been sporadic response about whether or not the project would succeed. So far, the skepticisms expressed by some people are far more than optimisms. This is because, perhaps, in Nigeria, we some times tend to look at the bad side of things without caring what the good side can make for us. We have so much dwelled on the negative aspects than positive ones, knowing full well that it is only through positive issues that we can move the country forward. We have always liked to kill every conception at its inception, without giving room for its trial.

Our negative perception of things and impatient manner has robbed us of so many good things in this country. As a result of this unfortunate but funny attitude, we are always at the mercy of destructive criticisms, because in the eyes of some people, nothing succeeds in Nigeria except condemnation upon condemnation. For instance, we have had programmes as MAMSER, WAI, WAIC, OFN, HEART OF AFRICA project and many of such societal mobilisations. But they all had pre-mature death because we used our negative traits to kill them. Even some of the Nigerian media that ought to be the pace-setters of the societal norms and value are not free from the avoidable negative coverage of the country's affairs.

These media often report explosive and sensational issues about Nigeria as if they have another country other than Nigeria. The media practitioners are so pessimistic to the extent that even our good leaders are often not spared of bad journalism. This is why some of our leaders have chosen to steal from the public coffers because those who did not do so have also been criticized and condemned along with the bad ones due mere to political differences and variant interests. 

We like good leaders but hardly do we emulate their good attributes. We have always gathered together at symposia, workshops, seminars and meetings to remember and celebrate the good attributes of past heroes as the late Aminu Kano, Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna, Murtala Ramat Mohammed, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamidi Azikiwe and host of others. Yet, we do not try to do or emulate what made them heroes in our country. We are today putting up our voices and vituperative pen against the re-branding of Nigeria project because as I said, nothing works in Nigeria. To my mind, I do not think the antagonists of re-branding Nigeria have given any plausible reason why the re-branding Nigeria cannot work.

Some people are of the opinion that Professor Dora Akunyili should first re-brand herself before re-branding Nigeria. Incidentally, this is the same woman that dealt serious blows to drug pushers and saved the country from the agony of fake and counterfeit drugs. If the Professor Akunyili had not re-branded herself, how would she have succeeded in the drug issue that carved a niche for her, both at home and abroad? Why do we forget things so quickly? More over, it is the collective image of Nigeria and Nigerians that are at stake and not that of Akunyili as an individual.

Re-branding Nigeria should be able to change our ugly way of doing things by addressing serious issues that have dragged the name of the country into the mud in recent times. It means re-packaging something that has gone out of fashion or has outlived its usefulness. Our present attitudes and behaviour as Nigerians can no longer sustained us or move us forward. Our national leaders should be able to know that we can no longer feed ourselves and our children because the resources meant for every one has been concentrated in the hand of very few through corruption, stealing, self enrichment and other forms of manipulations. The leadership followers should also know that patronizing corrupt politicians cannot make the country to be great. The followers also have important role to play in the transformation of Nigeria to the level of real patriotism.

Still, there are also descending opinions against re-branding Nigeria because such opinions believe that since Nigerians are corrupt, coupled with bad leadership, the re-branding Nigeria project would not succeed. No! I beg to disagree. I should think that all these views against re-branding Nigeria are mere expression of frustrations and in most cases; it is an indication that Nigerians hardly see any thing good for their country. This is why similar projects failed in the past. As I said, there is just no way can Professor Akunyili first re-brands herself because it is the Nigeria's image that it is at stake and Akunyili had already carved a niche for herself while at the NAFDAC.

Our foreign image is so battered that even an unborn child in foreign land knows who are Nigeria and Nigerians. Ironically, most of our foreign nationals in our country today are also cogs in the wheel of our progress through dubious dealings such as tax evasion, short cuts, over invoicing and all forms of exploitation of Nigeria and Nigerians. Because our patriotism is not patriotic enough, there is nothing we could do because every one is engaged in survival strategies or how to make money to one self.

 In order to appreciate the enormity of my point, please, create time to visit any of our international airports in Nigeria, either during arrival or departure of international flights. Some of our security personnel turn their eyes against foreign passengers and reserve their eagle eyes for Nigerian passengers because of the self injurious belief that only Nigerians are corrupt and so the beats go on. Re-branding Nigeria project also means attitudinal change. We should at the individual level be able to re-brand our bad mind and think positively. We should stop taking election as a do or die affairs. While we expect those in government to do what is good for the governed, we also expect the followers to help the government in achieving the desired goal for the country.

The Nigerian media and their practitioners should know that publishing lies or half baked truth about our leaders and our country cannot make us great. No one is suggesting here that we must say good thing that our leaders have not done just because we want to maintain good image. This type of propaganda is not what we mean. The fact is that no body can change our bad image or attitude for us except we change it ourselves. Just look at the media contents of the so called Sahara reporters and Desert herald. They are full of negative coverage of Nigeria issues and such media contents are blatant lies to attract readership and inducement. They are not meant for the progress and development of the country but for the publishers' personal aggrandizements. Up till now, these two media outfits are yet to justify how they came up with their recent false publications about the callous assassination of the revered Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Mahmoud Ja'afar in Kano State. It is a piety that a crime of such magnitude can be turned into political witch hunting and character assassination by the two media outfits. The Sahara reporters and Desert Herald know quite well that their orchestrated report about the late Sheikh Ja'afar is nothing but false, make-belief, concoction and vengeance against their perceived enemy. But they did not take into consideration the security implication of such journalistic flaws on the country, provided it was 'capable' of achieving their personal and unholy objective. Yet, they have the guts to admit that they did not verify or authenticate the report. The bone of contention is that why should they publish what they are not sure of, just because they want to give a bad name to their target at whatever cost? It is against this backdrop that the readers of Sahara reporters and Desert Herald have rationally concluded that the two media outfits are nothing but jesters and unserious and that whatever they publish must be thrown to the dogs. This patriotic conclusion shall remain so until the two media outfits re-brand their journalistic ethics and media contents.

The same re-branding is required to clear off some bad elements in the Police, Immigration, Customs, Electoral system, Government offices, Political followers, Private or Public sector and all aspects of the Nigerian society. The bad way of doing things together with the unpatriotic manner of Nigerians is what I think made Professor Dora Akunyili to introduce the idea of re-branding Nigeria's image, both for outside and internal advantage. It may take long time to achieve this objective; it does not matter provided Nigerians know what it means to re-brand the country. I should at this juncture, suggest to all the State Governments in Nigeria to inculcate the Kano Societal re-orientation in their re-branding Nigeria project. It is a good instance at hand to move the country forward.

Saka Raji Audu writes from Kano and can be reached on his email: sakaraj@yahoo.com