Rebuilding Nigeria’s image: Beyond Kemi Badenoch’s criticism

WEDNESDAY COLUMN BY USSIJU MEDANER

info@medaner.com, justme4justice@yahoo.com

A lot of us got mad regardless of the side we have aligned with at the unguarded, disparaging and destructive statements about Nigeria made by the UK opposition party leader, Kemi Badenoch. This is becoming one negative public relation too much, coming at the heel of a similar negative presentation of the country outside its shores by Davido not too long ago. It appears Nigerians, are now hating the country well enough to not care about the preached ongoing prospect of healing and restoration of sanctity; or we have become too blinded by our unhealthy affiliations to tribal, religion and political groups that we would readily malign the country anywhere to discredit our perceived enemies.
I have no intention of taking sides; in fact, we are at a point where laying out the true positions of issues and our readiness to accept, reflect on, and respond effectively to the truth are the only way to reposition the country on the path of admirable growth and development and stop the negative trends of Nigerians having the urge to disparage Nigeria. In this piece, I intend to do an objective, unbiased analytics of the unexpected narration about the country by Kemi Badenoch, her ancestry notwithstanding. Though it is pathetic such magnitude of negativities about the country Nigeria is coming from such a personality.
Kemi Badenoch’s disparaging remarks about Nigeria are alarming, considering her Nigerian heritage. As the UK’s opposition party leader, her words carry significant weight. Born to Nigerian parents, Badenoch spent her childhood in Lagos and later moved to the UK. Her experiences have likely shaped her perspectives, but her criticism seems misguided. Her outspoken stance and controversial views on issues as they affect Nigeria is unbecoming and polarized considering the fact that she denied institutional racism in her own country of choice in the same speech. It is obvious that on one part, her privileged background and UK-focused politics may have disconnect her from Nigeria’s everyday realities and fuel her wrong and unfair summary of Nigeria, and on the other part, her desire to proof her commitment to the United Kingdom was taken overboard by the attempt to separate herself from Nigeria. Whatever it is, it is unfortunate for her and her siblings that they would get to the point when they would see this country the way their daughter chose to describe it. History would remind them hopefully later.
For Badenoch, she made a terrible mistake that would punctuate her political growth sooner than later. Her miscalculated attempt to woo the British populace with her built prejudiced disposition and racism towards Africa and mostly Nigeria, would definitely be her undoing and major opposition campaign story against her when the time comes. We saw Obama fully identified with his African root, visited his grandmother and ancestral country to show solidarity. Rishi Sunak is from India; at no time did he consider it politically profitable to disparage the country to woo favor of the British populace. She forgot the Britain need Africa and more importantly Nigeria more than they need her and whatever she thought she possess to offer; she played to the hands of reporters who have seen her vulnerability and exploring it. .
Funny enough, in her myopic submission, she stereotyped the Nigeria Police Force, claiming to be a direct victim of the corruption in the system, while praising the British police for been above stain. Yet, just recently, a MET Police officer was arrested for stealing money from a distressed person who collapsed in the street in 2022 while in a business trip to the UK. The world knows well enough the corrupt story of the same Police institution back in the days all until the early 20s when reforms began to insert some level of sanity. She complained of Nigeria Police, what will she say about the United States Police Force?
I rather would have expected to see the history of contributions made by these elements who are now taking the front seat to use all opportunities to discredit the country capacities to be trusted, to the redesigning of the country’s many dilapidating systems. I can’t say of any coming from any of them; not Kemi Badenoch and definitely not Davido. This is just as it has become peculiar to Nigerians, of all works of life to use their capacities to talk negatives and propagate negatives about the country to amaze popularities and gain supports from home and abroad. The media now sees this same trend as the best means to boast patronage and sales, activists are now having booming recognition on the back of capacity to do the same and self-made human right lawyers are now having booming enterprise searching for all the negatives to spread about the country. Unfortunately, we also have acclaimed statesmen, and political offices seekers, going abroad to enjoy audiences where they lay out organized negatives about their country.
We all agreed, I have never pretended not to know. I have written all about it and suggest many action pathways to rid the country of these many challenges. Nigeria faces numerous challenges, including corruption, economic stagnation, and social inequality. Our country’s struggles are reflected in its ranking in global indices, such as transparency and human development reports. We don’t need to broadcast it to the world; rather, we should none relentlessly continue to preach the working of policies and actions that are in place to redress our problems. It is equally obvious that the current administration is aware of the dilapidated state of the national systems and is doing all it takes, acting beyond the normal to correct majority of these errors. I would have expected someone like Kemi Badenoch to recognize the strength of the ongoing fuel subsidy removal, Naira floating policy, local government autonomy and unprecedented infrastructural development, among others as basis for judging and appraising the country
We must also realize that Nigeria is not alone in these challenges. Globally, countries are grappling with similar issues; corruption has become a pervasive problem affecting almost every nation of the world. It is undermining institutions in almost every country. Find it difficult to name one country that is free, and you would realize how wrong Nigerians are washing their dirty linens outside. The United State of America president-elect has been convicted of corruption recently; the Israeli Prime Minister is currently in court on corruption charges, and so are many other leaders and citizens of countries, the world over. Not limited to corruption, economic inequality is a troubling concern grown exponentially worldwide as the globe sees the wealthy and opportune accumulating more power, wealth and influence at the expense of the poor and downtrodden who are getting poorer and more relegated. This is as social unrest is engulfing nations and societies across the globe. Wars, protests and demonstrations are on the increase, driven by the same factors everywhere; dissatisfaction with governance and economic conditions. I don’t have to list countries on fire and under threat of ongoing of probable insecurities, wars and demonstration; they are literarily everywhere.
What I have seen with other countries as they deal with their internal problems is so educative. Israelis are consummating their dealing with other country as a very united country, fighting as one country on many fronts and yet, at home, dealing with their internal challenges, including corruption within them. No way, a single Israeli would come outside the country to disparage the nation. Imagine all the dirty on the American President-elect, Donald Trump, all the corruption waging against officials and politicians in the country, America is still presented as the best by Americans to the world; but believe me there are as many internal tensions if not more in America as it is in Nigeria.
It is only here that we see things differently. It is only here in Nigeria that we don’t recognize that all the divisions we created would ultimately be our undoing as a nation. It is only here that we enjoy popularities that come from uncouth free speeches. That we would never get our problems solved as long as we continue to hold on to the many jingoisms and desires for self and group. I think we must get to the point, and now when we would all accept the patriotic responsibility of protecting Nigeria integrity as a collective effort.
We should get to the point where no one, within or outside our shores would have the audacity to speak ill of our commonwealth. This would require us to begin to do the right by this country. It would those in position of leaderships to show accountabilities through effective governance and open anti-corruption measures beyond the rhetoric of the present. On the part of the citizens, holistic citizens’ engagement demonstrated by active participations in the entire national development processes, non-negotiable demand for accountability, and unanimous desires to promote national unity by our predispositions.
Readiness from all quarters to do the needful would set the pace for the beginning of the changes that would address our challenges. It is on the built ground of readiness by all parties that we will have a chance at seen our institutional reforms work, strengthening our failing institutions, promoting transparency, and enforcing accountability. It is only then that we will be ripe to see the fruit of economic diversifications, via massive private sector growth, huge investment in infrastructure and fertile ground for entrepreneurship spread and growth. When we got to that point, the social investment packages already in existence would begin to produce results for the country, education would be enhanced, healthcare would become affordable and available, and Nigerians would enjoy social welfare programs. More importantly, that is the only time we would be able to constitute a result-yielding national dialogue, to foster inclusive discussions to address the national religion, social and ethnic tensions.
Rather than airing negatives, we should focus on solutions. The current administration has implemented measures like fuel subsidy removal, Naira floating policy, and local government autonomy. We must build upon these efforts through collective responsibility, recognizing that Nigeria’s challenges are not unique. Globally, countries are struggling with similar issues as ours.
Badenoch has the audacity to talk down on our Commonwealth because she sees us doing the same to ourselves everyday. Davido just returned back from going to blackened the name of the country overseas; our politicians are busYou are saying all the negatives about Nigeria, and it’s systemic at all, given opportunities to gain both national and international recognitions. So how can we blame a woman who has already rejected her citizenship of our country doing the same to us? We have always been our problems and people won’t see us less than we see ourselves.
Other countries address internal problems unitedly. Nigerians must recognize divisions as detrimental. By working together, we promote a positive image globally and address Nigeria’s challenges.
GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA!