The CNN wahala

NWEKE’S CONTRACT WITH CNN


It has been said time and time again that East or West, home is the best-but it seems the Nigerian government or should I say image laundry men in government are continuously unaware of this long held fact.
Yesterday, I had a good laugh when I heard that the Nigerian government through Frank Nweke has cancelled its contract with cable news service, CNN. I had a good laugh because Nweke and co just woke up to the reality that nobody can love you more that your self.
I am one of those who believe strongly in Nigeria, Nigerians and our ever present Nigerian spirit. I laughed, not joyously but sadly because of this monumental disservice that Nweke and many other ministers before him have done to Nigeria.
What do I mean? I have been in the business of journalism for over 10 years and I am well aware of the billions that the governments have paid to image contractors and foreign media organizations to “clean up” our image. This phenomenon has continued for years and for Nweke, he is just waking up to the reality that no foreigner would have your interest at heart. For them it is just business.
All over the world today we have Nigerian-owned media organizations that are doing fantastic image building job for Nigerians and Africans, how many of them did Nweke sign a contract with?
Let me be more specific. Late last year, I was in London and Nweke was in town to launch his Heart of Africa project, after the launch which was done amidst protests by a rights group, he appeared on Ben TV. For those who do not know, Ben TV is owned by a young, hard-working Nigerian, Alistair Soyode. I know him very well. He is one million times passionate about Nigeria that any CNN exec can be. So despite the protests at the venue which as usual, I picked up in the local press, BEN TV chose to show the exciting side of the event and followed it up with a live show. Incase Nweke does not know Ben TV, is the most watched station by Nigerians and other black people in Western Europe, I have received calls from England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Belgium, France and even as far as Sweden on a programme. The reach of this station is massive, so when you launch a project to sell Nigeria to its Diaspora and desire to conscientize them, I believe, BEN TV should on merit be a No.1 beneficiary. BEN TV I am aware is struggling, the young man has been struggling with huge bills to keep that dream alive and I am sure that some of that money poured on all those unfriendly stations would have helped to propel the Ben TV dream. Is anyone reading!

A few years back, Raymond Dokpesi began an ambitious world news project on satellite, he entered the US and wanted to use that platform to build a strong voice for Nigeria and Africa, that dream is going extinct because the federal government and the state governments will choose to patronize foreign stations. Imagine The Cross River State Government selling TINAPA, its business project, on South Africa-based Super Sports!

Another example, Thisday, the brainchild of whiz kid of modern journalism, Nduka Obaigbena began its operations in South Africa As usual with Nduka, he started big. The whole idea for Thisday International was to sell Nigeria. That project has since died because he had no support from a few people, Nweke not included.
Imagine the mileage that Nigeria would have had with a Nigerian brand like Thisday on the world stage. Even at that, how many local papers where signed up for this project, in case Oga Minister does not know, the web service of these papers Thisday, Guardian, Punch, Leadership, Vanguard, The News etc are widely read by millions daily. How many got a piece of this action?.
Talking of the web, we have very powerful Nigerian-run sites that are doing well and just need the kind of financial muscle that Nweke is throwing at CNN and co to move to the next level. www.thetimesofnigeria.com, www.elendureports.com, www.odili.com, www.amana.com and www.nigeriawolrd.com to mention a few. Has our government not seen what Al Jazeera is doing? Its English service is now a major force in world news. This thing is not by magic, it is all about planning. I am sure that if the government is really serious about this project, which I doubt, then these simple things would have been known to them.
Let’s go to Ovation Magazine, this magazine has been on for ten years, Dele Momodu, the man who was angered by the terrible news slant of the western press to establish a magazine to celebrate Africa has virtually been a lone ranger. This is one magazine that has a potential to be Ebony, it is a magazine you cannot resist, all it needs is that kind of advert support that heart of Africa project is throwing at foreign media. Imagine the retainership the government has with Amb. Andrew Young and Carl Masters’ Goodwill International, 100 million or so dollars a year for image boosting .Yet I am aware that not a cent of that amount has been paid to any Nigerian-owned organization at home or abroad.
Nweke should learn from this experience, the heart of Africa can only be preached by Africans and most especially Nigerians. We have to begin to believe and invest in our own people. All these Nigerian-owned organizations that I have mentioned employ a lot of Nigerians; they affect many Nigerian families financially not the CNNs of this world. Even the Holy Bible says we should love our neighbours as ourselves not more than ourselves. Enough of what Fela aptly called Colomentality.

The dream

I see a Nigeria where Obasanjo and Atiku would be inconsequential, A Nigeria where electricity flows 24seven, a Nigeria where our billions will bring smiles to the generality of the populace like UAE. A Nigeria where any form of corruption is abolished, A Nigeria where medoicrity has given way to meritocracy.......Ha Ha was just a dream but a sweet dream all the same.