Nigeria dumps image laundering project

Lagos, Nigeria - Nigeria has dumped its ''Heart of Africa'' image laundering project, embarked upon during the second-term of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, describing it as a failure.

In its place, the government has launched a Re-branding Campaign to polish off the country's image, believed to have been dented, perhaps more than any other thing, by the activities of a few crooks who swindled many foreigners of their money through the Advance Fee Fraud, known locally as '419', named after the relevant section of the nation's penal code.

''Heart of Africa could not fly for many reasons. The name is contentious. Malawi was the first country to use the Heart of Africa slogan and many other countries have laid claims to being the heart of Africa,'' Information Minister Dora Akunyili told participants at the campaign in Abuja on Monday.

Explaining further why the Heart of Africa project failed, she said: ''Heart of Africa was first launched overseas and that automatically disconnected the ordinary Nigerian from this project, making it look elitist.''

Prof. Akunyili said that the government had therefore decided to embark on a new branding project that will be home grown.

On the need to re-brand Nigeria, the Minister said it was so critical because it would address the fundamental issue of how the country and its citizenry were perceived and treated.

''This is fundamental to our national development. Ministers will come and go. Presidents will come and go, but Nigeria will remain. This re-branding is about our collective interest, our image as a country and as a people in the present and the future,'' she said.

The Heart of Africa project was launched with fanfare in world capitals and showcased on the global cable television CNN by then Information Minister Frank Nweke.

http://www.afriquejet.com/news/africa-news/nigeria-dumps-image-laundering-project-2009021021561.html

If you like brand shit and call am cake, package the shit well once we open am we go no say na shit.

We have to clean up the mess in the shit called Nigeria before any yeye branding. This woman would just mess herself up in this position.

Shikena! Big Mess uP.

What's the difference between the old one and the new one?

Different names? roflmao!!!!

Lagosboy:

If you like brand shit and call am cake, package the shit well once we open am we go no say na shit.

We have to clean up the mess in the shit called Nigeria before any yeye branding. This woman would just mess herself up in this position.

It'll be rebranded from shit to crap. Oh, I forgot they mean the same. What a mess. These leaders need their brians rebranded.

why cant she start by telling the theives in her party and govt that they are spoiling naija's image

B.O.S.S.:

It'll be rebranded from shit to crap. Oh, I forgot they mean the same. What a mess. These leaders need their brians rebranded.

Need i say more. thier brains are dead except to rigging it comes alive. Rebranding sef no fit work for their brain

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JJYOU:

why cant she start by telling the theives in her party and govt that they are spoiling naija's image

sometimes i wonder if 419ers are the real problem.Nigeria has a leadership crisis

MrCrackles:

Good idea and Nigeria shouldnt forget to dump "Money Laundering Projects too"

if you ask me, i'll say they should dump the money laundering projects first. they might not need to dump the image laundering one after thats done.

must_a_far:

if you ask me, i'll say they should dump the money laundering projects first. they might not need to dump the image laundering one after thats done.

Agreed!! This is sort of like watching China sell itself as a country that respects human rights when the world knows that is not the case.

must_a_far:

if you ask me, i'll say they should dump the money laundering projects first. they might not need to dump the image laundering one after thats done.

As long as they dump all the rubbish projects altogether!

Re-what? Who is fooling who! Are we re branding the death of the manufacturing industry or the use of generators or what. Where did this lady come from,the moon? Give me a break will yah!