ABUJA-President Umaru Yar'Adua, will, tomorrow in Abuja, unveil the re-branding Nigeria logo and slogan, as his administration pushes to give the nation a more positive image.

Former Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon would be chairman of the occasion which is expected to attract a cream of top government functionaries, business moguls, the diplomatic corps and media executives.

According to the Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, the launch would be a major step towards changing the negative perception of Nigeria and her people both locally and internationally.

The Minister said the campaign would also target "re-orienting Nigerians, changing the negative attitudes of Nigerians, making Nigerians to believe in themselves, inculcating optimal spirit of patriotism in Nigerians and at the same time, celebrating our very best before the international community".

The minister said the core of this campaign would be a return to the cultural values of Nigerians as a people, as well as, how Nigerians see the nation.
"Countries that have excelled held on to their cultural values. Nigeria has rich and robust cultural values good enough to make the country better and to project to the world."

Unfortunately, the actions and inactions of a few of us and the skewed reportage by the international media have either tarnished our image, or mis-branded this country and that is why we want to re-claim the lost glory by re-branding our image", she said.

The Minister said the campaign would be tied to slogan and logo because to every brand, there must be an inspiring logo and slogan to drive it.
She argued that the campaign would go beyond slogan and logo and "targeted at internalising our values and developing new attitudes in the private and public life".

The federal government, she said would intensify interface with different stakeholders and the masses through Town Hall and Local Government Area Meetings, immediately after the launch with a view to creating awareness and opening up a deliberative process and feed-back mechanism to secure the buy -in of Nigerians at the grass roots.

She noted that the mass media had a key role to play by emphasising positive story about Nigeria and responsible report of what could be considered as the negative, for the campaign to succeed.

nwosas:

She argued that the campaign would go beyond slogan and logo and "targeted at internalising our values and developing new attitudes in the private and public life".
The federal government, she said would intensify interface with different stakeholders and the masses through Town Hall and Local Government Area Meetings, immediately after the launch with a view to creating awareness and opening up a deliberative process and feed-back mechanism to secure the buy -in of Nigerians at the grass roots.

nwosas:

She noted that the mass media had a key role to play by emphasising positive story about Nigeria and responsible report of what could be considered as the negative, for the campaign to succeed.

i_laugh:

As usual - the diasporians will rubbish it as not necessary.

Good stuff from the government, we support your initiative. Talking of the diasporians - their noises are vanishing because they know that the country is going in the right direction, hmmm, one day, they will become so irrelivant so much so they will all eat poison because Naija is now a great country.

Cant someone just tell them that they are no more relivant?

Sammy107_d:

nothing nothing! would bring an inch of smile to nigerians' faces, even if nigeria becomes the next super power tomorrow! I heard Akunyili's take on the idea, and it was quite pleasing. . .

You are right: Nigeria doesn't need re-branding; the misanthropic cynics called Nigerians- which I'm so unfortunate to share a title with- need re-orienting.

I live in Barbados, you'll be surprised how mediocre its systems are; but they believe in their 'farm-sized' nation, and actually think there's no better place on earth. . . and each citizen strives to keep it that way with discipline, hospitality, personal hygiene, support etc
I've come to appreciate my home too. We have an awful lot! we are just blind, and addicted to lynching politicians at any movement of their pens.

Theft mars Nigerian 're-branding'
Thieves stole a mobile phone belonging to a member of a new team campaigning to improve Nigeria's image as a country riddled by crime and chaos.

Isawa Elaigwu told the launch of the "rebrand Nigeria" campaign he noticed the phone was gone minutes before he was due to address the event.

"As I was entering the gates of the conference centre I noticed I had been pick-pocketed," he said.

"This is just the sort of thing we need to fight against".

Nigeria is often seen abroad as a violent and chaotic place, full of people who use e-mail scams to cheat money out of unwitting victims.

'Most dangerous'

Its commercial capital Lagos recently topped a poll of the world's most dangerous places to work.

The Information Ministry hopes to change this bad reputation with a public relations campaign.


On Tuesday the ministry unveiled a new slogan "Nigeria: Good people, great country", and a logo.
Information Minister Dora Akunyili, who made her name as a fierce campaigner against fake drugs, said the country's reputation was unfair.

"We must shed this toga that says we are untrustworthy, unreliable and ungovernable," she said.

She admitted that the country did have real problems with poverty, corruption and infrastructure, but that wouldn't stop them trying.

"Some people say: 'Why rebrand now?' Nigeria cannot wait until its solved all its problems before addressing its image."

Better life

A better image would improve tourism and encourage businesses to invest in Nigeria, she said.

As Nigerian's own perception of themselves improved they would be less inclined to commit crime, she said.

The previous administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo had a similar campaign to improve Nigeria's image called "Heart of Africa".

Local media reported that the government spent $5.6million (£4million) on it in one year.

It was scrapped by Mrs Akunyili last year.

The minister last week promised the National Assembly the "good people great country" campaign will cost a lot less, and spending will be transparent.

Story from BBC NEWS:

The man launching our new image got his mobile phone stolen at the event:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7948864.stm