NEWSCLICK NIGERIA EXCLUSIVE: Why Nigerians, Africans should stop projecting country, continent negatively to the world – Ex-Gov Gbenga Daniel
Former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has challenged Africans and Nigerians in particular to stop projecting the continent and country in bad light to the world.
Daniel who served as Governor of Ogun State from 2003 – 2011 said it was time Nigerians and Africans at large focused on their good sides saying all countries around the world have their peculiar challenges but would rather project their strengths to the world while working to address the challenges.
The former Governor said this on Thursday while giving his opening remarks as chairman of occasion for the ‘Your Image Award 2022’ and launching of ‘Your Image Magazine’ and lecture which held at Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The event was organized by Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR (Ogun State chapter) in conjunction with PR Primal Ltd and attended by Newsclick Nigeria.
While charging Public Relations and media professionals on need to focus on developmental journalism, Daniel said even the most developed countries have their challenges but the media would rather feed their audiences with the good sides.
‘I used to think the popular saying that Perception is everything is wrong until I had a little bit of Public Relations (PR) experience myself. Public Relations is everything.
‘It is really sad that we take delight in reporting our challenges more than we report our successes in this part of the world. America and other developed nations will never show you their ghettos as much as they will show you their good sides. They also experience security breaches like we do here but how many of such make it to their mainstream media?
‘I am not advocating that we should keep mum on these things when they happen but let’s report them along with some of the good things we can boast of as a nation.
‘Africa is not properly projected to the world. Imagine what would have happened to our tourism if we have been deliberate about leveraging on our good sides like the developed nations also do?”, the ex-Governor asked.
The highlight of the event was presentation of awards to six distinguished professionals in different categories.
The awardees include; Chief Fassy Yusuf, a Fellow of NIPR; Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Professor Felix Kolawole Salako; Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, Vice Chancellor, Crescent University; Architect Olusegun Aluko and Engr. Dr. (Mrs.) Olufunke O. Akinkurolere, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and Former Rector, Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa.
President of the Association of Corporate and Marketing Communication Professionals (ACAMB) and Head, Corporate Communications of Polaris Bank, Rasheed Bolarinwa received the ‘Outstanding PR Professional of the Year’ Award.
