Eziuche Ubani
18 August 2005
opinion
Lagos — Watchers of the Cable News Network (CNN) must have seen the commercial on Nigeria. The commercial is intended to market Nigeria and convince tourists and investors to explore Nigeria's potentials.
If we recall very well, the footage is part of the Heart of Africa Project, conceived to convince the international community of Nigeria's positive potentials. Away from 419. Away from drug trafficking. Away from crime. Away from instability. In the language of some, it is part of the project, designed to spruce up Nigeria's image and demolish some age-old stereotypes, which make every Nigerian with the green passport, a suspect at every major airport in the world.
When the project was conceived and launched, many Nigerians applauded it as long overdue. Even government's worst critics in the media and civil society, thought it was the right thing to do, though, they were skeptical of government's faithfulness to the implementation of the project estimated to cost N600million.
The footage you see on CNN is certainly one of the first steps in the implementation of the project. But from what one has seen so far, it appears that the project has not escaped the follies of the past.
From what we see, those in charge of the project may have unwittingly hauled the heaviest mud on Nigeria's image, more than all the 419, drug kingpins and fraudsters put together.
For those who have not seen the programme, let us try a recap. The footage opens with a shot of a river, with a hippopotamus rising to the surface. Then there is a mosaic of shots with a Fulani milk maid walking in the city, some Caucasians on water bike, then a beach scene, with a small tent, and finally closes with a nubile lady bouncing out of a dirty beach, shaking provocatively.
The punchline is even more ridiculous - the President, in perhaps the worst attire he has ever donned since his monumental transformation from the Ota Farm couture, shouting "Welcome to Nigeria.â?? It may not be the President's fault, but the way he was cast makes him look less of a president.
Our first search shows that, whoever wrote the script must have copied the commercial for the 2005 Japan Expo. But that was a very humiliating parody. For whoever did it must have thought that our President has the same instant visual and name recognition as a Nelson Mandela, Saddam Husein, Fidel Castro or Muammar Ghaddafi.
So, to return to the question: who did this to Nigeria? Who put this tar on Nigeria's image? How could people who have spent money, travelled abroad and wasted hours and energy trying to convince the world that Nigeria has a positive side, allow this folly undermine their efforts?
These are very strong issues from this matter that must worry Nigerians. And the immediate fallout is that a few persons whether for profit or idiocy, have made Nigeria a laughing stock. So, who caused Nigeria to be packaged and delivered to the world as an unserious enclave?
I tried, all through the week to solve the riddle. But it was very difficult to crack. Preliminary results of our investigation showed that this was not what was proposed by the initial team and its consultant set up for the Heart of Africa Project. I gathered that the initial proposal did not have President Olusegun Obasanjo. From our source, the President, supportive of any efforts to change Nigeria agreed that the main focus of this project should be Nigeria and not any political figure.
So what happened? Once the proposal was submitted, some sycophants at the Presidency felt it was not complete without the face of the President. Between the office of the Political Adviser to the President and some powerful persons at the Presidency, the script changed.
The CNN which had earlier been contacted was dropped in favour of a consultant, a local broadcaster. For those who did the revision, their goals were financial advantage and political mileage it would give them for being the ones who had the vision to suggest that the president was the best item that represents the good in Nigeria. The result is what you see. And to make matters worse, that set Nigeria back, by N130million according to a source at the Presidency.
Between Sunday and Tuesday, I was in three major cities of Nigeria - Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos. All the people I spoke to, expressed outrage over the footage. Their view is that whoever did this, either deliberately sabotaged the project or that the project did not benefit from the minimum of professional treatment and advice. For comparison, they say that since Nigeria has more potentials and resources a commercial selling these to the world must equal the sales pitches of Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India or Croatia, to mention but a few.
I agreed with them. Were I a tourist or investor considering a destination based on visual and sales pitches I see on TV, Nigeria is the last place I would consider based on that visual. Beside the President's violent welcome gestures and unfriendly voice, nothing shown in that footage is capable of arresting interest. If testimonials were needed, then there is an army of Nigerians who could have done that better than the President. We have Phillip Emeagwali, Jay Jay Okocha, Seal, Tunde Baiyewu, Patti Boulaye, Sophie Okonedo, Wole Soyinka and a host of others. The truth is that the sort of people whom this commercial addresses have a strong aversion for political figures. They are more inclined to be convinced by non-political people who have distinguished themselves in various spheres.
Once again, a few government officials have made Nigeria a laughing stock. You know what? The effect of this is more pernicious because Nigerians wrote the script, hired the camera, chose the shots and paid to publish them. So, how can we come around and say now that this is not how we are? Or that our detractors are responsible. In my view, this commercial should be withdrawn forthwith. If we cannot come up with a fresh and better idea, let us remain the way we are. Rather than project the best, this footage shows the worst of Nigeria. It is ridiculous and who ever did this is not proud of this country.
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