By Princewill Ekwujuru

National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) has advised  the federal government to take the re- branding  Nigeria project to a more  fundamental and reconstructive level that will yield long term outcome of  Nigerians that  mean much more to Nigeria.

Chief. Luggard Aimiuwu, President/ Chairman of Governing Council, NIMN at the installation on five Nigerians who  have distinguished themselves in the field of marketing with the marketing Icons awards, where he delivered a paper  titled “Giants among Men,”  said that Nigeria need not  look for Icons that would project the image of the country,  while they lay waste.

Whilst commending Dr. Dora Akunyili on her  re- branding project,   noted that the exercise should progress steadily  with time from the management of misconception, perception, and projection of positive attributes to more  fundamental re-constructive surgery of the brand itself, with a strategic calculus trhat will yield long term  outcomes of a Nigeria that means much more to Nigerians, and Nigerians that mean much more to Nigeria.”   Further,  he said,  “we may, as Nigerians, moan till eternity about all that has gone wrong with our country, and the darkness  that has befallen our society. The past is gone and cannot be changed, but the future is still ahead and can still  be shaped to achieve the paradise of our dreams. At NIMN, we do not believe in moaning and moping about darkness;  but would rather light a lamp.

Instead of doing nothing, we will rather ‘get on with it.”
His words, “let the excellence we seek begin here, and now, following the examples of the Icons we are celebrating  today, let it be said of the Nigerian henceforth that; he is competent because he is a Nigerian, he has integrity;  of course he is Nigerian, he is creative , certainly because he is a Nigerian, he is cultured and God fearing  because he is a Nigerian, he is industrious and disciplined; because he is a Nigerian, and he is a great leader;  Nigeria produces them.”

Continued he stressed, “consistent achievement of excellence is the only catch-up recipe for Nigeria if past minnows  like Ghana will not continue to outpace Nigeria in long steady strides like a colossus.

We must not claim unearned credentials as a country, or people will laugh at us, as we further damage our brand   Nigerians may not be angels, but we must not also act as if Nigeria is the inventor of all that is evil. We must  celebrate the quality we have.”

But further pointed out  if the re- branding exercise could concentrate on addressing the issue of bad leadership in  the country, majority of the country’s problem would be solved as other things would naturally fall in place.
He queried, whether it is the country, its leadership or the followership that requires re- branding?. But was  worried  a hungry and dehumanized followership, and a traumatized Nigerian  population with no sense of direction or  hope for the future; followed by a productive sector that must provide electricity, roads, water and security to  remain in business; or  a Nigerian populace whose dreams and expectations in life have been condemned, how can they  be re-branded ,m where the leadership is questionable. So, he stated that what is required is a “Nigeria that means  much more to Nigerians.”

“Honestly should we not get more serious? The Honourable Minister might have succeeded in glamourising the word  ‘Rebrandinq,’  but how do you re_brand a virtually dead populace or nation? ‘Repositioning?’ From what point to  where? The truth, if it must be well told, is that it is the country’s leadership that needs to be ‘Repaired’ from  its current state of absolute Dilapidation.