CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
One of the primary challenges faced by developing countries
especially Nigeria stems from the breakdown of bordering between their internal
and external aspects. Professionals and scholars have arranged that increasing
the actions and statement of Nigerian leaders and citizens simultaneously
affect National and International identity and image. This is due to increasing
levels of interaction between her citizens, leaders and other external public
or societies.
An image can be described as the impression, feeling or
opinion, which somebody has, about an individual, place or even an
organization. In this case the impression or feeling or opinion, which other
countries has about Nigeria. Over the years the image of Nigeria grows worst
rather than bad. Nigeria has been branded thieves, 419ers and other all sorts.
This has incidence a lot of problems on our international relations. Submit a
green passport and be subjected to the most stringent and most thorough check
at foreign airports, seaports and other international boarders. What a
bastardized image. Nigerians have been denied Visa entry to international
engagements. Recently, highly placed Nigerians where denied Visas into France
for the Film Festival, to mention but a few.
However, the opinion that all Nigerians are thieves, 419ers,
Fraudsters, could be proved wrong, by carefully adopting the procedures of
rebranding Nigeria through Public relations. At this juncture, the media among others
is a focal point for Public relations and branding building, according to
Osunbiyi (2001). “The world is in crisis, Political Crisis, economic crisis,
identity crisis; the media and Political societies. Nowadays nobody dare to
deny the effects of the media in the behaviour of individuals both in developed
and developing countries. In our continent, the Media are said to poses power.”
One of the most common misconceptions about branding is that
it is something one chooses to do as it were a project, one could start and
finish. But branding, the process, through which a cohesive enduring,
impressive of a business, in this case Nigeria is formed in the minds of our
audience (external public). Branding never ends, it is ongoing in every
interaction. Hence, the need of this paper presentation is to reveal the
powerful role of Public relations in rebranding Nigeria, to rejuvenate Nigeria
Bastardized image, among others, encourage investment and partnership that will
aggravate developmental growth in both human resource and infrastructure
facilities, all to make Nigeria a country to reckon with in the committee of
Nations.
The
Nigerian government attributes the inability of the country to attract
sufficient foreign investments and tourists, in spite of her vast potentials,
to the negative image of the country before the international community. The
average Nigerian is perceived as a criminal or fraudster anywhere he/she goes
around the world while Nigeria and Nigerians are considered unsafe to do
business with.
In
order to correct the negative image of the nation and its debilitating
consequences, the federal government has since 2004 embarked on a number of
projects aimed at launching the image of the country. The first was the
“Nigeria Image Project” launched in July, 2004 by Chief Chukwuemeka Chikelu as
Minister of Information and National Orientation. In July 2005, Mr. Frank Nweke
Jnr. had taken over from Chief Chikelu and launced the “Heart of Africa” (HOA)
project to replace Chief Chikelu’s pet project. In February 2009, Professor
Dora Akunyili the new Minister for Information launched the “Rebranding Nigeria
Project” as the new weapon to win the image war. But what is branding? What is
Re-branding Nigeria Project all about? What are the conditions for the
successful rebranding of Nigeria? This study will attempt to provide systematic
and logical answers to these questions.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE
PROBLEM
The image of Nigeria as a nation has been negative over the
years. In this era of growth in technology and globalization, international
relation is a great asset to a nation. When people from a country are being
branded thieves, fraudsters and dis-honest, a big barer is created between the
country and other parts of the world, and development is reduced (Ogbonnaya,
2009).
The rise in internet fraud, corruption, terrorism and tribal
killing in Nigeria is alarming. Recently, the country was branded a terrorist
nation by the United States (Adams, 2011). All these issues coupled with the
in-ability of the mass media to effectively readdress these issues and re-brand
the nation are of great concern to patriotic Nigerians who are being affected
every day.
For
so many years, various governments have made attempts at rebranding the bad
image of Nigeria. It is not thoughtless to say the role of the media especially
the broadcast media in re-branding Nigeria cannot be underestimated considering
its wide coverage and its lasting impact on the mind of viewers and listeners
compared to other media.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main aim of the study is to critically assess the role of
the mass media in rebranding Nigeria. Specific objectives of the study are:
1.
To find out the image perception of
Nigeria by other nations.
2.
To identify which area of the Nigeria
society needs rebranding
3.
To assess the role of the media in
rebranding Nigeria
4.
To examine the role NTA has played in
rebranding Nigeria.
5.
To determine the impact of TV programmes
aimed at rebranding Nigeria.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In
order to achieve stated objectives for the study and guide the study
accordingly, the following research questions were formulated:
1. How
does other nations of the world perceive Nigeria’s image (good or bad)?
2. Which
facet of the Nigeria needs rebranding the most?
3. What
is the role of the media in rebranding Nigeria?
4. What
has being the role of NTA in rebranding Nigeria?
5.
What is the impact of TV programmes
aimed at rebranding Nigeria?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
STUDY
The study will enlighten public officials on how the
re-branding campaign can be effectively carried out. With the reviving trend of
Globalization and the breaking down of international barrier of trade,
competition for consumers and inward investment; Countries especially Nigeria
need to be repositioned to meet this challenge, and hence encourage internal
acceptance for economic trade partnership and investment opportunities.
This study will further illustrate how using TV programs that
markets the great potentials of Nigeria and her people as part of a marketing
mix to create the desired image around the brand (Nigeria) can be implemented
and made possible. And how other stakeholders such as her public, International
Communities, business partners can partner without a second thought.
This
will also help other researchers to further investigate on other aspects that
this research might not be able to cover.
The
research will be of benefit to the government to learn from public opinion of
the respondents on what is needed to be done and what other plans the
government can do to renew the Nigerian image.
Academically,
the study will form an extension of knowledge to the academic study for future
researchers.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study will focus on the assessment of the role of the
mass media in the re-branding of Nigeria, using NTA, Uyo as a case study. All
findings from the study may not reflect the true and bias view of other TV
stations and programs in Nigeria as the researcher could not cover a wider
area.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE
STUDY
However,
there cannot be thorough research without fund. Thus, the lack of funds poses
as a limitation to this work; also, time factor is included because the issue
of combining lecture with research is not an easy task.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Role: This
is the function or responsibilities expected of mass media (Nigeria Television
Authority) to play in renewing the Nigerian image.
Mass
Media: These are means of communicating to
large, scatter and heterogeneous audience used in renewing the Nigerian image.
NTA: Nigeria
Television Authority
Image: An image can be described as the
impression, feeling or opinion, which somebody has, about an organization.
Rebranding:
Rebranding is a strategy in which
a new name, term, symbol, design, or combination thereof is created for an
established brand
with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of
consumers, investors, and competitors.
TV: Television
Television program: This refers to a segment of content intended for broadcast
on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring
series.
REFERENCES
·
Adams,
Nossiter (2011). "Nigerians Vote in Presidential Election".
The New York Times. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
·
Bidemi
Osunbiyi, Advertising Principles & Practice, ( Lagos: Sholak rinting Press,
2001) P.47
·
Ogbonnaya
C (2009): The media organization: Enugu: (UNICEF) Public paper.