By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
The governor of Akwa Ibom has charged the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the mainstream media to market Nigeria as a brand by projecting its numerous positive transformations, accomplishments and rich resources and those of its sub-nationals to the outside world to attract investors’ patronage.
Pastor Umo Eno, who gave the charge, Wednesday, when he hosted the NIPR national president and Chairman of Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, and his Council Members to a luncheon at the Governor’s Lodge in Government House, Uyo, urged the Institute to help build the brand by telling the country’s story in an interesting way that will attract investors.
Eno expressed dismay over the negative perspective of breaking news in the country and urged the NIPR to change the narrative for good by focusing on development reportage that people will look forward to.
“Help us build that brand, tell our story in an interesting way that will encourage investors to come and invest in Nigeria. Unfortunately, a lot of people, when you hear “Breaking News”, it is always bad news and I think we can always change that narrative and make breaking news good news so that people will look forward to it.
“Whether it is NIPR or whether it’s the mainstream media, they are still in the same profession, so that we can keep building our brand as a country, and stop talking down this beautiful country of ours”.
He frowned at situations where leaders are being criticised at all times, and stressed the need for reduction in criticisms as it weighs down leaders.
The governor also stressed the need for Nigerian leaders to be encouraged and appreciated rather than being degraded and always viewed in a negative way irrespective of their good efforts to make Nigeria better.
According to him, leadership is an onerous responsibility that should be supported and encouraged for better job delivery.
“We can encourage our leaders, we can make them, even when we want to criticise them, I believe there are ways to do it. Leadership is an onerous responsibility and I find out that sometimes we even help weigh down the leaders because they don’t have encouragement from any direction.
“Everybody keeps saying he is bad or this or that; from one leader after another, and one just throws his hands and gives up, knowing he is never appreciated no matter what he does.
“But I have always said that if we encourage a leader, the day he doesn’t do well, you also have the right to call his attention to the areas you consider necessary. Then the leader will know that you are sincere to him because in the areas he has done well, you have highlighted it and it could give that balanced reportage”.
Eno thanked the institute for the good works it is doing and encouraged them to take leadership to the area of branding Nigeria’s achievement and potentials to the world, while assuring them of his administration’s continued support and partnership to enable them achieve more for the country.
He highlighted various achievements of his administration, especially in the area of tourism aimed at ensuring the State stands out as a major tourist destination in the country and expressed appreciation to the NIPR leadership for the choice of Akwa Ibom for the hosting of its AGM.
The governor was appreciative of the team’s visiting to the ARISE Resort, saying, “We are trying as a state to see how we can just build Akwa Ibom as a tourist destination and diversify our economy”.
According to him, “we believe that apart from the work we are doing in the rural areas, Akwa Ibom should be fully ready to say we are a tourist destination and these are the things we have; these are the assets we can boast of.
“We believe that in the next two years, any visitor to Akwa Ibom State for two or three days, would have a handful of sites, locations and history to see. Just as we are floating our Ibom Air to become the leading airline in Nigeria, we are also developing tourism hub at Ikot Abasi, the Lord Lugard House, the Slave Trade route, the international conference centre and hotel, among others”.
The Institute’s national president, Neliaku, in his remarks, applauded Governor Eno for running a people-centred administration and for taking tangible and quality developments to rural areas of the State for the benefit of the people in rural communities.
He particularly appreciated the governor for his remarkable vision and passion to transform a 70 hectares of gully erosion site into a world class tourist centre, assuring that the institute will beam the exceptional development strides of his administration within and outside Nigeria.
Neliaku, who took time to dissect Eno’s development strategy, saw the ARISE Agenda as a good development ideology that is very critical to the critical areas of development.
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