Good piece Rudolf, here are some matters arising from the magic wand to rebrand Nigeria as you have proposed:
* Dora is like a lame duck in the position she finds herself today. However her rebranding Nigeria project is a testimony of her doggedness to make giant strides against all odds. We are living witnesses of her efforts at NAFDAC. But her new effort is too herculean because the system she tries to change will no doubt oppose her gravely. She is surrounded by unrepentant corrupt cabals (same people who put her there) Can she wither the odd this time? It remains to be seen!
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* Rebranding Nigeria as suggested by your piece no doubt goes beyond propaganda and wastage of public money on image laundering. Cleansing of these ilks that got us here is the real rebranding we need, but who will lead the pack? Dora? *
Nigerians have been reduced to a beggarly people in the midst of plenty. These cabals, by no means intentionally do everything within their reach to maintain the status-quo. By providence almost each family in Nigeria has one of them as brother, in-law, friends etc. This makes it imperative to mass mobilize and educate the people to know that the wealth of the nation is suppose to go round rather than in the hands of a select few, while the majority struggle for crumbs the crooks wish to throw around. This has to change. Who will bring about this CHANGE? Dora??
* Forfeiture of assets, imprisonment or outright execution of all the wolves that left the nation backward and her people poor. Good ideas, may sound too extreme in this day and age. But given these cabals we know, throwing them into Prison may not be a good idea afterall. I say this because in our very before one of them has been to prison and back, yet no iota of change. He got worse when given a second chance to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians. Who will lead this desired rebellion? Dora???
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* The concept of State of origin and Federal Character arose because there is no true Federalism. If the foundation on which the nation stands is strengthened, the centre weakened while the federating States are empowered, the rush to the centre will fizzle away. Dora’s Rebranding Nigeria Project cannot achieve this. This requires: a fundamental policy change, implementation of the constitutional proviso, a Nigeria run by a visionary and principled leader. Maybe Dora, as President??
* Corruption remains the bane of Nigeria’s under-development, borne out of insatiable human desire to get rich quick; but worsened by the system that has failed to provide exemplary leadership at the head, so that the followership can follow suit. Policemen on the road, collect bribe from motorist and other road users because their bosses at the office expect returns. The defenseless road user gives ignorantly sometimes because he wants to avoid being killed by the trigger happy policeman who is suppose to protect him. What a society? Can Dora rebrand this menace??? On a final note, I must admit that Dora has opened an important discourse here. As we strive to rebrand Nigerian, one clear fact remains, those steering the ship are the same pack that got us where we are today. So for any meaningful Change, rebranding, etc, (no matter the nomenclature) to take place we have to get these bunch out of the way. How we do this, who leads the rebellion, when it does happen are the mind boggling questions. The masses that have been short-changed should be mobilized to take their destiny in their own hands. May be we can find a Jerry Rawlings among the oppressed masses. Or could Dora be the Nigeria’s Jerry Rawlings? Time will tell. S. Fubara
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