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Rebranding Nigeria - Are we ready for the tough tasks ahead?
Posted by Afam on February 12, 2009, 4:32 pm
Viewed 25 times
The slogan is gathering momentum. But in reality how far can Nigeria go in this important task of Rebranding Nigeria?
To begin with, rebranding Nigeria or repackaging Nigeria is not a substitute for real and sustainable development in Nigeria.
Put differently, rebranding Nigeria will only make sense when the government and the people all take active part in making this country a great country. Rebranding Nigeria to my knowledge should be based on facts not lies or misinformation.
So, if the environment is very dirty and you tell both Nigerians and foreigners living within and outside Nigeria that the environment is very clean then any effort, energy, funds that go into the rebranding project will become complete waste because the facts will always spring up and defeat lies any day.
If our education system keeps going down, if our leaders at various levels of governance continue to loot public funds and stash same away in foreign banks, if politicians are gunned down due to disagreements or just for declaring their intentions to run for public offices, if crime is on the increase and innocent Nigerians are put through very difficult times then we may as well save the money meant for this rebranding Nigeria project and use the funds for other meaningful projects that will have real impact in Nigeria.
So, what are we really rebranding here?
Insisting on factual information from media outlets at all times regardless of location
Setting records straight on misinformation as and outright lies that could do damage
Confirming or denying rumors or conspiracy theories on very sensitive issues
I cannot see the government doing anything other than these as regards information management. The rest depends on actions of the government and Nigerians themselves.
If the government can work on the rumors, misinformation, propagandas, conspiracy theories then the issue of rebranding Nigeria would be easy to deal with.
Things we need to do to fast track the Rebranding Nigeria Project.
If the roads and expressways become rehabilitated in Nigeria, Nigerians and foreigners living within and outside Nigeria will know, they may not need the foreign media to tell them.
If we enforce zero tolerance on corruption and really deal with the corrupt Nigerians in such a way that intending looters will think even ten times before looting Nigerians and foreigners living within and outside Nigeria will know, the position of the foreign media may be inconsequential.
If lives and properties are secure in different places in Nigeria especially in the Niger Delta today honestly we will not be needing BBC, CNN etc to tell our stories, the stories would be told by Nigerians and even foreigners living in Nigeria.
In conclusion, Rebranding Nigeria project is a step in the right direction but for it to work all other parameters must be made to work unless the project is really about initiating, spreading and sustaining propaganda on the part of the government considering the many negative reports on Nigeria especially from the foreign media.
The most important thing however is this - What Nigerians living in Nigeria think about Nigeria is 100% more important and relevant than what Nigerians or foreigners living outside Nigeria think about Nigeria because those of us living in Nigeria are the ones facing all the difficult situations and would more than likely want to make things work for the better.
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