Branding, Re-branding, Teleprompting And Managing Nigeria’s Image Or Reputation

BBC and VOA are very popular with Nigerians, Africans and others in the so-called so-labeled Third Word, some Nigerians take whatever is heard on BBC and VOA as gospel or Koranic truth, meanwhile, BBC and VOA are government owned and operated propaganda tools, they have been so, and remain so. The BBC and VOA brands are brands trusted by Nigerians so much, that some Nigerians rely on BBC/VOA with pride, for breaking national Nigerian news. Multitudes of Nigerians trust BBC/VOA, regardless of the fact that these are mere propaganda tools of the UK and US governments! Brand faith, blind faith as well!...Read the full article.

[Auspicious]

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The propaganda that you, Paul I. Adujie (alias "I Love Nigeria"), spent the last few years of your life indulging in while one of Nigeria's more belligerent and incorrigible leaders was at his Zenith, did FAR more damage to Nigeria and the Nigerian psyche than anything that the "propaganda" from VOA, CNN or BBC can ever do to Nigeria or Nigerians. Oh we remember all-too-well how you assaulted our sensibilities with virulent pro-Obasanjo nonesense here, as you sold fake goods to your fellow citizens, saying the best they deserved was the garrulous reasoning of a retired General.

Today, we see the results he bequeathed us in Yaradomama. You come across as grotesquely RIDICULOUS when you purport to champion a cause against your so-called 'western propaganda' - especially when we can't find ANY record of you EVER standing-up to condemn FAR WORSE propaganda found in the original bastions of political oppression and manipulation the world over. That is why, today, you're for the continued entrenchment of Mullahs in Iran from your absolute comforts in NYC than being for the people who have simply asked for fairness in their electoral process.

You guys are nothing but shameless political opportunists masqurading as advocates against "western hegemony". While others' hatred for their idea of "western hegemony" is real and inspired by their imagined positions as 'freedom fighters' against certain 'enemies' of theirs (real or imagined), cases as yours are plain mischievious, devoid of any sincere or emotionally inspired beliefs in anything but a desire for a vocation that is now in vogue amongst a few who are only out to take advantage of current or historical injustices for a fast-buck or ratings in publicity that comes with the 'gig'.

Auspicious.

[I Love Nigeria]

Auspicious, I beg your pardon!

You should read the article in its entirety and argue with it's substance. Instead, you have taken a position, uninformed, based solely, on the header-outliner paragraph, that is rather lazy on your part.

The current article raised sundry issue, it is, improper to hinge your reaction to a book based on merely reading less that a paragraph of it.

Besides, it is an incontrovertible fact, that BBC, VOA, are tools of propaganda, do you disputed that?
Can you dispute my assertion? Do so, instead of resorting to these belligerent, bellicose and offensive statements direct at me.

There so many articles here already, saying Nigeria does not need branding or re-branding, I make a counter argument... you can agree or disagree! But solely on the facts stated/presented in this article.

Let us examine the issues raised, Are they logical and legitimate arguments?

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by I Love Nigeria

Auspicious, I beg your pardon!

Yeah you read me alright!

I'm personally tired of your incessant panderings to issues - your exegerration of everything you purport to champion. Just like your Obasanjo-mongering days, you have started again. This time, it is your obsession with "western propaganda/hegemony" while practically ignoring FAR, FAR, WORSE cases of internal and external hegemony/propaganda that remain alive unchecked or unrestrained in the cocoons of state oppression across the world.

Never do we ever read or hear you address any of those aforementioned cases that dot the surface of the earth, from Belarus to Burkina Fasso. But here we have you going chukwumerije on us again in search of another landing perch in Aunty Dora's Pet Project, campaigning (to be noticed and perhaps hired?) to help burnish the image of a government inspired and nurtured by the vices of deciet and manipulation! I mean, who doesn't know that a Chicken can NEVER give birth to a Pepeye? Please!

I didn't have to read too far to be turned-off by your "anything goes with my love for Nigeria" opata. The words "belligerent, bellicose and offense" speaks to your mischievious attack of a system and society that gave you a better lease of life than your own fatherland could ever afford you, thanks to the arrogance and opportunism of the very people (OBJ and all) that you spent your recent history promoting here and elsewhere. It is this same system and society (despite all its flaws and exploitation by an arrogant and greedy few) that remains the fairest that this world has so far come to know.

Yet, in the same breath, you eat out of its palms and condemn it - you hold on desperately tight to the benefits and privileges of this same system/society and all else it affords you with all your might and soul (even throughout the 'Good Obasanjo Days' when milk and honey flowed and saturated your actual homeland) while exhorting and defending other governments and systems that would NEVER grant you an inch of the kind of privileges that you currently enjoy or take for granted in your New Yorker comforts.

This is NOT to say that it is impossible to for one to criticize his or her 'benefactor' (for lack of a better words, pardon me) while the 'benefaction' remains in place, it is, rather, to highlight your disingenuity in this matter. For example, nowhere have I read you criticize the activities of our beloved Nigerian Television Authority whose programming makes BBC or CNN's propaganda look like Jesus' Own Truthism - whatever that means. But here you are, carrying on about propaganda as if its a new word in your lexicon. Who doesn't know that those outfits are FAR more credible than the state-run ones in Nigeria or Iran - or, excuze-me-laff, ZimBOBwe?

But I needn't even bother telling you all these, for I know that you know the truth. Yours is not a case of not knowing; yours is a case of deliberate, calculated, targeted attempt to get a foot in the door to butter your bread somehow. That is why you are taking up Aunty Dora's latest mantra now, just like you did during the Obasanjo Era of Omi ati Waara (milk and honey, literarily). Now, this is different from others', whose passion is real and misguided. Yours? Nah, nah, nah; it inspired and nurtured by a self-serving agenda on your part.

And by the way, one can promote one's country without decieving oneself; re-branding Nigeria does not have start with going about baying endlessly to a hungry and perenially cheated people about how great the nation and her people are while putting down others and labelling them as propaganda lords. Re-branding as launched and promoted by Dora Akunyili and her rag-tag army of hosannah singers fits the description of shameless, foolish propaganda than anything that CNN or BBC will do. It reminds one of a coarse-voiced Obasanjo bleating on a grubby Nigerian tourism advert on CNN, ugly banana fruits in the background and all, saying "Welcum to Naijeeriaaaa!"

Olofo buruku ni gbo yin pata-pata..Olofo.

Auspicious.

[I Love Nigeria]

Wow! Auspicious I am tired of your furious hectoring and tedious pomposity!

I did not know that I needed your permission to write on any subject? And you can Google me on Ghana, on Darfur-Sudan, on Haiti and many more regarding human conditions.

AND, perhaps you are brainwashed, there is a permanent outside hand, interlopers and intermeddlers in the affairs of the countries which you mentioned.

Your allegation or allusions that I personally profited/benefited from President Obasanjo's government is nonsense and recycled garbage which you and others here spawn and I neglected to ask all the vermin to provide their sources or evidences. You are entitled to disagree with me, but, do not attack my person or integrity. Stick to the issues and leave false accusations out!

It will make much more eminent sense, if you profer a superior argument and prove to all, that my article lack merit, but instead, as you and some others here wont to do, when you disagree with someone's opinion, you engage in abuse and proceed to label your opponent as child molester or worse!

AGAIN, why don't you debate me SOLELY based on the contents of this article instead of your current harange and diatribe?

[Auspicious]

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I am surprised that you didn't realize that I am as tedious as I am pompous. Indeed, I am terrible.

You neednt ask me what you can write about, because I never asked nor implied for you to seek my permission before doing so. What I criticized was your ludicruous allegations of western propaganda in the middle of your very own form of disgraceful propaganda.

It is pure propaganda of a shameless hue to promote Nigeria, as currently constituted and as currently run, as a "Great Nation". That the deeply-fractured Nigeria (where managerial unfairness roams freely and unhindered) is "a nation" is even in doubt, talk less about her being "a great nation". At best, the nation has potentials - that's all!

Greatness in that country can only be achieved if, amongst a plethora of other reasons, the likes of Dora Akunyili would stop using God as an excuse to satisfy their personal greed for influence and position in government or going about exhorting a justifiably demoralized people to promote and take pride in a nation that continues to rob them of every God-given potential embeded in every one of them.

The brainwash that probably afflicts you, Paul I. Adujie, beats any kind of brainwash that I might have suffered - if ever. It is the same brainwash that possibly made you a local town-crier of a shame of a leader like Obasanjo on these pages for the longest time. It is the same kind of possible brainwash that in informs your 'passionate' promotion of a re-branding process that has left you convinced that if sh*t is well-packaged, it might sell better than real food.

Introduce the issue, and perhaps I might discourse with you. Right now, all I see is breeze coming from your 'mouth'.

Auspicious.

[mulan]

A very strong argument for the rebranding efforts of the current administration. Your last paragraph sums it up nicely,

If Nigeria were a corporation, it will be fair to say, it is currently doing abysmally, making no profits, but instead, losing prized assets. True! But, would anyone be right to suggest a company such as this should not have meetings, special meetings, general meetings, strategy sessions and thereafter, a restatement of the corporate purpose, identity and desire to improve brand, product quality, image and reputation? Of course not! Nigeria, do indeed need branding, re-branding and refocus our national brand, image, reputation in the hot pursuit of our nation’s development and advancement

My only question is, where is an analysis of the previous branding project? Is the current one a continuation or an admission of failure of the first? There is a saying that if a son does not find out what killed his father, what killed his father will kill him too. On another note, maybe I have not been paying attention but still I have not seen evidence of the rebranding campaign except on the NVS homepage. Is it stalled or what? I would appreciate some pointers if you have them.

BTW, don't join Auspee in derailing your thread, everyone is entitled to their opinion. And I assume you're aware that there are 'diasporan' vacancies in the rebranding project? It is then not such a stretch to imagine that you're beefing your resume to apply for those or you're already fulfilling your job description. I am just saying...

[denker]

Originally Posted by mulan

A very strong argument for the rebranding efforts of the current administration. Your last paragraph sums it up nicely,



My only question is, where is an analysis of the previous branding project? Is the current one a continuation or an admission of failure of the first? There is a saying that if a son does not find out what killed his father, what killed his father will kill him too. On another note, maybe I have not been paying attention but still I have not seen evidence of the rebranding campaign except on the NVS homepage. Is it stalled or what? I would appreciate some pointers if you have them.

BTW, don't join Auspee in derailing your thread, everyone is entitled to their opinion. And I assume you're aware that there are 'diasporan' vacancies in the rebranding project? It is then not such a stretch to imagine that you're beefing your resume to apply for those or you're already fulfilling your job description. I am just saying...(a bad lady)

Ms. mulan, you're a very naughty LADY...

[crownabbey]

New York does not spend billions and billions of dollars advertising itself. It does spend considerable amount of money not billions, sir.

That' s exageration like everything else written here!

[Yankari]

Originally Posted by Auspicious;365639. It reminds one of a coarse-voiced Obasanjo bleating on a grubby Nigerian tourism advert on CNN, ugly banana fruits in the background and all, saying "Welcum to Naijeeriaaaa!"[/FONT

Boy that was one hell of a disastrous advert. 'welcum to Naijeeriaaaa the hat of africa' I still cringe just thinking of it!!

[I Love Nigeria]

Auspicious, I want you to challenge me, chapter and verse, based on what I have written.
Ancillaries, extraneous matters and generic responses which are not germane, just won’t cut it!

I have done volunteer works in Nigeria and so have I, in America. It is not everything that I do, that I measure in personal benefit to me. Matters Nigeria are surely bigger than me and anyone of us here... I consider myself a minutiae and infinitesimal in the ocean of Nigeria's multitudes of citizens.

So many articles on branding Nigeria have appeared here recently, must we be all negative? Must we have a herd mentality about Nigeria? Must we have the same approach or method or procedure on how to arrive at the Nigeria that we all want?

I reject your innuendoes and spurious insinuations avec falsities against my person.

Mulan, I was not President Obasanjo’s spokesperson, and, now, I am not President YarAdua’s spokesperson, I was in no way connected with the Nigeria Image Project and I am now not connected with the new efforts of branding or re-branding, sarcasm and all.

The Nigeria Image Project was of President Obasanjo, and the new version, is of President YarAdua who is entitled to pursue policies the way he and his teams sees them. Just the same way President Bush pursued American policies (on terror for example) and now, President Obama is similarly entitled to pursue policies the way he sees fit.

I comment on current affairs and public policies. Particularly on matters affecting Nigeria. But, you will notice that I have also commented on matters concerning Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Darfur-Sudan, Haiti, Liberia, Sierra Leone etc

But somehow, some Nigerians who differ with me in their opinions about Nigeria, are quick to say that my opinions are so, because I am on the Nigerian government payroll or that I am looking for work with Nigerian government. Could also be prospecting employment with Palestine, Israel, Sudan, Haiti, Bahamas etc?

People can accuse me of having strong opinions, which I occasionally express very robustly and vigorously. I am rather exuberant and enthusiastic about Nigeria, whomever the president.

But, I have never been beholden to anyone, and my conscience is not mortgaged or compromised!

I wish people can just disagree with me, even vehemently, but, without labeling and castigating me and impugning my character and integrity!

Beefing up resume? Oh really? Could you put in a word for me? Could I use you as my reference?

Haven said all that, an opportunity to work for Nigeria, for me, will be an opportunity of a life time, and I promise you that my results, my policy outcome and all efforts on Nigeria’s behalf, will be unique and spectacular. Mulan, you can mention me to Madam Minister Dora Akunyili

[Enyi]

I shall limit my comments to two items.
1). As for those Nigerians who have and still argue against branding and re-branding in the midst of poverty and competing needs, they must be told that branding and re-branding is a wise investment, especially in the long term. New York City knows this, and it is why she spends billions of dollars annually on advertising New York City as the greatest city in the world! And billions more to market the term, I Love New York in songs and T-shirts etc
Nigeria does not have to wait, until utopia is reached before presenting herself to the world as destination for investment, vacation and pleasure, just like New York City, State of New York and everywhere else in the world
I am one of those who argue against the current re-branding. The critical question is who or what needs rebranding? Re-branding Nigeria in the midst of a corrupt leadership is tantamount to leaving undone what should be done and doing that which should not be done. How many potential foreign investors will be attracted to a nation where public officers loot the treasury and rush abroad to invest their loot? Does charity not begin at home? How many investors will be willing to invest in a country with dilapidated infra-structure, insecurity and a palpable lack of will for a change? No we are not waiting for utopia. All we are saying- let's have governments that are alive to their responsibility. Good governance is not utopia. It is mandatory for progress and it is feasible in Nigeria. I wonder if the city council in New York spends as much on the welfare of their staff as our elected members do on their own,to the neglect of the tax payers .
2). The BBC and VOA brands are brands trusted by Nigerians so much, that some Nigerians rely on BBC/VOA with pride, for breaking national Nigerian news. Multitudes of Nigerians trust BBC/VOA, regardless of the fact that these are mere propaganda tools of the UK and US governments! Brand faith, blind faith as well!
Nature abhors a vacuum. What are the alternatives to these? I believe NTA is also a propaganda outfit. Again, one may ask- do people have more faith in CNN/BBC than NTA? If yes, why? It is too early to forget the ordeals of AIT for reporting a plane crash.
I shall close by saying that as soon as our leaders rebrand themselves, others will follow. It does not require all that money allocated to the project. The West African Pilot (now defunct) had as its motto: Show the light and the people will find their way.

[nijalaw]

The BBC and VOA brands are brands trusted by Nigerians so much, that some Nigerians rely on BBC/VOA with pride, for breaking national Nigerian news. Multitudes of Nigerians trust BBC/VOA, regardless of the fact that these are mere propaganda tools of the UK and US governments! Brand faith, blind faith as well!

I am not too familiar with VOA but I am an avid listener of BBC & hooked also on their website. Mr Adujie, majority of BBC listeners or browsers are not pea brained & can quickly discern what is or not propaganda. BBC is a very credible news organisation & has many a times had conflict with the UK government over broadcast regulations. The NTA, VON or FRCN are just reminiscent of the Nazi era type of propaganda & for the past 9 years I have blacked them out of my viewing & listening space. I would prefer watching local News from AIT or listening to it on Rythm 93.7FM.
It is government & MDA's that need the real rebranding.

[Elemosho]

An analysis of the Strength (Human Capital, Natural Resources) and Weaknesses (Corrupt Leader, lnfrstuctural Decay, Insecurity, Infant Mortality etc) of Nigeria points to the fact that we DO NOT need Branding/Re-Branding.

Let us be sincere for once, you don’t need a Grad School to know that Rebranding Nigeria is a strategy that is dead in arrival!!!!


Fix these weaknesses (at least some) and then you can say “Welcum to Naijeeriaaaa”

[quietswami]

Without any knowledge of the key personalities involved in this “discourse” overall impression is of two kids squabbling in mud trying to assess who is cleaner - to the bystander – the sight is simply one of two kids squabbling mud! How do you brand that? However the argument may evolve, branding is an all-inclusive exercise where everything counts - the tone and direction of the "discourse" is a form of branding, and in this instance, speaks volumes!
Branding is never so much about its creation but more about its sustenance – as such, more about management. Brand management however has to be based on intrinsic self-evident core values which can be sustained, enhanced, and exploited. The notion that such can be artificially created, manipulated, imposed, and promoted from a central source is delusory at best. However the debate of "branding" was engendered, the reality of its need is undeniable; approaches to positive brand for the country should be the debate, not so much about the personalities involved! Whatever the slogan or personalities promoting; such will make little impact on personal and collective responsibilities at the most basic of levels - from littering on the streets of Lagos to prostitution and credit card frauds etc in major cities of the world - everything counts!
There is a big gulf between saying what/who you are; being what/who you are, and being what/who you want to be! A simple identification of what/who we want to be has proven elusive so far, simply because we "chose" to allow varying distractions to cloud our vision and the big picture. We readily highlight excuses from colonial past to tribal divide and lack of leadership! Reality check! None of these prevent the average person from addressing the most commonplace, basic decencies and mutual respect in everyday interactions that inform the basis for evolving a functioning society, community, people, nation or country. Where fundamentals are not in place, there is no foundation to build on to sustain any meaningful brand worth building.
Kids! You’ve both got mud on your face and everywhere else! What are you going to do about it? Wait for "mama" and "papa" to "clean" you up or get real and do the necessary?! Take care of the fundamentals intrinsic to any well-functioning society, and "branding" will take care of itself!

[I Love Nigeria]

quietswami

...However the debate of "branding" was engendered, the reality of its need is undeniable; approaches to positive brand for the country should be the debate, not so much about the personalities involved! Whatever the slogan or personalities promoting; such will make little impact on personal and collective responsibilities at the most basic of levels...

With the above excerpt from your comments... you capture the essence of my presentation.

My argument was a counter to the series of articles which argued that branding was useless-unnecessary.

Nigerians on both sides of the fence or aisle seem to agree that Nigeria has bad image or reputation real-imagined, deserved or undeserved...

We ought therefore be arguing that we need branding in effective hands... carried out efficiently.

Individuals out of work re-do or update resume. Companies in trouble repackage or redesign products and state of Michigan broke and suffering high rate of unemployment has been sponsoring adverts about Michigan as the best place to invest and or vacation.

Let us have a multiple variable and multi-pronged approach to dealing with challenges which Nigeria is facing

[I Love Nigeria]

http://h30405.www3.hp.com/print/pdf/...B17/news_large

Obama Teleprompter Breaks Mid-Speech

WASHINGTON (July 14) — President
Barack Obama had just started a spirited
defense of his economic stimulus plan on
Monday when one of his teleprompter
screens came loose, crashed to the floor
and shattered into pieces.

The gadget’s fall surprised Obama, who
uses a teleprompter during most
speeches and even brief remarks.

The glass plate displaying his speech hit the
floor in the auditorium of the Eisenhower
Executive Office Building, a massive
building within the White House
compound.

“Oh, goodness,” Obama said. “Sorry
about that, guys.”

The audience — administration officials,
mayors and urban policy experts —
laughed as Obama went back to his text.

To finish his 11-minute remarks calling for
a new policy toward the nation’s cities
and metropolitan areas, he used notes
and the remaining teleprompter screen.