NIGERIA-THE AFRICAN GIANT    
By Omojuyigbe Olalekan Oluwaseun
INTRODUCTION
Nigeria for a long time has suffered bad image in public light. Nigeria though called ‘the Giant of Africa’ has for a long time been portrayed as a very terrible country by members of the international community. Anywhere one goes, one hears journalists from media houses abroad disseminating derogatory news about the country and one wonders whether the country does not have its good side. The image of Nigeria has been so tarnished that people from other countries have become scared of relating with people from the country.
The most surprising thing is that citizens of Nigeria (both media practitioners and non-journalists) are also dishing out terrible news about the country. Everywhere, they transmit information about Nigeria as one of the most corrupt countries in the world with fraud serving as a major way by which citizens of the country enrich themselves, a country that is not politically stable, a country where poverty dominates, a country where dwellers cannot sleep with their two eyes opened and a country where suffering is the order of the day. The internet has been bombarded with news about the country being an abysmal failure (this is not to say that some of the pieces of information that are transmitted about the country are not true. They are however exaggerated truths). Nigerians who travel abroad, instead of trying to resuscitate the ‘dying’ image of the country further bastardize the image by going about telling people in those countries they sojourn (who perhaps want to test the veracity of what they have heard about the country, Nigeria) that Nigeria is not a country to be inhabited by good-thinking individuals.  Some of them further soil the already dented image of the country by engaging in criminal activities in the countries they migrate to. Some of the citizens of those countries have been swindled by migrants from the so called Giant of Africa. This to a large extent has made citizens of those countries hostile to anyone from Nigeria who travels to any of those countries. Let’s consider the unfair treatment that was meted to Nigerians by citizens of South Africa in 2010. The then South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Kingsley Mamabola at a meeting with the then Nigerian Minister of Interior, Mr. Emmanuel Ihenachor on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 said,
                                                                                                                                        “Although Nigeria contributed much to the liberation of South Africa from the stranglehold of apartheid and thereafter threw her economic doors wide open for South African investors and goods, these actions have not stopped a low estimation of her citizens by the South Africans.”
Answering the question from NEXT at the meeting planned to explore ways of broadening the existing bilateral relationship between both countries, Mr. Mamabola gave reasons for the increasing hostilities and physical attacks launched against Nigerians in South Africa. He said,
“The regard for Nigerians in South Africa is very low because the criminal activities of a few Nigerian citizens there are the most visible to the hosts.”
He denied however any insinuation of government backing for the attacks, insisting that a lot of effort was being made to offer Nigerians in South Africa more protection under the law. He further said,
“There is a lot that needs to be done about the perception of South Africans about Nigerians. The perception South Africans have about Nigerians is not good at all. Those Nigerians of very tiny percentage- I will say just one percent engage in crimes that are generally seen by all and which overshadow the good works of the majority of Nigerians.
South Africa is a law-abiding society. There is law and order in our country. There is no lawlessness. South Africans as a whole fight for human rights in general. So it’s not true that the government is not doing anything on the situation.”
The above pictures the way citizens of South Africa view Nigerians. Nigerians are seen as criminals that are not to be shown any form of kindness.
Also, in the last paragraph, Mr. Mamabola was trying to paint a picture. He claimed that his country, South Africa was law-abiding. He attempted to make people see the sense in the action carried out by citizens of South Africa. 
As a result of the challenges Nigerians faced (and are still facing) in other countries because of the terrible perception people from other countries have about the country, it became necessary for those in the helms of affairs to find a solution to this problem. This terrible perception was beginning to affect the country as a whole because investors became scared of investing in an insecure country. Several strategies were thereby made to refurbish the battered image of the country. Some policies were carried out in several countries to show how caring the country is.
This paper therefore seeks to explore some of the causes of the smeared image of the country, what the government is doing about it and those things that have not been done which could be useful in correcting the negative perception other countries have about Nigeria. The focus of this paper is Nigeria in relation with other African countries.

           REDEEMING NIGERIA’S TARNISHED IMAGE ABROAD  
Redeeming the image of Nigeria as already stated is a desideratum. It is a must that the country is cleansed from all dirt that has been sprinkled on it by some people who only see the bad side of the country. It is disheartening that even African countries see Nigeria as one not worthy of emulation.
The country’s bad image abroad is however caused by a number of factors. According to former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,
“The image of our country has been battered at home and abroad; more by our own mishandling and mismanagement than by anything else.”
This means that the negative image Nigeria suffers in other countries is caused by the citizens of the country as they engage in all forms of nefarious activities such as kidnapping, insurgency, terrorism, cybercrimes and violent conflicts.
Baroness Lynda Chalker, a British politician also thinks that Nigerians are responsible for the bad publicity their country has. According to her,
“The culprit is the Nigerian media…Even people who have not been to Nigeria make negative comments about the country. If you ask them how they formed their opinion, they will tell you they picked it from the Nigerian media and from Nigerians.”
 Journalists of the country report more of the bad in the country than the good. This is not to say once again that people or countries that report terrible things about Nigeria are reporting falsehood. It’s just that the things they report which make other countries see Nigeria in bad light are not peculiar to Nigeria as they happen almost everywhere in the world.

HOW NIGERIA IS MARKETING ITS IMAGE IN OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES
Over the years, the Nigerian government has tried to change the bad image the country has in public and private domains. Several activities have been carried out to change the bad perception people, both within and outside the country have about Nigeria. Some of the activities carried out to create and sustain a favourable image in Africa are:
·        PLAYING THE ROLE OF BIG BROTHER IN AFRICA:
Nigeria though seen as a corrupt country is still being seen as the giant of Africa as a result of what it has incorporated into the economy of other African countries. Nigeria has helped several African countries develop. After Nigeria attained independence in 1960, Nigeria has fought tooth and nail to ensure total decolonization in Africa. That was why it sponsored the establishment of Organisation of Africa Union (OAU) in May 1963 (OAU later became African Unity [AU]). Nigeria has led to the liberation of several African countries such as Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola and South Africa. Now, in a bid to strengthen the country’s relationship with other African countries, whenever there is a problem in any African country, Nigeria goes to the rescue. This, the country-Nigeria does to change these countries perception about it. It does this to make them see the good sides of the country too. Nigeria is trying to portray itself as a caring country.  
Let’s consider how Nigeria has effectively played the big brother role with other African countries.
NIGERIA AND MALI
Nigeria has proved itself worthy of the name- Giant of Africa as it has helped Mali to tackle the problems confronting it. 
This can be seen in Nigeria’s involvement in Mali’s crisis. Nigeria expended Seven Billion Naira on the crisis. A total of 1,200 soldiers were sent to the country to save the situation. Nigeria did it to avoid the tearing apart of Mali and other African countries. President of Nigeria, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan while speaking on his involvement in the crisis in Mali said,
“If we do not contain the problem of Mali, definitely it will affect other African countries and that is why Nigeria had to move fast.”
The above statement shows that Nigeria cares for Mali and other African countries. It’s a ploy to make other African countries see the country as that which has a heart.
Also, the Nigeria government gave relief materials to Malian Government as a part of support for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). This gesture by Nigeria will help strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and Mali.
NIGERIA AND GHANA
Apart from Mali, there are also countries in Africa that Nigeria has helped in its bid to get a favourable image. One of such countries is Ghana. Under the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, Ghana got a loan of 100 Million Dollars and electricity was also supplied by Nigeria to Ghana. As a result of the fact that the Nigeria government wants a good image in Ghana, it has encouraged the interaction of Ghanaian and Nigerian artistes. Now, we have the fusion of Nollywood and Ghollywood.
NIGERIA AND SOUTH AFRICA
Furthermore, Nigeria portrays itself as a mature nation. It tries as much as possible to take things calmly whenever there is an aggression against it by other countries. It does this to change the notion other countries have about it as it being aggressive. That was why when it was discovered that Nigerians were treated unfairly in South Africa, it took it calmly.
Recently, in the state visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to South Africa, the presidents of the two countries came to agreement in Cape Town that the countries have to work together to boost the standard of living of the two countries- Nigeria and South Africa.
The agreement were in the areas of defence cooperation, waver of visas in diplomatic and official passports, cooperation in legal field, oil and gas, geology, mining and mineral processing and metallurgy. Others were on women and child development, power sector development, cooperation in field environment, and information and communication technology. This Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries will help in making the relationship between the two countries cordial.
NIGERIA AND CAMEROON
 Also, in the struggle for ownership of Bakassi Pennisula between Nigeria and Cameroon, Nigeria left the Pennisula because it wanted to avoid external aggression and because it wanted to play big brother. That Nigeria engaged in dialogue with Cameroon in its struggle for the Pennisula signifies that Nigeria is a lover of peace. This kind of conflict resolution will make the relationship between Cameroon and Nigeria cordial as Cameroon will see Nigeria as a law-abiding and peace-keeping country.
·        USING NIGERIAN BROADCAST STATIONS TO PROJECT A GOOD IMAGE IN OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES:
Nigerian stations on Cable TV such as NTA International, AIT, etc. are currently been used to propagate the culture of the country. These stations transmit programmes which show Nigeria as a highly cultured country. They are also used to picture Nigeria as a country that is of high moral standard and as a country that has high respect for the constitution.
·         EMBARKING ON PERCEPTION RESTRUCTURING PROGRAMMES FOR THE COUNTRY:
 Perception is important in any situation as people judge you first before having the opportunity and time to engage with you. The activities of individual and government dealings, social, political and economic and situations coupled with the influence of the media have contributed to a large measure in the building and the overall perception of the country. The brand image of a country also plays a major role in not only the way the country is viewed and perceived but also the level of seriousness, diplomacy and attractiveness to some forces that contribute to the development of any society.
Some of the forces that have helped to instill these negative perceptions in Nigeria as stated earlier are not only the individual, political, social, economic and cultural malaise but also the collective malaise fostered by long years of military regime and our notorious mal governance by the ruling elite. The most prominent of these include the cerebral 419 or fraud which is the most destructive, the general insecurity in the land. Also included are the high rate of crime, kidnapping;  activities of the militant in the Niger-delta; high level of drug trafficking, frequent religious and ethnic clashes, inadequate and dilapidated infrastructure, abnormal high level of corruption and a deliberate international media conspiracy help by some of the issues raised above. All these and others helped in fostering a very negative perception about Nigeria. At a stage, Nigerians and Nigeria were treated as a pariah and the mention of Nigeria and showing of green passport exposes an individual to great suspicion and distrust. We have lost some substantial interest, values, prestige, investments and goodwill because of the negative publicity and perception.
As a result of the above, several perception changing programmes were embarked on. Some of which were the Nigerian Image Project and the Rebranding Nigeria Project.
THE NIGERIAN IMAGE PROJECT
The then President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2004 launched the “Nigerian Image Project” at the Presidential Villa, Abuja where he approved the earmarking of over N600 million for the purpose of promoting the nation’s image at home and abroad. The project was initiated and organized by the then Minister of Information and National Orientation, Chief Chukwuemeka Chikelu. The project was the Nigerian Government’s attempt at changing positively international perception about the country. The project was renamed in 2005 by Frank Nweke Junior, the Minister of Information and National Orientation at the time and later translated to “The Heart of Africa” (HOA) project. The HOA project received an initial government contribution of 600 million Naira (about $3 million).
It was a public relations related project that could enable Nigerians to be seen by members of the international community in an amazing way and that could invite and attract other African countries to do business with Nigeria.
THE REBRANDING NIGERIA PROJECT
Also, there was also the rebranding programme that was done by the former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili. On March 18, 2009, the rebranding Nigeria logo and slogan was unveiled to give Nigeria a more positive image both locally and internationally.
Rebranding Nigeria was aimed at creating a favourable image for Nigeria that would help in attracting investors from Africa and other parts of the world.

These two programmes can be said to achieve some iota of success as some people have begun to see the country as one with potentials.
·        DETACHING ITSELF FROM EVIL BY DENOUNCING ANY CITIZEN OF NIGERIA THAT ENGAGES IN CRIME IN OTHER COUNTRIES
This is a propaganda technique called, ‘rebuttal’. Nigeria tries as much as possible to detach itself from evil. This, it does to show that the number of people from the country indulging in criminal activities is little. In order to enjoy positive image, the government of Nigeria whenever it hears of a Nigerian that engages in a criminal activity in another country, denounces such a person. A very good example of this is the denouncement of Farouk Admutallab, a Nigerian based in America who wanted to bomb an airplane in America. When Nigeria was called a terrorist country as a result of Admutallab’s foiled plan, the government of Nigeria denied Admutallab’s citizenship, claiming that he had no ties with the country (Nigeria).

OTHER WAYS THE GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA CAN REDEEM THE IMAGE OF THE COUNTRY
One of the reasons for the collapse of the rebranding Nigeria project was the fact that the project was not based on the facts available. It was trying to change the perception of people without bettering their conditions. It wanted Nigerians to accept the country as a good one whereas; nothing was done to make the country better. Therefore, I recommend the following:
·        Nigerian government must first of all acknowledge the fact that there are some challenges in the country.
·        It must then seek for ways to tackle the major challenges in the country.
·        It should now publicize the exploits it has made; the development projects that have taken place should be made known to the people within the country and those living outside the country.
·        Also, like countries such as Pakistan, Albania, etc. that are using public relations agencies to market their images in USA, Nigeria should also employ the services of public relations agencies in marketing its image abroad.


CONCLUSION
No country can survive, if it is hated by other countries. This is so because no country is capable of standing on its own as all countries are dependent on one another. Countries depend on one another for political, economic, and developmental reasons. As a result of this, countries try to be seen by people of other countries in good light. Those countries that are seen in bad light try as much as possible to change the way they are seen by members of the international community. This is why Nigeria is fighting tooth and nail to change the negative image it has both home and abroad. But this negative image cannot change until something concrete is done to ameliorate the situation. For Nigeria to start enjoying good image both home and abroad, the government of the country has to carry out development programmes in the country. If the people in the country are developed economically, there will be improvement in the image of the country as media houses will begin to relay news about the progress of the country. If good, reliable, secured and high –paid jobs are created, criminal activities will reduce drastically. Citizens of the country that go out of the country to swindle foreigners will reduce. Hence, having a positive image begins with developing the country.

Omojuyigbe Seun:
NIGERIA AND GHANA
Apart from Mali, there are also countries in Africa that Nigeria has helped in its bid to get a favourable image. One of such countries is Ghana. Under the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, Ghana got a loan of 100 Million Dollars and electricity was also supplied by Nigeria to Ghana. As a result of the fact that the Nigeria government wants a good image in Ghana, it has encouraged the interaction of Ghanaian and Nigerian artistes. Now, we have the fusion of Nollywood and Ghollywood.

The B0lded is not True.