I once had to “manage” a group of Dutch advisers who were to be with our firm for a year.
In summary when one was leaving he told me, ‘Kalu, Nigeria has an image problem. I only came here because it was good for my career. I was scared stiff.

However I love Nigeria, Lagos is safer than Amsterdam. In Armstadam I cannot walk on the street outside the ING office after 8 pm, drug dealers will mug me” I don’t say this to compare crime stats between
Armstadam and Lagos but to make the point that these are perceptions driven by the news cycle.

CNN was here for about a month and ran wall to wall coverage of # bring back our girls, their team went by road to Chibok! So it’s not suprising people perceive
Nigeria as Boko Haram, it’s a valid perception.

I was shocked to see Sudan on TV years ago on Al jazera with green neighborhoods and skyscrapers. All I saw on CNN and BBC about Sudan was starving kids in Dafour.

I was shocked to also find out there was a Jew in the Iran parliament and that Jews have a community in Iran. All I knew about the Iran were Mullahs, and “death to America and Israel” News drives perception, and perceptions stick. News is
just reported reality, it’s not the whole reality. In effect what we have as news is an editors perception of reality. Valid but i say that to context things.

I recall a program that showed Americans pictures of Detroit, some American argued it was Lebanon or Sarajevo or some war inflicted capital not some city in the US, but some parts of Detriot look like Lebanon after the civil war, we don’t know because it’s not reported by the news.

There are more Kidnapping in Arizona than the Niger Delta, more deaths by handguns from gang warfare in Chicago than Borno. Yes Borno (WEF says 5000 people have been killed in Chicago since 2001 based on Department of Defense and FBT data) again, ask about Chicago and you may see skyscrapers. Perceptions.

The distance from Abuja to Chibok is the same from Abuja to Gassol LGA in Taraba where an American is cultivating 30,000 hectares of rice, the largest in Africa
employing 5,000 direct and 15,000 indirect workers. Did or has CNN, an American station ever carried this story of an American in Gassol?

Calaber is crime free. It’s perhaps Africa biggest kept secret. Cheap, green and quiet, has BBC ever reported the Calabar Carnival? If it bleeds they say it leads, and Nigeria is bleeding. Boko Haram are not really interested in killings or bombing per say. If they really wanted to kill people
they would simply poison the water supply in a large city. They want the publicity, why? Perception.

Notice, we have bombs when ever we are hosting an international event, President has guests, President is travelling, or Nigeria seems to be gathering positive
momentum.

The folks controlling BH understand perception and as long as they can replace The World Economic Summit
with kidnapped girls, then Boko Haram is working.

I sometimes sit back and imagine the investment that would have poured into Nigeria if we didn’t have these senseless violence and killings. The good thing is perceptions can be changed via hard
work.

“Made in Taiwan” was once perceived as inferior to “made in Great Britain”
Brazil was once a byword for corruption and a destination for fugitives to run to
Folks we are in for a bumpy ride.

Nigerians have to work to change the perception of Nigeria, it’s our problem and we can fix it!

I shall view and comment!

We are a Nation that is better to hate, cos of our Potential!
We are a Nation that who ever has the ability to turn that Potential to Kinetics must be stopped at all cost because of the detrimental effect to the World economy.

Imagine an Independent Nigeria, free from importing refined Petroleum Products, free from importing finished goods we can make here, cement, salt, rice, flour, CARS, Telecommunication, Free from Borrowing senselessly and servicing debts, you name them...
Countries will feel the impact na!

So empower a few to continue making the Supply Chain favorable for them and Hid the Potential so others don't profit from where you fleece.... And if Nigeria somehow still doesn't want to conform, destroy them!!

But My God no go gree!!! Because at the end of the Day, that's who we are, a very Resilient and Religious People, and our God needs only 2, kpata kpata 3 righteous people in this country for Him to be there for us. That's what confuses them!

Good observations.
Actually, another problem we face in Nigeria is the issue of inferiority complex - we sit back and accept whatever we are told about ourselves by others we deem superior humans to us.

One recent example is the International Monetary Fund organisation in Europe telling Nigeria to yet again stop making fuel affordable to ordinary Nigerians and increase taxes.
If that were the case, one would have thought that we could also copy the Europeans with their 'welfare state' models by using money we are told we would gain from removing subsidies, into increasing workers' wages/salaries and paying weekly/monthly benefits to unemployed Nigerians.

But gradually, awareness is increasing amongst Nigerians as they discover their rights as equal citizens of the world.

Not a new literature sha.The fact is majority of najia have an age of prolonged brain wash from the media in general..any dust and garbage we see or hear,as najia ppl we easily fall gullible to.it wouldn't be an easy task to come out of the woods o!

Is the perception of the West also that stealing is not corruption? OP, don't allow anybody deceive you, and don't try to deceive any.

Excellent piece.


Interestingly, despite the bombings, Nigeria is still recording super ordinary feats and that goes further to prove that this is our time. The positive forces are with us and the evil forces are working so hard to trample our rising. The beauty is that good will overcome evil and come 2015 Nigeria would be on an irreversible path of progress, one the would herald the coming of age opf the African continent.


To the pessimistic, grow your optimism. Nigeria, despite all the bombings is the second fastest growing economy in the world after China for 2014. Check the graph from Euromointor, one of the world's leading economic research firms.

Real GDP Growth in Top 5 Fastest Growing Key Emerging Economies in 2014


[img]http://euromonitor.typepad.com/.a/6a01310f54565d970c01a51178c268970c-800wi[/img]


http://blog.euromonitor.com/2014/03/top-5-fastest-growing-key-emerging-economies-in-2014.html

The problem of Nigeria are Nigerians themselves. The only people who will stop the image of Nigeria in the bad light are Nigerians themselves,no one else. Blaming the foreign media and foreigners about their perception towards Nigeria,we should be blamed for it.

Nigeria has Leadership Problem. QED.

egift: Nigeria has Leadership Problem. QED.

@egift where do we get our leaders from? do we import our leaders? Our leaders come from Our people....so if you think the problem is just with the leaders, I urge you to think again!

The leaders come from the people and if the leaders are bad, it means the people aren't really angels

nduaj:

@egift where do we get our leaders from? do we import our leaders? Our leaders come from Our people....so if you think the problem is just with the leaders, I urge you to think again!

The leaders come from the people and if the leaders are bad, it means the people aren't really angels

- It is easier for a good leader to help change the negative inclination of the society that for the Society to leave their negative path under leaders that are continuing the current negative path our society has found itself.

- Solving our current materialistic tendency as a society require multiple approach to providing the needed solution. These include providing sufficient basic needs of the society, protecting and empowering Nigerians. Also there will be decisive response and punishment to criminal activities without preference and favours.

If our leaders keep rewarding criminals and turning blind eyes to the sufferings of the people, the society will keep getting desperate and greedy.

...so you actually want CNN et al to report against the glaring evidence that 65% of nigerians are poor...thats a whooping 100m people. You want them to report that we are the 25th best economy in the world when the GDP is $1,500...,you want them to report we are safe, when 56 people were still killed in Chiock yesterday...you want them to report we have sky scrapers when the adjacent makoko is a complete mess,...you want them to report what?...btw, CNN is an independent station,...you gat no right to label them in such light. Your post is a symptom of the nigeria syndrome...'always wanting to shift blame instead of taking issues by the neck'...if you are so averred to western media, then glue yourself to AIT. M nt a western propagandalist, but m apathetic to people whose writtings are spurred by hatred rather than by facts.

Samakinr: ...so you actually want CNN et al to report against the glaring evidence that 65% of nigerians are poor...thats a whooping 100m people. You want them to report that we are the 25th best economy in the world when the GDP is $1,500...,you want them to report we are safe, when 56 people were still killed in Chiock yesterday...you want them to report we have sky scrapers when the adjacent makoko is a complete mess,...you want them to report what?...btw, CNN is an independent station,...you gat no right to label them in such light. Your post is a symptom of the nigeria syndrome...'always wanting to shift blame instead of taking issues by the neck'...if you are so averred to western media, then glue yourself to AIT. M nt a western propagandalist, but m apathetic to people whose writtings are spurred by hatred rather than by facts.

I want CNN to report that
- Nigeria's Economy Has Grown To Become The Largest Economy in Africa
- I want them to report that In 2009 Nigeria's Per Capita Income Was $1091.Today it is $1721 and increase of almost 70%
- I want them to report that In 2007 Average Life Expectancy in Nigeria Was 47 Years. Today it is 52 Years
- I want to hear CNN tell the world In 2010 Inflation in Nigeria Was 15.60%.Today it is 7.9%
- CNN should let the world know In 2007 Maternal Mortality Rate Was 750 per 100,000 Births in Nigeria. Today It Is 580
- I want them to say how On the 24th of August 2013, The First International Flight Operated by Ethiopian Airlines Landed at the New Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.
- they should report that In 2013 Rail lines Were Revived From Lagos Port Direct to Kaduna.
- let them say how within the past 4 years, 3389 Heath Centers have been built Nationwide and also Built National Cancer Screening Centers nationwide, including at the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau in Zamfara, The University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the National Obstetric Fistula Centre in Abakaliki.
- Let them say how In 2011 Nigeria Imported $11 Billion Worth of Food Especially Rice and Wheat. In 2013, After the Introduction of Cassava Flour and The Duty on Imported Rice Which Led to Massive Local Production, Nigeria's food Import Bill Has Been Reduced by 77%.3 Million Jobs Have Been Created in the Agriculture Value Chain Since 2011.
- how In 2009 only 25.99 per cent of candidates had credits in English and Mathematics in the WASSCE examinations. By 2013 70% of students had credits in at least 5 subjects.

[size=15pt]IN CONCLUSION: IF YOU DONT THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS STARTED, HOW DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO DO MORE!!!!! LEARN TO SEE GOOD AND GOOD WILL COME TO YOU MY BROTHER[/size]

nduaj:

@egift where do we get our leaders from? do we import our leaders? Our leaders come from Our people....so if you think the problem is just with the leaders, I urge you to think again!

The leaders come from the people and if the leaders are bad, it means the people aren't really angels

Thanks a lot. I'm tired of hearing the lame "leadership" cop out. It's time everyone took responsibility for our collective underachievement and take steps to remedy the situation instead of waiting for Jesus or the Mahdi to come and "rescue" us. There is no leader that can be more intelligent than the collective intelligence of 10 million not to talk of 170 million people.

Samakinr: ...so you actually want CNN et al to report against the glaring evidence that 65% of nigerians are poor...thats a whooping 100m people. You want them to report that we are the 25th best economy in the world when the GDP is $1,500...,you want them to report we are safe, when 56 people were still killed in Chiock yesterday...you want them to report we have sky scrapers when the adjacent makoko is a complete mess,...you want them to report what?...btw, CNN is an independent station,...you gat no right to label them in such light. Your post is a symptom of the nigeria syndrome...'always wanting to shift blame instead of taking issues by the neck'...if you are so averred to western media, then glue yourself to AIT. M nt a western propagandalist, but m apathetic to people whose writtings are spurred by hatred rather than by facts.

The more important question is "why do Nigerians care so much about what CNN reports about us"? I personally think it's irrelevant. We don't need CNN to validate us.

egift:

- It is easier for a good leader to help change the negative inclination of the society that for the Society to leave their negative path under leaders that are continuing the current negative path our society has found itself.

- Solving our current materialistic tendency as a society require multiple approach to providing the needed solution. These include providing sufficient basic needs of the society, protecting and empowering Nigerians. Also there will be decisive response and punishment to criminal activities without preference and favours.

If our leaders keep rewarding criminals and turning blind eyes to the sufferings of the people, the society will keep getting desperate and greedy.

There is no evidence that we are more materialistic (whatever that means) than other citizens of other countries. I don't know what index you used for measuring "greed" and found Nigerians at the top of the pile.

Corruption persists in Nigeria because of 1) the residual effects of state control over some sectors of the economy 2) our dysfunctional multi-cultural structure which makes patriotism largely academic and 3) a fake unitary state designed to suck oil from the SS for the benefit of a few elite across the country (private taxation is less than 4% of GDP) so hardly anyone cares.

Curlieweed:

The more important question is "why do Nigerians care so much about what CNN reports about us"? I personally think it's irrelevant. We don't need CNN to validate us.

Thnk you very much. A good thing can not be hidden for long. If Nigeria is really growing or when she grows, the media wld find their way here.

But having an entitled mentality aint going to help us.

Ps.. good news dnt sell.

Lets just hv a better Nigeria, let our pple stop running away and flooding other countries and then, who gives a f**k about some damn media?... they wld come running to cover.

nduaj:

I want CNN to report that
- Nigeria's Economy Has Grown To Become The Largest Economy in Africa
- I want them to report that In 2009 Nigeria's Per Capita Income Was $1091.Today it is $1721 and increase of almost 70%
- I want them to report that In 2007 Average Life Expectancy in Nigeria Was 47 Years. Today it is 52 Years
- I want to hear CNN tell the world In 2010 Inflation in Nigeria Was 15.60%.Today it is 7.9%
- CNN should let the world know In 2007 Maternal Mortality Rate Was 750 per 100,000 Births in Nigeria. Today It Is 580
- I want them to say how On the 24th of August 2013, The First International Flight Operated by Ethiopian Airlines Landed at the New Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.
- they should report that In 2013 Rail lines Were Revived From Lagos Port Direct to Kaduna.
- let them say how within the past 4 years, 3389 Heath Centers have been built Nationwide and also Built National Cancer Screening Centers nationwide, including at the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau in Zamfara, The University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the National Obstetric Fistula Centre in Abakaliki.
- Let them say how In 2011 Nigeria Imported $11 Billion Worth of Food Especially Rice and Wheat. In 2013, After the Introduction of Cassava Flour and The Duty on Imported Rice Which Led to Massive Local Production, Nigeria's food Import Bill Has Been Reduced by 77%.3 Million Jobs Have Been Created in the Agriculture Value Chain Since 2011.
- how In 2009 only 25.99 per cent of candidates had credits in English and Mathematics in the WASSCE examinations. By 2013 70% of students had credits in at least 5 subjects.

[size=15pt]IN CONCLUSION: IF YOU DONT THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS STARTED, HOW DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO DO MORE!!!!! LEARN TO SEE GOOD AND GOOD WILL COME TO YOU MY BROTHER[/size]

...we are not talking about God here, we are talking about our leadership. And to summarize your pitiful post, if you think $1700 GDP is something to celebrate, then m afraid for the future of this country...complacency, is the mother of backwardness....your astimagnic view, if it becomes viral, can be a chronic infection for this country that if not tamed, can make us redundant for a century more. Complacency, complacency, complacency....that's our problem on this part of the world

Samakinr:
...we are not talking about God here, we are talking about our leadership. And to summarize your pitiful post, if you think $1700 GDP is something to celebrate, then m afraid for the future of this country...complacency, is the mother of backwardness....your astimagnic view, if it becomes viral, can be a chronic infection for this country that if not tamed, can make us redundant for a century more. Complacency, complacency, complacency....that's our problem on this part of the world

First of all I make no apologies for thanking my God for the progress I see in my country. Secondly, I am celebrating a 70% increase in GDP in just 4-5 years...if you feel that isn't worthy of celebration then you sir need to think hard about the state of your heart.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Orlando Owoh: Is the perception of the West also that stealing is not corruption? OP, don't allow anybody deceive you, and don't try to deceive any.

The "leaders" are doing too little to project a good image and perception about Nigeria. Their actions betray them as the least patrotic citizens of this country. Its a case of one step forward, several steps backward.
The above unwitty speech by gej can easily be mistaken to represent the consciousness and values of Nigerians.

Curlieweed:

The more important question is "why do Nigerians care so much about what CNN reports about us"? I personally think it's irrelevant. We don't need CNN to validate us.

Tomorrow when you apply for visa and they make it extremely difficult or when you try to expand your business outside the shores of Nigeria but your company bank statements or papers aren't recognised or when you try to do business with an overseas company and they refuse to do business with you or when you try to buy something online from ebay and you see the message 'We do not accept payments or deliver to Nigeria', those are a few of the many effects of the world having a negative perception about a country

Curlieweed:

The more important question is "why do Nigerians care so much about what CNN reports about us"? I personally think it's irrelevant. We don't need CNN to validate us.

How do you feel when some facebook foreign friend tell you what about Nigeria being a stone age country full of savages and fraudsters who forbid Western education?
People interact with you based on the impression they have been fed with about you. Image matters, and CNN is a major projector.

EdCure:
How do you feel when some facebook foreign friend tell you what about Nigeria being a stone age country full of savages and fraudsters who forbid Western education?
People interact with you based on the impression they have been fed with about you. Image matters, and CNN is a major projector.

No doubt, perceptions are important but blaming any bad reputation solely on CNN is hiding our heads in the sand. That may be cool for ostriches but as intelligent human beings we should channel the energy of our collective indignation to actually solving our own problems and stop wishing and hoping for a messianic leader while we are that.

nduaj:

First of all I make no apologies for thanking my God for the progress I see in my country. Secondly, I am celebrating a 70% increase in GDP in just 4-5 years...if you feel that isn't worthy of celebration then you sir need to think hard about the state of your heart.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

...okay...i understand your dimension. M a believer in God...and i thank God for the progress. What i disagree is complacency.

Corruption is every where in the world
quote author=Orlando Owoh]Is the perception of the West also that stealing is not corruption? OP, don't allow anybody deceive you, and don't try to deceive any.[/quote]

all that matters and will ever matter is Nigeria's perception in Nigeria. Which is horrible

EdCure:
The "leaders" are doing too little to project a good image and perception about Nigeria. Their actions betray them as the least patrotic citizens of this country. Its a case of one step forward, several steps backward.
The above unwitty speech by gej can easily be mistaken to represent the consciousness and values of Nigerians.

No sooner did Jonathan made that statement than the ICPC chairman confirmed it that stealing is not corruption.

In the late 1960's down to the 1980's, third world countries used the New World Information Communication Order to try to ballance the tilt in the flow of information; who can flout it today in the face corruption?
Is it perception that makes me or any Nigerian believe we are corrupt? No! There is corruption here. You can see it with your two korokoro eyes.

nduaj: I once had to “manage” a group of Dutch advisers who were to be with our firm for a year.
In summary when one was leaving he told me, ‘Kalu, Nigeria has an image problem. I only came here because it was good for my career. I was scared stiff.

However I love Nigeria, Lagos is safer than Amsterdam. In Armstadam I cannot walk on the street outside the ING office after 8 pm, drug dealers will mug me” I don’t say this to compare crime stats between
Armstadam and Lagos but to make the point that these are perceptions driven by the news cycle.

CNN was here for about a month and ran wall to wall coverage of # bring back our girls, their team went by road to Chibok! So it’s not suprising people perceive
Nigeria as Boko Haram, it’s a valid perception.

I was shocked to see Sudan on TV years ago on Al jazera with green neighborhoods and skyscrapers. All I saw on CNN and BBC about Sudan was starving kids in Dafour.

I was shocked to also find out there was a Jew in the Iran parliament and that Jews have a community in Iran. All I knew about the Iran were Mullahs, and “death to America and Israel” News drives perception, and perceptions stick. News is
just reported reality, it’s not the whole reality. In effect what we have as news is an editors perception of reality. Valid but i say that to context things.

I recall a program that showed Americans pictures of Detroit, some American argued it was Lebanon or Sarajevo or some war inflicted capital not some city in the US, but some parts of Detriot look like Lebanon after the civil war, we don’t know because it’s not reported by the news.

There are more Kidnapping in Arizona than the Niger Delta, more deaths by handguns from gang warfare in Chicago than Borno. Yes Borno (WEF says 5000 people have been killed in Chicago since 2001 based on Department of Defense and FBT data) again, ask about Chicago and you may see skyscrapers. Perceptions.

The distance from Abuja to Chibok is the same from Abuja to Gassol LGA in Taraba where an American is cultivating 30,000 hectares of rice, the largest in Africa
employing 5,000 direct and 15,000 indirect workers. Did or has CNN, an American station ever carried this story of an American in Gassol?

Calaber is crime free. It’s perhaps Africa biggest kept secret. Cheap, green and quiet, has BBC ever reported the Calabar Carnival? If it bleeds they say it leads, and Nigeria is bleeding. Boko Haram are not really interested in killings or bombing per say. If they really wanted to kill people
they would simply poison the water supply in a large city. They want the publicity, why? Perception.

Notice, we have bombs when ever we are hosting an international event, President has guests, President is travelling, or Nigeria seems to be gathering positive
momentum.

The folks controlling BH understand perception and as long as they can replace The World Economic Summit
with kidnapped girls, then Boko Haram is working.

I sometimes sit back and imagine the investment that would have poured into Nigeria if we didn’t have these senseless violence and killings. The good thing is perceptions can be changed via hard
work.

“Made in Taiwan” was once perceived as inferior to “made in Great Britain”
Brazil was once a byword for corruption and a destination for fugitives to run to
Folks we are in for a bumpy ride.

Nigerians have to work to change the perception of Nigeria, it’s our problem and we can fix it!

Thats a job for the top Govt officials that you're now shifting to ordinary Nigerians.

ISpiksDaTroof: Thats a job for the top Govt officials that you're now shifting to ordinary Nigerians.

NO SIR! I disagree with you on that one!! It is a collective action by everyone to uphold the dignity and good name of this country. I live and work overseas and while I was in school, I always made sure I was top of the class so as to show that Nigerians aren't just a bunch or lazy corrupt visa seeking people.
Where I work, I make sure I work hard and honestly, I pay taxes and stay away from anything that would give this nation a bad name! why? because I always remeber the words of out national pledge that says:
'I pledge to Nigeria my country
to faithful, Loyal and honest
to Defend her Unity
[size=14pt]And Uphold her Honor and Glory[/size]
so help me God'

So you see my brother I do not leave it to my leaders (although they too have a part to play) I do my bit and pray that everyone does their bit.

Orlando Owoh: In the late 1960's down to the 1980's, third world countries used the New World Information Communication Order to try to ballance the tilt in the flow of information; who can flout it today in the face corruption?
Is it perception that makes me or any Nigerian believe we are corrupt? No! There is corruption here. You can see it with your two korokoro eyes.

Every single country on the planet is corrupt and I know this for a fact! but the problem here is the way the media makes it look that we are the most corrupt country in the world! Do you think USA or UK is less corrupt than Nigeria?? If you think they are then i must say you are a bit naive! (Have you watched this before?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNA3JuGtaOs)

No one disputes our reality...This post is not asking we bury our heads in the sand.

South Africa has one of the highest rape and crime rates in the world, that the reality. What's the perception the South Africans are spreading? Nelson Mandela, Ubuntu, the "Rainbow" nation, the land of tourism that hosted the World Cup. It's The same South Africans that live in the reality of rape and crime that will tell you they are the "rainbow" nation.

We don't have to lie, we simply need to put our best side out there!!!

Do this now type "Chicago" on Google, what do you see? Chicago tourism, university etc. Type "Abuja", what do you see? Yes hotels but also bomb blasts. Are the Americans kids being killed via gang warfare in Chicago not news? Why is not on Google front page? Is the city of Chicago lying?

Don't you guys not see the point I'm trying to make A negative national image affects us all Directly or indirectly!!!

nduaj:

Every single country on the planet is corrupt and I know this for a fact! but the problem here is the way the media makes it look that we are the most corrupt country in the world! Do you think USA or UK is less corrupt than Nigeria?? If you think they are then i must say you are a bit naive! (Have you watched this before?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNA3JuGtaOs)

No one disputes our reality...This post is not asking we bury our heads in the sand.

South Africa has one of the highest rape and crime rates in the world, that the reality. What's the perception the South Africans are spreading? Nelson Mandela, Ubuntu, the "Rainbow" nation, the land of tourism that hosted the World Cup. It's The same South Africans that live in the reality of rape and crime that will tell you they are the "rainbow" nation.

We don't have to lie, we simply need to put our best side out there!!!

Do this now type "Chicago" on Google, what do you see? Chicago tourism, university etc. Type "Abuja", what do you see? Yes hotels but also bomb blasts. Are the Americans kids being killed via gang warfare in Chicago not news? Why is not on Google front page? Is the city of Chicago lying?

Don't you guys not see the point I'm trying to make A negative national image affects us all Directly or indirectly!!!

Tell me any of those country where their president came on live show to say stealing is not corruption? Tell me any of those country where known corrupt stars hold public office?

Orlando Owoh:
Tell me any of those country where their president came on live show to say stealing is not corruption? Tell me any of those country where known corrupt stars hold public office?

Yes I will tell you a president that has made more public gaffes than Johnathan. His name is George W Bush president of the USA (ever heard of him?) here watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE59vpev-xU


Also, I understand what GEJ meant when he said 'stealing is not corruption' (I went to school) let me explain...people that steal are corrupt but not everyone that is corrupt steals. e.g. The LASTMA official that collects a bribe did not steal but he is corrupt. Stealing is an aspect of corruption but stealing is not corruption.

If it was Obama that said 'stealing is not corruption', no one would have had a problem with it. but when it's your own president you loose your sense of context.