वहत अरे वे रेब्रन्डिंग?

WHAT ARE WE REBRANDING?

Rebranding Nigeria is like a repainting an old grave. Does the fresh paint on the outside of a grave change the content of the grave: old bones and maybe stinking and decomposing flesh? Jesus Christ admonishes us that we should not wash the outside of a vessel and leave the inside dirty. Rather we should clean the inside before attempting to wash the outside; always clean both.

What are we really rebranding? Are we rebranding our educational or health sectors that are now in coma? Are we rebranding the Niger Delta people and its environment, which though the heart beat of the nation’s economic well being is polluted, pauperized, neglectd and deprived? Are we rebranding the widespread poverty in the nation in the midst of plenty? Are we rebranding our nation’s economy where people became millionaires and billions without involvement in any productive venture except that they are holding or once held public office?

Are we rebranding a country that give national honours to notorious criminals and public enemies and those who have not make any sacrifice to the nation except for the fact that they hold one political appointment or elective position? Are we rebranding a country where electoral malpractices and violence are seen as national virtues? A country where political thuggery and agents of violence are celebrated as political leaders and stalwarts? We are rebranding a country that two years after general elections, elections results are still being contested in courts and those who rigged their ways into office are enjoying the spoils of office.

Are we rebranding the poor power supply in the country? Or we are rebranding the poor state of roads in our country? Are we rebranding religious violence, ethnicity or tribalism? Are we rebranding federal character and quota system? Are we rebranding the high child mortality in our country?

What is the product we are rebranding? How many of our national leaders believe in the product Nigeria? If they do why do they and their families hold dual citizenship? Is this a testimony of faith in a product? How many of our leaders are passionate about the product they are talking about rebranding? When you see a salesman presenting his product to a prospective customer you would see the passion he talks about the product, can this be say of our leaders and apostles of rebranding? Many of our public and elective office holders do not believe in the Nigerian brand they only do public show because of the offices they hold and what they are getting or expect to get from the system.

At a recent launching of the logo and slogan of rebranding Nigeria, President Umaru Yar’dua talks about the need for institutional and structural frameworks for national orientation. MAMSER, NOA and all those social mobilization and sensitization hypes like rebranding Nigeria would always fail as long has the ordinary man on the street do not feel the direct impact of government. If one may ask what has his administration done to put in place these institutional and structural frameworks that we need to move Nigeria forward?

The product we are branding, how good and useful is the product? How do we the owner and producers of this product or owners of brand believe in this brand? How would non-Nigerians buy or accept our brand if we the owner do not believe in the product through our language, actions and in actions as a people and a nation? Who are we really rebranding Nigeria for: Nigerians or foreigners?

Apart from the civil and public servants and a few politicians who get salaries and patronage from government many Nigerians do not see the need for government because they provide for themselves and families those basic things government should give them. Many Nigerians provide their water through boreholes, generate their own electricity, pay for private security and vigilante groups, send their children to high fee paying schools because the public school system as collapse, they employed themselves and still pay tax to government. In all honesty, how has the local, state and federal government impact on the lives of the common man, they ordinary Nigerian is like an orphan only God is his last hope? How do you change the attitude and mindset of these people toward the product or brand Nigeria without first of all changing their environment and condition of living? How do you convince them that government is of the people, by the people and for the people? This is one of the reason we see voters’ apathy during elections because whether they vote or not their conditions would not change for good except by divine intervention and their votes do not count as to who emerge their leader or representative.

How can the president asked Nigerians to embrace attitudinal changes and make personal sacrifice when our leaders are not showing personal examples. We want to see our president and his family patronizes the National Hospital Abuja for their health needs. We want to see the children of ministers, governors and national assembly members attend public primary, secondary schools and universities. It is only caring and responsible father that can expect his children to be responsible, obedient and respectful and well behaved. Can Nigeria go to war over one of its citizens? We often quote J. F. Kennedy that we should ask what to do for our country and not what our country should do for us. It is time Nigerian leaders ask themselves what to do for the masses and the people in turn would ask for what to do for the country. There must be an enabling environment for patriotism and national pride to grow. One cannot expect patriotism from citizens who are hungry, angry, abused and deprived.

Nigeria has all the potentials of being great but this rebranding would not take us there. There is nothing wrong with our country but the problem lies with us. We may rebrand and present a great container (Nigeria) but what about the content (the people)? How good is the content of the brand Nigeria? I think if the content is good and of the best quality we may have little need to rebrand the container as the content would speak for itself. Let improve on the content before we talk about the packaging of the product. Like they say we preach a lot but we are not ready to walk our talks. Before rebranding there should be an overhaul of how thing are done in the political, economic, education, health sector, inter and intra ethnic relationship. We cannot build a skyscraper on a shaky foundation of a bungalow, for the Bible says that if the foundation is destroy what can the righteous do. We need to go back to the basics and enthrone the rule of law, justice, fairness, equity and abhors insincerity, corruption, hypocrisy, double speak and all forms of discrimination and marginalization.

Whatever name you call the country and whatever image laundry campaign you embark on except the foundation is set aright it would amount to a waste of public fund to embark on this rebranding jamboree. Nigeria is a bad product and brand (if you doubt ask the a man from Niger Delta, he is not a Nigerian he is either Ijaw or Urhobo; and if you see Uwazurike he will tell you that that he is from Biafra).

To rebrand a bad product to be fit for public consumption and presentation the Research and Development need to work hard to produce a refine product that would meet international standard and certification and our citizens would be proud to say “I am Nigerian.” Our environment has a way of impacting on us for good or bad as well as influences our attitude to and perception of life. In the last two years what has the Yar’dua government actually do to embark on the rebranding of Nigeria? If we treat our citizen well they would not stowaway on foreign vessels to get out of the country? If things were all right no Nigerian youth would go through the risky journey of crossing the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean Sea just to escape to Europe through Spain?