The Nation Newspaper

Tag: image

  • Mirror image

    Mirror image

    • Special constables are replicating a culture they met in the Nigeria Police Force

    Police Service Commission Chairman Solomon Arase, a retired Inspector-General of Police (IGP), recently took issue with the Special Police Constabulary service, saying its personnel were soiling the image of the Nigeria Police Force. He called for an overhaul, disbandment or, at the minimum, introduction of a different uniform for constabulary personnel because, according to him, they are notorious for unethical acts that tarnish the reputation of the entire force.

    Arase’s observations were conveyed in a statement late last week by PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani. According to the statement, the commission is already in contact with incumbent Inspector-General of Police on the need to overhaul the organisation and operations of the constabulary service. “There have been several reports of unprofessional conduct by officers of the outfit, a quasi-police formation created to assist in community policing. Reports of their unprofessional conduct range from highhandedness in dealing with citizens and barefaced extortion on our roads and communities,” the statement said, adding: “The commission calls for an entirely different set of uniforms for officers of the outfit that should be easily differentiated from that of regular police officers.”

    The service commission argued that introducing a different uniform for constables would help in tracking the conduct of men of the outfit, distinct from that of regular police officers, such as would free the police force from blame associated with misconduct by men of the outfit. Unlike the force that is centralised at the national level, the constabulary service is a quasi-police formation at state level to assist with community policing initiative largely on volunteer basis. But Arase decried reports of unprofessional conduct by operatives of the outfit, saying it should be disbanded in states where the operatives are not remunerated or taken care of. The statement, last week, added: “The PSC said it was wrong for states to set up security outfits and not fund them. The commission has observed that this set of men have descended on innocent Nigerians for their daily upkeep through forceful extortion and intimidation. The (PSC) chairman…said the commission would work with the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to sanitise the organisation and operations of the outfit. Dr. Arase said there is an urgent need to differentiate the special constabulary from regular police officers and clearly define their operations, including uniforms and rules of engagement.”

    Read Also: APC pegs Edo guber nomination fee at N50m, holds primary Feb. 17

    It is reassuring that the service commission, which is in charge of recruitment, discipline and promotion of regular police personnel, is not only keenly aware but also concerned about the conduct of police operatives amongst the Nigerian public.  But Arase narrowing in on a subset – special constabularies – is an octave off the reality because the entire force is perceived as corrupt and abusive; and that is not because of just the special constabularies but also many operatives in the regular police service. Actually, one could argue that the special constabulary personnel as portrayed by the PSC chair are a mirror image of the entire force. And the sordid image isn’t all due to the constabulary service, because the image had been there before the community policing initiative that inspired enlistment of special constables by state governments. In other words, the special constables met a constant in the force when they were recruited, which they are merely upholding by their unethical practices that the PSC chairman complained about.

    When there was the #EndSARS upheaval in October 2020, the protest was not against special constables but malevolent conduct of some regular police operatives that constituted a deadly menace to the Nigerian public. And much more recently, Force Public Relations Officer Muyiwa Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, acknowledged the misconduct of some regular police personnel when he disclosed that he drove into police officers extorting motorists along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. In a post late December 2023 on his X account while replying to a tweet about efforts to rid the force of corruption, he said: “I personally caught some policemen yesterday while driving along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway. The DPO has been asked to bring them to Abuja. Then we know what to do. It’s disheartening to see some of our men extorting Nigerians. I feel sad, and I don’t like it because it’s a sort of oppression.”

    Scrapping the special constabulary service or kitting its operatives differently would not change the story about the Nigeria Police Force. Rather, the security service needs to look inwards and undertake a wholistic character reorientation of the personnel that must as well take account of the reward system. But Arase is right about states running the special constabulary service without due funding. That the operatives are volunteers does not mean they deserve no reward whatsoever, otherwise they’ll find means of rewarding themselves. 

  • Nissan unveils Leaf GT electric car image

    Nissan unveils Leaf GT electric car image

    Despite introducing a significant design with the 2018 Leaf, Nissan has shown interest in the launch of new sporty versions of its electric car.

    They have now released the first image of a new Leaf GT electric car concept to be unveiled at the 2018 Tokyo Auto Salon next month.

    This grand touring concept of the new Nissan LEAF is coming right after the Japanese automaker unveiled Leaf with a Nismo upgrade.

    Those concepts haven’t amounted to much so far. They unveiled the Leaf Nismo RC concept in 2011 and not much came of it – though Nissan released a special-edition ‘Leaf Aero Style’ just for the Japanese market that was inspired by Nismo.

    But after unveiling the new Leaf in September, Nissan design chief Alfonso Albaisa said last month that they were considering launching performance versions.

    And now we get to see two new concepts: the new Leaf GT and the Leaf Nismo:

    Nissan will also display 15 exciting models equipped with the latest custom and after-market parts at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2018, from January 12 to 14.

  • ‘How image branding can help Nigeria’s growth’

    ‘How image branding can help Nigeria’s growth’

    The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has held its 119th Inaugural Lecture, with the lecturer, Prof Nnanyelugo Okoro, of the Mass Communication Department, explaining how the nation can harness image branding to drive growth. JAMES OJO (400-Level Mass Communication) and GIDEON ARINZE (300-Level Mass Communication) report.

    How can Nigeria rebrand to improve its image in the 21st century? This question was answered at the 119th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State.

    It held at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium (PAA).

    Speaking on the theme: Positioning Nigeria as a brand for global competitiveness in the 21st Century: Roadmap to best practice, before a group of scholars and policymakers, a lecturer, Prof Nnanyelugo Okoro of the Department of Mass Communication, pointed out that there was urgent need for the country to brand itself and assume a new image that could fast-track its development.

    He said: “Today, no nation can go it alone and as things stand, an unbranded nation cannot take its pride of place in the comity of nations. If these facts are admitted, then it becomes imperative that Nigeria engages in comprehensive branding efforts to extricate itself from the tentacles of bad reputation it finds itself in.

    “It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to move Nigeria from the product level to the brand stage in the absence of a well-coordinated, sustainable programme of continuous and proactive action. Today, nations are becoming more aware of the importance of defining how they want to be perceived by investors and other development partners. Countries have recognised the need to improve and leverage their unique assets.”

    While stressing the need for image branding, the speaker, who is the first professor of the department, said the imperative for nation branding was in response to realities in the global order, noting that a country’s image and reputation are not only germane to attaining success in the global marketplace, but that they are also key factors for gaining a competitive edge in global engagements.

    Every nation, he said, is endowed in history, geography, culture and people, adding that countries’ peculiarities are valuable assets that must be converted to positive image and reputation to earn foreign exchange.

    He said: “In the history of any nation, there are always interesting stories to tell. In geography, there are striking places to show and there is a life to depict in culture. The people, who are inhabiting the country, must show exceptional strength and wisdom to covert these peculiarities to fortunes.”

    The lecturer regretted that there was no “comprehensive and professional” attempt to position Nigeria as a good brand in its 103 years of existence as a geographical entity and 57 years an independent nation.

    Okoro urged the Federal Government to “urgently” create the Ministry of National Branding and Public Diplomacy to address the country’s image and reputation problems.

    He said: “Leaving the business of nation branding to a government agency is merely paying lip service to issues relating to Nigeria’s image and reputation at global level. We cannot continue with the same arrangement and expect different result. Nigeria has all the potential to become a key player in the global affair. To make the country a good partner for other nations, the central government needs to create Ministry of National Branding and Public Diplomacy to engage Nigerians at home and in Diaspora to join hands in creating a fascinating image for the country.”

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Benjamin Ozumba, hailed the inaugural lecturer, describing him as a “thorough-bred communicator and public relations professional”. He said the theme of the lecture was aimed at educating the public on the linkage between branding and development.

    The VC, represented by his deputy for Academics, Prof James Ogbonna, reiterated his administration’s commitment to using research to position the institution as pace-setter of knowledge among its peers.

  • Insurers ‘need to redeem poor image’

    Insurers ‘need to redeem poor image’

    Insurance operators need to redeem the industry’s poor image to enable them maximise the untapped potential in the economy, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has said.

    The governor, represented by his Deputy, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, made this known while declaring open the  Insurance Professionals’ Forum organised by the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    He stated that the theme of this year’s forum: The insurance industry, national economic shift & new business realities, could not have been more apt, as there were more than ever before in the history of the nation, the need for diversification of the economy.

    He said insurance firms should make maximum use of the investment opportunities available to them to strengthen their liquidity position to enable them meet the claims of policyholders, companies whenever the need arises.

    He stressed that such effort would help restore public confidence in the ability of the industry to deliver and redeem its obligations to clients.

    He observed that many Nigerians were yet to embrace the culture of patronising insurance firms, hence, the need for the Institute to engage in public education and enlightenments programmes that would enlist the interest of the people in the business.

    He called on the operators to extend some of their programmes to the rural areas, to enable them tap the potentials at the grassroots.

    He said: “There is the need too for insurance companies to redesign their products and services in such a way that would meet the need in the ever changing behavioural pattern of our people. In doing so, concerted efforts should be made to ensure that the economic environment and social behaviour of our people are integrated into the policy formulation and marketing strategy objective of the insurance companies.

    “Another area which the insurance industry is yet to fully explore is the life policy and pension insurance scheme. This can really make long term funds available for profitable investment in the insurance sector. It seemed to me that lack of insurance life portfolio has made our insurance companies to be caught in the web of low investments and needless competitions with other actors in the money market”.

    Speaking on diversification, the Governor said it had dawned on everybody of the need to diversify the economy to the non-oil sector and as major players, insurance professionals must come up with robust ideas and policies that could help cushion the fall in revenue in the economic process.

    “Undoubtedly, as the call for the diversification of the economy is on the increase, and investors are being wooed to invest in agriculture, mining, export promotion, among others, this gathering through robust deliberations, must come up with possible template that would not only assure investors of the safety of their investment, but that would ensure them of insurance driven environment which will bring high yields on their investments.

    “Without doubt, the prevailing social economic situation in our economy requires that the Institute should attempt a critical reappraisal of some of the contemporary issues in the professional practice of insurance business in order to promote the industry,” he said.

    Commissioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari, urged insurance professionals to act professionally, adding that failure to observe this tenet in the past caused the industry so much injury.

    “The time has indeed come for us to speak professionally and act like the true insurance professionals we claim to be in the course of performing or conducting our business. Our failure to observe this tenet in the past has caused the industry so much reputational injury. I am glad to say the current efforts of the underwriters to change the perception of the public about insurance are timely and laudable. All other sectors should join in with their widow’s might to ensure the success of the project,” he said.

    CIIN President, Lady Isioma Chukwu, urged insurance professionals to key into the vision of the government’s economic diversification activities and position the industry appropriately.

  • Buhari and Nigeria’s image

    SIR: Some 30 years or so ago, Fela had a hit song titled, ‘Beast of No Nation’ in which he sang, “I never hear that before o, make government talk o, my people are useless, my people are senseless, my people are indisciplined.  Which kind talk be that o…?”

    Fela was referring to Buhari’s military government.

    Thirty years on, nothing’s changed: President Buhari is still socking it to his people, still disparaging his people, still bad-mouthing them in the committee of nations.  In a recent interview with a British newspaper, Buhari declared that Nigerians abroad have made it difficult for Europeans and Americans to accept them because of the number of Nigerians in prisons all over the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking.  He finished off by saying, “We will encourage our countrymen to stay at home, work hard and make a respectable living at home.”

    There goes our number one ambassador perpetrating negative stereotypes again.

    Really Nigeria doesn’t need Buhari’s type of unhelpful intervention right now.  It will further worsen its citizens’ marginalisation abroad and increase prejudice against all Nigerians.  Secondly, a president who habitually goes overseas for medical treatment has no standing at all to tell other Nigerians to stay home.  The same factors, same conditions at home that propels the president into the arms of doctors in a foreign land are the same that drives many Nigerians abroad.  Everyone’s life and future is dear to them and they’ll do everything possible to make sure they get the best they can get – not just presidents.

    No, Buhari did not say that all Nigerians abroad are criminals but he abdicated his responsibility when he threw some of his own citizens under the bus in a foreign land to a foreign media.  That can never be cool.  It is already hard for some Nigerians in the UK in light of the recent recession and the influx of Eastern Europeans into that country.  For our own president to put his boot in is very disheartening.  Buhari has handed the UK government and other racists another (official) weapon with which to further marginalise Nigerians.

    Is there more crime in Nigeria than in the USA?  Nope.  Are there more criminals in Nigeria than in the UK?  Nope.  Who are the number one foreign prisoners in the UK?  The Polish.  Nigeria is not even in the top 5.

    Without Nigerian Doctors and Nurses, the UK NHS will struggle very badly – maybe even collapse for a short while.  If all Nigerians in the IT and Social Work sectors in the UK pull out, those sectors will struggle.  Nigerian Pastors nko?  Ditto for the USA; if Nigerian Educators down tools, that sector of America will struggle.  Perhaps these were what the president could have flagged up in his interview.  If he later meets with Nigerians in a private Nigerian forum, he could tell them off.  He could remind the few yahoo boys to lay off, return home and stop giving the country a bad name.  Rather it was the President who gave the country a black eye.

    It is Buhari’s primary task to make our image problem abroad better.  However, in his second coming, it seems to me that Buhari is only interested in bending over backwards to please and pander to our erstwhile colonial masters when there is absolutely no need for it.  It took the government of Murtala/Obasanjo in the mid 1970s to take on the British head-on and get us some much deserved respect.  We seem to be going backwards in that regard again.  We seem to be taking instructions from Downing Street, in particular, and the European Union in general before we make any moves in Nigeria.

    I do not see how Buhari’s latest remark would encourage any potential investor to come to Nigeria.  The president ought to know that his main job is to defend Nigeria and Nigerians everywhere; not to put us down in foreign media in the hope to please foreign leaders.  That is old and it is unproductive.

     

    • Michael Egbejumi-David

    demdem@hotmail.co.uk

  • Buhari’s rock star international image

    Buhari’s rock star international image

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu relives the warm reception President Muhammadu Buhari got at the recent United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, United States

    President Muhammadu Buhari, seems to be the embodiment of everybody’s idea of a reformist capable of restoring the lost glory of the World’s biggest black nation.

    For the reason that he has the trust of Nigerians, he has rekindled their hope of their country achieving the greatness destined for it.  Even when he protests against larger than life images of himself, he has been wildly popular at home in Nigeria.

    His recent engagements in and around the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), put a stamp on his rock star international image.

    While still in Nigeria, tens of adoring foreign leaders had written to the NigerianMission at the UN and directly through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting for bilateral meetings in New York with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    With a population of 170 million and endowments in natural resources, there are many countries that are eager to expand into Nigeria but the one key that seems to be unlocking all the doors and lifting Nigeria’s image abroad is President Buhari’s personal characteristics.

    He is seen as a leader with personal integrity, honesty and truthfulness.

    He is perceived as a promising reformer, a crusader against corruption and a unifier of a people who are yearning for a change.

    Since he assumed office, he has traveled to the neighbouring countries and the major capitals of the world seeking a unified approach to the war on terror in the North-East, and the piracy, oil pipeline sabotage and crude oil theft in Southern Nigeria.

    In addition to solicitations for investment so as to create jobs for the teemingunemployed, the President has been making attempts to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the international community as a big player.

    For the first time in any public speech he has made, President Buhari in a New York newspaper interview spoke about his country’s aspiration and qualification for the membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council.

    The euphoric cheers he got while addressing the UN are a part of this unfolding story, not the whole story by itself.  The real story is in the line-up of leaders of nations, big and small, serving, and out-of-office with requests for one-on-one or bilateral meetings with President Buhari.  Since it was humanly impossible to cope with the deluge of demands, a sifting and balancing acts had to be used.

    In the course of the visit, the President accepted or took part in the following side events:-

    • United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO) meeting on the “Operationalisation of the post- 2015 Development Agenda for African Industrialisation;”
    • High-Level Roundtable on South-South cooperation, organised by China
    • Heads of State and Governments’ meeting of African Union Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC), at the Permanent Observer Mission of Africa Union to the United Nations;
    • Global Leaders Summit on countering ISIL and Violent Extremism convened by the U.S. President Obama;
    • Summit Meeting on Climate Change, called by French President Hollande and the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon;
    • Reception by the President of the United States of America and Mrs. Obama;
    • Side event organized by Nigeria’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS(NACA)

    * Meeting of the UN Fund for Population Activities:” Building Stability and Resilience in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Countries” convened by Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin.

    Other world Leaders met include:-

    • His Majesty, Don Felipe VI, King of Spain
    • H.E. Mr. XI Jinping, the President of the Peoples Republic of China;
    • H.E. Rt Hon. David Cameron, Prime Minister of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island;
    • H.E. Park Geun-hye, President of the Republic of Korea;
    • His Majesty, King Abduallah II Bin Husseini, King of the HasheniteKingdom of Jordan
    • H.E. the Prime Minister of Guyana H.E. Moses Nagamootoo;
    • H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the UN;
    • Mr. Bill Gates, the Chief Executive Officer of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation;
    • H.E. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
    • Former President Bill Clinton of the U.S.A.
    • H.E. the Prime Minister of Malta H.E. Joseph Muscat
    • Mr. Gordon Brown former British Prime Minister and President OlusegunObasanjo of Nigeria;
    • Mr. Christopher Stone, President of Open Society Foundations and
    • Mrs. Julia Stasch, President of McArthur Foundation

    Most of these meetings were dominated by issues of defence cooperation and economic ties.

    Matters explored included economic development, jobs, investment in the economy, foreign policy, global security landscape and the President’s important effort to secure the country and manage it efficiently.

    President Buhari also showed a determination to use the international system in stemming corruption and helping not only Nigeria but the other growing nations in the recovery of their stolen assets.

    Groups such as McArthur and Bill Gates Foundations and Gordon Brown’s UN-Backed “Safe Schools Initiative” are expected to aid the recovery and rehabilitation of Schools and other infrastructure in the North-East.

    At all of these meetings, President Buhari asked the international community to be united in combating the challenges posed by terrorism across the World.  In his words, “no nation is immune to this threat.  We must therefore stand united against terror.”

    One of these meetings that stood out from the rest is the one President Buhari had with the King of Jordan.

    Beyond making acquaintance and congratulating the Nigeria leader on his election victory, King Abdullah promised to offer assistance in any way possible to help Nigeria fight terror.  He promised to bring the experience of his country, itself surrounded by terrorist activities manifested by ISIL, Al-Shabab, Houthi rebellion and others to help Nigeria out as it confronts Boko Haram.

    President Buhari returned to the country convinced that his government is doing all the rights in our international relations that would catalyze Nigeria’s revival as a key player on the global  stage and a favourable destination for foreign investment.

    This is a departure for a nation that suffered for years under a government that  immersed in self-serving engagements and unfriendly attitude towards neighbours.

    With all of these going on on the part of Nigeria, President Buhari will continue to be seen all over the world as a potential game-changer who will realize the dream of a rich, powerful and stable Nigeria.

  • Buhari: between image and substance

    No hee-hawing: Muhammadu Buhari, president of the Federal Republic, is provincial!  But is that necessarily bad?

    In a multi-national country, with a parlous record of northern political domination, that would appear a disaster.  The image of the Nigerian Presidency as bastion of northern hegemony creates a disturbing déjà vu: we had seen it all, in those bad old days, many would sneer.  Now, are we condemned to living it all, in this season of purported change?

    Believe it, the image is not exciting!  But the substance?

    Put another way, does provincialism automatically negate Buhari’s fine natural traits which, in part, powered him to the Nigerian presidency?

    Before you answer that question, just ponder these two situations, between President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo — Osinbajo, said to be as cosmopolitan as his principal is provincial — on account of picking their very close staff: chief of staff and senior special assistant for Media.

    If you discount Femi Adesina, Buhari’s and Osinbajo’s picks, for chief of staff and chief of media, follow the same geographical parallel.  The president picked Abba Kyari, as chief of staff; and Garba Shehu, as senior special assistant (SSA) media; both northerners.  The vice-president picked Ade Ipaye, as chief of staff; and Laolu Akande, as SSA media, both Yoruba.

    Now, what is the definitive difference between these two picks?  Still, that Osinbajo picked fellow Yoruba as closest staff — does that then re-make him as provincial; or even make his choice evil?

    And if both cosmopolitan and provincial end up with similar principles to choose close aides, shouldn’t it be clear there could perhaps be more fundamental dynamics driving both — indeed, everyone — beyond the political correctness of being “Nigerian”, to hypocritical applause?

    Indeed, there is a deeper principle; and it is that Nigeria is a federation.  A federation is no fancy tag: it is a country peopled with different peoples, though it is hoped these different peoples will eventually yoke, in a melting pot; and that alchemy would produce a “national” culture.  Still, a person gets to know first, families and friends; and not a few go through life trusting this immediate environment, no matter how limited or extensive their exposure has been.

    In Nigeria’s often emotive media, such people have often been demonised as tribalist or bigoted; but go ahead to glamorise the other extreme as detribalised, whatever that means.  So, to be a proper Nigerian, you must erase your cultural nativity?

    This emotive imaging has caused a lot of havoc in the political space, though it is fair to say such havoc resulted from mutual distrust, which emanated from real and potent fears of unfair domination.  Three names, in Nigeria’s political history, past and present, will just anchor this point.

    Obafemi Awolowo.  He was the most rigorous political thinker of his generation.  Yet, conventional “Nigerian” wisdom dismissed him as “tribalist”.  Why?  Because his closest aides were generally Yoruba; who he often despatched to sensitive duties all over Nigeria, even during election time.  Still, there is no proof the tribalist tag diminished his rigour or vision.  But on that sole score, he never became Nigeria’s prime minister or president — hard as he tried.

    Olusegun Obasanjo.    He is Awolowo’s very opposite, unabashedly “Nigerian”; and his admirers followed up to gift him the eulogy of “father of modern Nigeria”, which Baba Iyabo merrily lapped up.  As elected president, he went ahead to reflect perhaps the most pan-Nigeria outlook in appointive decisions.  But after all that, what?  Not unlike the Biblical white sepulchre: all-gleam outside but all-rot within — for beyond imaging, Obasanjo’s pan-Nigeria ensemble didn’t appear to have got the job done.  If they had, Nigeria won’t be in this terrible pass today.

    Muhammadu Buhari.  By Nigeria’s terrible political-speak, Buhari would be the first “tribalist” to make the Nigerian presidency.  During electioneering, his opponents threw everything at him: tribalist, northern irredentist, religious bigot.

    Yet, such was the rot; and such were his perceived sterling basic qualities that they shone through the clouds of negative coloration, that his coalition powered to the presidency: on account of massive votes in the core North; and his make-over in the South West and the Middle Belt.

    But the distemper of electioneering would appear to linger, coupled with new-found panic in the South West.

    That brings the discourse to the rather unflattering reaction to Buhari’s latest appointments which, in truth, is skewed in North’s favour.  And the South East, somehow not unusually, has been most strident.

    No doubt, the South East, as any other part of the country, has the right to yell and kick, if it feels short-changed.  And despite that region’s clear general anti-Buhari electioneering and electoral posture, some South Easterners still stuck out their neck for the president.  These presidential allies would be most hit.  They face “we told you so!” jeers from their people, but little to cheer from their stubborn electoral choice.

    Still, the South East stridency would appear hobbled by its mainstream political elite’s culpable indifference, particularly when such appointive injustices are in their people’s favour.  Strictly on principle, Buhari’s perceived northernisation of his government is no worse than Goodluck Jonathan’s easternisation of his.  Yet, the South East elite appeared comfy with the Jonathan-era injustice — a case of the Achebe quip that you don’t spew out palm kernel put in your mouth by benevolent spirits?  If that were so, what is the justice in the present South East’s shriek of alleged injustice?

    As for the South West and South-South, the dominant political elite would appear a confused lot.  In Ripples‘ opinion, Lagos’ Babatunde Fashola and Rivers’ Rotimi Amaechi would appear the best two governors in the national gubernatorial class of 2007-2014.  Yet, both blocs, though fired by different motivations, went on over-drive demonising the duo.  But when the dust cleared, and appointments had gone elsewhere, they suddenly jerked awake to bawl “northernisation!” and “marginalisation”!

    Even if Buhari was really “northern” in his outlook, what chances did these sniping South West and South-South ancestral warriors give him, to essay a change of heart?  Please note that the Fashola and Ameachi examples are only metaphors of the wilful lack of strategic thinking demonstrated by these two blocs.  It didn’t mean both Fashola and Amaechi were in contention (even if they were, Ripples was in no position to know), though either making the list would have drastically changed the Buhari Presidency’s perception as “northern”.

    Still, nothing from this piece should be interpreted as an endorsement of Buhari’s northernisation of his presidency, perceived or real.  Just as Obasanjo’s pan-Nigeria imaging shielded his government’s rot until it was too late, Buhari’s emerging image of a northern presidential laager may too early blind the polity from the president’s promise of a nation-changing tenure.

    If Buhari’s electoral coalition could boast a pan-Nigeria mandate (though located more in the North’s three geo-political zones and the South West), it should be capable of pan-Nigeria citizens of quality and  character, from all parts of the country.

    Any rationalisation short of that standard is nothing but presidential cant — and presidential cants can’t agree with the president’s mantra of change.

     

    Quote: “Buhari’s perceived northernisation of his government is no worse than Goodluck Jonathan’s easternisation of his.  Yet, the South East elite appeared comfy with the Jonathan-era skewing“

  • Negative image affecting Ekiti, says Fayemi

    Negative image affecting Ekiti, says Fayemi

    Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has said all the negative news from the state was affecting its economy.

    The former governor spoke yesterday when he visited the Hausa community to show his sympathy over the losses it  incurred in the violence that rocked Ado-Ekiti last week.

    Fayemi, who visited the Hausa at Shasha, on the outskirts of Ikere-Ekiti, where they had been relocated, promised that the incoming All Progressives Congress (APC) administration would assist them.

    The ex-governor  inspected the burnt Erekesan Market.

    He visited the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, to commiserate with him.

    The former governor, who was accompanied by some officials of his administration, said his visit was to identify with the people during these trying times.

    He urged all Ekiti people to unite and fight against kidnapping and other  crimes for the state to witness peace and development.

    Fayemi said kidnapping is unacceptable and must not to be allowed to fester for the state to be investors’ haven.

    He said the negative image Ekiti has acquired in recent times is affecting  its economy.

    Fayemi said: “Some of my colleagues and friends would have accompanied me to Ekiti but many of them declined the invitation as result of the spate of violence and kidnapping.

    “I don’t think Ekiti deserves this negative label, which is why I am calling on well meaning indigenes to join hands with those who are willing to return peace to the state.”

    Fayemi expressed sadness that the good relationship that existed between indigenes and Hausa settlers had become strained.

    He called on stakeholders to join hands to end the twin-monsters, “which is strange  to the culture of the land”.

    Oba Adejugbe thanked Fayemi for his visit, urging the former governor not to rest on his oars in ensuring that peace reigns in the state.

    The monarch said a committee had been set up  to take an inventory of the property damaged during the clash.

  • NECA urges NLC to redeem image

    The re-scheduled Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) election should be about redeeming the image of the organised labour movement, Director-General, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Segun Oshinowo has said.

    “This time around they just have to get it right. What happened during the delegates conference recently in Abuja has really cast a lot of aspersion on the integrity of the organised labour,” he said.

    While noting that it was the first time organised labour would act in such a manner at any of their gatherings, Mr. Oshinowo described the manner the NLC election ended as shameful, embarrassing, ridiculous and a dent on the image of the movement.

    He said: “What happened at the election eroded their moral credentials to condemn or commend what happens in the larger society, saying it was a minus.”

    The NECA boss, however, commended the members of the trade movement for rising in total condemnation of the act and their readiness to correct the anomaly. “I am happy that our colleagues on the other side have not spared themselves in condemning the shameful act, bearing in mind the position of the NLC in the society,” he said.

    Oshinowo expressed displeasure over the ugly incidenct, which he said happened during the nation’s general election period. Besides, the Congress had, at the opening ceremony of the delegates conference, promised to use its election to serve as model for the nation’s politicians.

    It would be recalled that the NLC 11th delegate conference election held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, ended abruptly when pandemonium broke out due to some irregularities observed on the ballot papers.

  • Another lunge at the image challenge

    No one has quite explained the perennial paradox. How can a country be so endowed, yet so derided? Some reckon that Nigerians are among the best brains in the world and that few can boast of its natural resources, yet no one is in doubt that their country is a great way from the league of developed nations. The international community and its media also do not seem to have such a great opinion of the country.

    Successive governments have tried to address this challenge without much success. President Olusegun Obasanjo did his bit. So, too, did President Umaru Yar’Adua.  President Goodluck Jonathan has taken a shot at it. His administration has launched the ‘Nigeria our heritage’ project.

    The Minister of Culture, Tourism, and National Orientation at the presentation of the new project in Abuja, said government will reverse the negative perception of the international media through the promotion of tourism and cultural heritage. The government said it would overhaul the nation’s global image and promote tourism for the patriotic purposes of creating wealth for national development and securing international trust for foreign investment.

    Duke further explained that the tourism innovation would restore a positive perception for Nigeria as an emerging international hub for business in the next century. According to him, the western media does not see anything positive about Nigeria, hence their consistent negative reports, adding that Nigerians all over the world have stretched the boundary of creativity, but this is not appreciated by purveyors of negativity against the country.

    He said: “In the last few months, there has been a global conspiracy against Nigeria; a lot of indignity has been dished to the leadership and humiliation to the country by western media; Nigerians have stretched the boundaries of creativity and stretched milestones, there is a need for a new story of Nigeria to begin.

    “To us, part of the strategy is to create and brighten the image of our country while encouraging Nigerians to re-invigorate their hope and commitment to the Nigerian project.”

    The minister explained that his ministry has adopted the project being sponsored by some private individuals under government’s policy on Public Private Partnership.

    He observed that countries like South Africa and Rwanda were able to erase the negative perceptions against them while Nigeria with a population of about 160 million people was still being vilified by the international media. He appealed to Nigerians to work hard to change the negative perception about the country by believing in the nation and having confidence that it could be greater.

    Duke stated that the ministry would work with the  ”Nigeria, our Heritage Project” initiators to overhaul the nation’s image and promote its tourism and cultural heritage using such platforms as the creative and performing arts, National Council for Arts and Culture, literatures and others to drive the project. He said the 744 local governments in the country will be used to showcase the much-desired change through festivals.

    The project would, among other things; chronicle Nigeria’s past and present while projecting progressive initiatives for the future that will create access for international interests and investment in potential business opportunities in Nigeria and re-define Nigeria as a world leading nation through development of leadership institutions and frontier schemes.

    The project will also put Nigeria first in Africa. It promises to make the nation the giant in business, a haven for investors through tourism, while projecting the culture and reshaping the image of the country. It also seeks to bring prominence to the nation’s local languages.

    It will engender a new and positive global perception of Nigeria such that Nigeria would be enabled internally and externally to realise her full potential.  It is about what and where Nigeria should be 100 years from now.  The core essence of that dream is that Nigeria should be one of the top five economies in the world by the year 2114.

    Duke said, “Through the ‘Nigeria, our heritage’ project, we shall celebrate the rich cultural inheritance and vast economic endowment of Nigeria as well as the large market the country offers. We recognise the bright future of Nigeria as a rising business destination in the continent of Africa; above all, we recognise the impact that a rebranded Nigeria, collectively supported by all Nigerians, will have on businesses, the economy, and our people.