Journalists tasked on promotion of Nigeria’s image home, abroad
Ferdinand Anikwe, the Director-General, Centre for Blacks and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), has advised Nigerian journalists to always write reports that will positively project the country’s corporate image both within and outside its shores.
The DG made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Lagos office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recently.
He said that some reports written by some Nigerian reporters on Nigeria in local and international media were usually very degrading and done in bad light.
“They did not positively promote the corporate image of the country and this should not be,’’ he said.
He said that journalists from other countries usually protected their home countries by writing positive reports about them for both their home based and foreign media organisations.
“When we travel to other countries, we read stories in their newspapers presenting positive values about such countries. They do not degrade or demean their leaders and policies embarked upon by their home governments. That is the type of reports that Nigerian journalists should be writing about our country and government,’’ Anikwe said.
According to him, when foreign investors want to invest in Nigeria, they will use such positive reports as part of the reasons for choosing Nigeria among other competing countries.
The CBAAC D-G said that other countries always rated Nigeria high because of the quality of people that had represented the country at international conferences, meetings and peace missions abroad.
“So, for Nigerian patriotism to follow the right track, our journalists must play their cardinal and fundamental roles of positively promoting it before the international community.
“Most African countries looked up to Nigeria for policy formulation and implementation and the country must continue to play its leading role by dictating the pace in Africa.
“God has given Nigeria the role of setting agenda for the continent and Nigeria must continue to play that role in all its ramifications,’’ he said.
Anikwe also called on the relevant regulatory agencies, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Press Council (NPC), to always ensure that media houses write reports that were positive about the country.
They should be involved in close monitoring and moderation of stories and reports emanating from media houses about the country, he said.
Dele Bodunde, Director and Managing Editor/ Head of Editorial Service received the CBAAC D-G and his team on behalf of NAN, Lagos management.
Bodunde said that NAN was leading in disseminating factual and timely reports about Nigeria, Africa and the world.