[size=14pt]Rebranding Prof. Dora Akunyili [/size]
WRITTEN BY IDUMANGE JOHN
SATURDAY, 05 DECEMBER 2009 07:18


When the verdict of Transparency International about the worsening corruption situation in Nigeria was announced, I felt pity for Prof. Dora Akunyili for three reasons. First, it may well be that the Professor of Pharmacology has good intentions that her efforts would help reduce the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), but now she knows her efforts are not good enough.



Madam Dora



Secondly, being a Professor of Pharmacology, she might have been deceived that the impressive success she achieved at the National Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which is a mere regulatory body, would translate to her success in the most troublous Ministry of Information. She was mistaken. Information dissemination and management requires a different kind of expertise because peoples’ perception of an event or government policy cannot be manipulated in a true experimental setting. Pharmacology thrives on experimental research and so for Dora, information management is a not familiar turf.

My greatest sympathy for the Minister is that when she appeared on a national television to field questions, she said she was oblivious of the criteria used by Transparency International to rank the 180 countries out of which Nigeria ranked 130th. If I were at a speaking distance, I should have stopped her from confessing her ignorance. It was at this point I saw beads of sweat hanging around her chin — an indication that she was tensed — up and a further affirmation that she needed rebranding even before the failed nation – Nigeria. The aphorism “Good people and a great nation” is an empty mantra because Dora herself knows that Nigeria is not great. It is even a starker reality that because of the decrepit educational system about 39 million Nigerian graduates are unemployable while more than 75 per cent of the 140 million population lives below the globally acceptable poverty threshold. If poverty is harassing the stomachs of a great many of people, perhaps the rebranding should start by abolishing hunger. But this itself is difficult to achieve because Nigeria is the greatest importer of rice in Africa and the second greatest importer of rice in the world.

If people are hungry Dora’s message of rebranding may fall on deaf ears; in fact the message might even incur the odium of the hungry masses. So if the present strategy is not working, Dora needs to consult professional image makers-who can make a humpty-dumpty out of a scraggy skeleton. Better still, Dora Akunyili can adopt the brown envelop paradigm of rebranding — put some money in “brown envelops," organize a “bazaar” then distribute it to all Nigerians, then they would chorus “Nigeria, good people, and a great nation”. Would that poverty alleviation paradigm abolish hunger in the land? Certainly not, because in the cause of distributing the envelopes, so much would be stolen by the same class of kleptocrats. In fact, kleptomania has been so entrenched that it is near impossible for any public officer to live without one form of peculation or another. Kleptomania has become a brand name for Nigeria.


Analysis of the slogan is necessary to understand the rebranding strategy adopted by the Ministry of Propaganda. It is true that Nigerians are good people in all its ramifications but when there is no good leadership the “goodness” of the people automatically diminishes. A people are as good as the leadership they get. The consequences of lack of good leadership are legion. Today, the most vibrant segment of the Nigerian populace — the youths are scattered all over the world like the Israelites in Diaspora. Some are summarily abbreviated owing to xenophobic attacks in South Africa; many of them are in underground gulags in Libya; in Malaysia, Singapore and China, Nigerians are either tortured or hanged for sundry offences ranging from drug trafficking, 419, forgery to armed robbery. Nigerians who commit drug offences in Saudi Arabia are promptly hanged, but sadly that is where Nigeria’s President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua performs his lesser hajj.

Back home in Nigeria, the people have no reason to be good because even well-educated and able-bodied persons are unemployed. Because of the inclement investment climate, most of the hitherto vibrant companies are winding-up; many are relocating because of the poor infrastructural base of the nation. Amidst this poverty, our baptized “re-branders” are assuring Nigerians that Foreign Direct Investment is being attracted to the country. When we combine the trinity of high Corruption Perception Index (CPI), poor infrastructure and low level of industrialization, it is only natural that the misery index as evidenced in mass unemployment, investment insecurity, lack of accountability and good governance are just the necessary corollary.

http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4446:rebranding-prof-dora-akunyili&catid=81:external-contrib&Itemid=300

This lady is a good example of how things go bad in Nigeria. How could a prof. of pharmacology with little or no knowledge in communication/propaganda/journalism accept the position of minister of communication?
By pretending that all is well

The problem is with the led, not the leader. The leader wants the led to change the way they think, to stop being thieves, con men and armed robbers, to stop being 419ers, to make a complete turn around for thier lives, but the led thinks otherwise, the led wants to continue to be con men, thieves, armed robbers, 419ers etc. Her message is simply no different from the message Pastors give in churches, you either hear it and make a change in your life or hear it and ignore it - on judgement day, you wont be asked if you heard it, you will simply be asked what you did with it.

We cant say she didnt try her best, although that NTA equipment scandal needs more clarification.

Only sahara reporters can make this statement:

"Back home in Nigeria, the people have no reason to be good because even well-educated and able-bodied persons are unemployed."

meaning, all Nigerians have the right to be rougues, thieves, armed robbers and dubious people. This will go down in history as the worst to be spoken by a Nigerian about Nigerians.

Paroh_frey:

Only sahara reportes can make this statement:

"Back home in Nigeria, the people have no reason to be good because even well-educated and able-bodied persons are unemployed."

meaning, all Nigerians have the right to be rougues, thieves, armed robbers and dubious people. This will go down in history as the worst to be spoken by a Nigerian about Nigerians.

No, meaning that Nigerians have the tendency to consider crime because of the harsh circumstances around them.

^^^^

Why are you deliberately changing the meaning of his statement? Cant we think it through by ourselves?

What he said is, because of the fact that able bodied men are un employed, then, everyone has no reason to be good!

Word on marble.

I am not changing anything; You interpreted the statement from your heart and not your head. Stop mixing issues with emotions.

If i were prof Dora, i'd Resign .
  She has lost all her credibility in less 16 months, credibility built for close to a DECADE.
  what  a shame!

[size=18pt]"Back home in Nigeria, the people have no reason to be good because even well-educated and able-bodied persons are unemployed."[/size]

If Fela were alive, he will say the same thing he said to Idiagbon to this character of a man. When Idiagbon said Nigerians were indisciplined and introduced WAI, Fela had words for him, I wish this writer knows the song and sings it to himslef, morning, noon, night and all day.

Why is it that when the Government seems to want to make some kind of partially credible revelation, Segun Adeniyi seems to grant such press confrences. But when a controversial Government statement is to be made Dora Akunyili is chosen.

I feel so sorry for her because she does not seem to know what they are doing to her, she seems to do these things always shinning her eyes.

I love the woman and I hope she quits. She has already destroyed herself, being a spin doctor in Yar'adua's colourless Government is the toughest job in the world and she should not have taken up the job.

^^^

Please give us reasons why you think she shoud quit. Please i beg you.

Paroh_frey:

The problem is with the led, not the leader. The leader wants the led to change the way they think, to stop being thieves, con men and armed robbers, to stop being 419ers, to make a complete turn around for thier lives, but the led thinks otherwise, the led wants to continue to be con men, thieves, armed robbers, 419ers etc. Her message is simply no different from the message Pastors give in churches, you either hear it and make a change in your life or hear it and ignore it - on judgement day, you wont be asked if you heard it, you will simply be asked what you did with it.

What school of philosophy is that? This what incompetent leaders say whenever they fail. "I failed because, Nigerians are just too bad a people to be governed", then, you should have known that before forcing your way into office, by coup, corruption, and election rigging. All the failed and discredited generals who couldn't even rule their own families, but yet shot their way into the state house, only to find that they didn't have what it took to lead a great nation like Nigeria sounds just like you after they have been disgraced out of office.

Please, please, to all you people with a convoluted sense of philosophy out there, the average Nigerian is x100 a better person than an average American, British, or Japanese. I know it, because, I have interacted with everyone of them. We just don't have good leaders in Nigeria.

Paroh_frey:

^^^

Please give us reasons why you think she shoud quit. Please i beg you.

Because she know not what she is doing.

^^^ All adduced reasons that has no basis. Nobody is preaching any philosophy here.

Only gullible Nigerians will read a line like this "Back home in Nigeria, the people have no reason to be good because even well-educated and able-bodied persons are unemployed." and dont find it necessary to black out the writer. dummy of a country.

Paroh_frey:

^^^ All adduced reasons that has no basis. Nobody is preaching any philosophy here.

Only gullible Nigerians will read a line like this "Back home in Nigeria, the people have no reason to be good because even well-educated and able-bodied persons are unemployed." and dont find it necessary to black out the writer. dummy of a country.

Forget the writer and focus on complacent Dora. Can't you see how she is sweating profusely in the picture above?. An indication of exhaustion and frustration.

I don't pity her. She should have bowed out when the ovation was loudest and leave the stage for others to perform. But No, she has to continue to 'chop' until she 'quench'!

Paroh_frey:

^^^

Please give us reasons why you think she shoud quit. Please i beg you.

Because in 21st century spin doctoring, half truths or being economical with the truth is better than blatant and childish lies.

For Example  Dora Akunyili within the same week asked Nigerians to pray for |Yar'adua and yet had the audacity to announce the FEC decision to pass Yar'adua fit to govern without a credible medical check. Thats speaking from both sides of your mouth.

Besides Yar'adua has a spress secretary in the person of Segun Adeniyi. I expected Dora Akunyili to redefine her role and pay more attention liaising with telecom industries to improve internet and telephony in Nigeria.

She does not need to be Yar'adua's spokesman. No need to duplicate Adeniyi's job. She should go, she has lost it.

^^^

I bet if it was you, those reasons are just enough for you to pack your bag and leave!

coolier:

I don't pity her. She should have bowed out when the ovation was loudest and leave the stage for others to perform. But No, she has to continue to 'chop' until she 'quench'!

I was about to say the same.

coolier:

I don't pity her. She should have bowed out when the ovation was loudest and leave the stage for others to perform. But No, she has to continue to 'chop' until she 'quench'!

Haaaa, the PDP bone is too long now for her to swallow.

y'll should leave dora alone

i think she is doing a good job. .most ppl dont know little things like image affect a lot of other bigger things

when rudy guilliani came to new-york in the 1980s to clean it up,he first started with the little things

nigerians have to learn that nowhere on earth is a paradise,and start to talk up their country

more grease to u DORA i say

paddy_lo:


more grease to u DORA i say

That is just her problem, too much grease and it's soiling her whole body and name!

The problem of Dora is that she is in the wrong administration at the wrong time. Her efforts would have been appreciated if she is working with a performing administration. Just imagine her doing same thing for Lagos state. People will applaud her efforts.

OAM4J:

The problem of Dora is that she is in the wrong administration at the wrong time. Her efforts would have been appreciated if she is working with a performing administration. Just imagine her doing same thing for Lagos state. People will applaud her efforts.

I agree with you.

First of all she made a mistake by accepting the post of Information Minister.
I thought that was a wrong move.

Nonetheless, compared to present past Information Ministers, she has performed exceptionally well.
Prof Jerry Gana may stand out from the rest but even him wouldn't come close to Prof Akunyili.

I pity her though I do not blame her for accepting the post. Like the eternal optimist that I am, I want to believe that something good can come out of this.

Dora 'was' one woman I believed could actually become Nigeria's president before the accepted the position of Information minister.

I started pitying Dora thé day shé accepted that post. I still hold her in high esteem sha. As thé mouthpiece of thé govt, she cant say anything different from govt official position, évén if shé personally feels otherwise. Accepting that position is hér greatest undoing.

I CAN NEVER FEEL BAD FOR DORA ---- HER BANK ACCOUNTS WILL REMAIN SUCCULENT, sorry to those of you who feel bad for her but SHE will NOT SHARE THE MONEY THAT SHE HAS STOLEN SO FAR WITH YOU ALL.  How can you want to fight crime and yet you are an ACTIVE THIEF  -----

I just came up with a solution for Dora: call in sick.
She could travel to the US for a few months to cool her nerves, be with her children, heal her ulcer, and reduce her blood pressure.

Dora is in a no-win position. . . . if she had her integrity intact, she would resign by now. . . . I must admit that her rebranding magazine was professionally produced though. . .

Aloy~Emeka:

Haaaa, the PDP bone is too long now for her to swallow.

Where does this assumption that the woman had no idea what she was signing up for, come from?

I mean come on!!! ONLY AN slowpoke would not know what is working as a MINISTRY of INFORMATION for corrupt administration. What is with this "DORA IS NAIVE, and EVERYONE ELSE IS TRYING TO PLAY HER" mentality?

The other has a point when she said the LED are likely the GULLIBLE ones here. We are always quick to picks sides and draw up some of the most ridiculous excuses for our inept leaders. Dora had a job she did well at; She decided to sign up as Minister of information, with full knowledge/access to both Yar adua and Goodlucks record. She also must have, in her years at NAFDAC learnt quite a lot about Nigerian politics but still decided it was the way to go for her. She knew what she was getting into and there has been no reports so far, or word from her that she is being DECIEVED by anyone. Can we please stop trying to create VICTIMS were there are none? She is NOT a VICTIM here. She is a part of the Administration, signed and packaged!