Akunyili tasks religious leaders on re-branding

By Tony Edike

ENUGU—MINISTER of Information and Communication, Prof Dora Akunyili has called on religious leaders in the country to participate actively in the ongoing campaign by the Federal Government to instill a renewed spirit of patriotism in Nigerians through attitudinal change.

Akunyili who made the appeal while delivering a lecture at the 14th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Enugu, held at the Cathedral Church of the Good Shepherd, regretted that the negative perception about Nigeria was foisted on the people by the unpatriotic activities of a few.

She said that the first stage of re-branding Nigeria project would focus on engineering changes, which includes attitudinal changes, re-orientation, revival of our cultural values and installation of renewed spirit of patriotism and hope in all the citizens of the country.

In her  paper entitled, “Re-branding: The Role of the Church”, the Minister lamented that Nigerians were unfairly regarded as fraudsters, criminals and a country where nothing works, pointing out that these anti-social vices were foreign to our indigenous culture.

She maintained that religious leaders have vital roles to play in our  quest for  a proper re-branding of Nigeria, adding that government alone will not succeed in its effort to reposition the country without the cooperation of the led.

“For a country that is undoubtedly set on the path of greatness, a pervasive negative perception about her cannot be allowed to continue.