Good Thinking, Bad Product

Though no one can fault Nigeria's Re-branding Sheriff, Prof Dora Akunyili, on the very sound logic that Nigeria needs to change her ways, current events show that she is stuck with a bad product with very little redeeming potentials. Will she give up or fight on? 'Jide Iyanda

December 25, 2009 must be one of the worst Christmas Nigeria's Minister of Information and Communications has ever had, albeit for most Nigerians. The botched attempt by a Nigerian youth Farouk Umar Abdulmutallab to blow out of the skies a Delta flight from Amsterdam to Detroit in the USA probably dismantled all the efforts made so far in projecting Nigeria positively to the world. It destroyed the little gain made in the re-branding project aimed at showing off Nigeria's bright side to the world. In the current global village we live in and the prevailing global political thinking and realities, nothing sinks a nation faster than to be on the wrong side of the war on terror. Nigeria's listing as a member of the 14 "countries of interest" when it comes to terrorism did just that. It put paid to all efforts to redeem Nigeria's image. It hung around the necks of Nigerians a label that does not really fit. What was before a hard sell is now a harder sell.
Reversing the negative perception about Nigeria will probably need an equal number of Doras in ministerial positions who can think right. Better still, it will need a government at the top that is in the right mind to govern a country and lead a people. What we have now is at best an assemblage of fortune seekers, political sycophants, mediocres, opportunists and individuals driven by personal lust for wealth and fortune.
Nigeria is like a conquered territory littered with all the signs of a state in free fall. So what is the government doing about it? I mean doing about our image because, as they say, image could be everything. Nigeria's image is at its lowest ebb since independence. Now, the world can gladly add to the list of Nigeria's image 'eroders' the terrorist garb alongside the advance fee fraud, the drug pushing penchant of Nigerians, the credit card scams, the perception of an unruly people and of a people so blessed yet terribly caused – thanks to our leaders. Yes, our leaders. What was the response from the government shortly after the identity of the failed bomber was known and thereafter when the efforts to redeem Nigeria's image.
It hung around the necks of Nigerians a label that does not really fit. What was before a hard sell is now a harder sell. Reversing the negative perception about Nigeria will probably need an equal number of Doras in ministerial positions who can think right. Better still, it will need a government at the top that is in the right mind to govern a country and lead a people. What we have now is at best an assemblage of fortune seekers, political sycophants, mediocres, opportunists and individuals driven by personal lust for wealth and fortune. Nigeria is like a conquered territory littered with all the signs of a state in free fall. So what is the government doing about it? I mean doing about our image because, as they say, image could be everything. Nigeria's image is at its lowest ebb since independence. Now, the world can gladly add to the list of Nigeria's image 'eroders' the terrorist garb alongside the advance fee fraud, the drug pushing penchant of Nigerians, the credit card scams, the perception of an unruly people and of a people so blessed yet terribly caused – thanks to our leaders. Yes, our leaders. What was the response from the government shortly after the identity of the failed bomber was known and thereafter when the level to get America to change her mind. Rather, all we have had is a lot of hot air and sporadic media interventions. Our "Ajala Travel" Foreign Affairs minister, Ojo Madueke is suddenly wingless and scared shit to visit America and engage the minds in Washington over Nigeria's labeling as a terrorist haven.