Nigeria: Omokri to Hoist Nigerian Flag Atop Mount Kilimanjaro in Rebranding Push

Ambassador-designate Reno Omokri has announced plans to attempt the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro for the fourth time, saying he will mount the Nigerian flag at the peak as part of a campaign to project a positive image of the country.

Omokri disclosed this during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television on Wednesday.

"It's going to be my fourth mountain," Omokri said. "I summited the mountain last time. I climbed and I summited, and obviously the oxygen levels are lower on the mountain. So, yes, I did faint, I was revived, but I succeeded."

Asked about his objective this time, he said the plan was to hoist Nigeria's flag at the summit of Africa's highest peak. "Yeah, on top of Mount Kilimanjaro, which is the tallest mountain in Africa, the highest point in Africa. There's no point in Africa higher than that," he said.

Omokri explained that the climb is aimed at promoting Nigeria internationally, adding that he would be accompanied by both foreign and local media. "I'm going there with foreign and local media just to show that Nigeria is rising, to talk about the economic progress we're making, about the advancements in our country," he said. "Effective rebranding is a projection of positive things that are happening."

He referenced previous high-profile climbs to underscore the publicity value of such expeditions. "When I went to Everest, obviously I wasn't successful, but at least I got to some point. The photo was in the British press," he said. "So I want to do this again, so that we can use that opportunity to project Nigeria positively."

However, Omokri acknowledged the risks involved, particularly the effects of altitude and low oxygen levels.

Recalling past experiences, he added, "I was on Mount Entoto, and the humidity and oxygen levels are very low. I was there with Haile Gebrselassie, and Mount Kilimanjaro is significantly higher than Entoto. Mountains like Machu Picchu that I've climbed are also significantly higher than Entoto."

Despite the challenges, Omokri said his focus remains on using the climb as a platform to spotlight Nigeria's progress on the global stage.

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