*Says ‘We can travel safely to Kaduna from Abuja by road’
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
As advocacy for Nigerians, against those that for reason of self interest fall for international conspiracies to run down the government and entity of their own country, is becoming more a reality the need to tell their own national story by themselves, some outspoken citizens have taken up the duty of doing so.
No-nonsense Lauretta Onochie is among those at the front seat in this business as she continues to tell the world and citizens locally, who care to listen, that from the global perspective economically, socially and security wise, Nigeria is still far better.
Onochie, a Digital and Social Media Aide to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in a latest post on her Facebook social media timeline Friday night, corroborated the reality on ground in the country with a TikTok video clip – titled “Americans Hide the truth” – of a youth engagement held in America.
At the event, one of the discussants made submissions that comfortably and verifiably place the burden of true Africanism, and more specifically Nigerianism, on African (largely Nigeria) Journalists.
From the submissions, which elicited lots of applauses during the discourse, Nigeria passes for a better in terms of security, economy and socio-cultural existence than the United States of America. This is except that citizens of the Africa’s largest economy would need to go and see beyond the impediments that nationalism suffers due to religious bigotism, ethnic jingoism and artificial sabotage that make the country look like worst in the world.
According to the unnamed discussant, “This world is all about branding and marketing. The number one branders in the university is the United States. They made United States seem like it’s the best place in the world to be. It’s land of the free, home of the brave. I go there to find and chase my dreams.
“We have to be able to tell our stories; directors, filmmakers, entertainers. It’s going to be clearly, and the press, it’s going to be your job to redefine how people think about Africa. Because you are here, you see what’s going on. You clearly can see in a vivid picture the good, the bad and the ugly. What you choose to put out there is what the world is going to get.
“Because I can tell you, right now in Chicago alone, there is more people dying in Chicago than there was in the war in Iraq. But you will never see them.
“There is a lot of things that is happening in the US that you never see, because they choose to show you what they want you to see.
“Well, it’s about country integrity. You have a certain reputation you have to keep. No one puts their family business out into the street.
“One of the problems we have in Africa is that, when something happens, the press is quick to put out negative energy and quick to put out negative story. And then that story goes on to internet and then other broadcasting systems take it,” he sadly expressed.
Going further, Lauretta Onochie also provided another video on Nigerian side to show that even the route in the country, much-mouthed to be the worst at risk in terms of security and safety, Abuja-Kaduna road, is safe and that road users can now travel safely along the corridor without any fear of attacks. That is the latest reality in Nigeria although, sadly too, some Nigerians still go on radio, television and internet to scream ‘the problem of insecurity particularly on road that connects Kaduna with nation’s capital is dominant nated by terrorists’.
That justified the America’s youth engagement discussant’s position about why Africans, especially both Nigerian citizens and media practitioners, should see it as natural responsibility to watch and choose what they show or want the world to see of their country because, from interpretation, Africa or Nigeria remains a better place in the comity of nations.
In the post, titled, “YES, WE CAN SAFELY TRAVEL TO KADUNA FROM ABUJA BY ROAD”, the Presidential Aide said:
“Recently, unpatriotic Nigerians have been screaming on national television that Nigeria is unsafe and insecure. When asked to back their claim they retort, “Can you travel to Kaduna from Abuja?
“Although it’s not true that Nigerians cannot get to Kaduna from Abuja, its also preposterous to claim that Nigeria, a nation with 8 cities of more than a million people, 81 cities with between 100,000 and 1 million people, 248 cities with between 10,000 and 100,000 people, Hundreds of towns and villages, hamlets and farm settlements, etc., is unsafe because there were issues on Abuja/Kaduna Road. Please watch the video of busy Kaduna
“Can anyone deny that there’s criminality in Nigeria? Definitely no. But there are criminals in every nation and they do not consult their governments before they commit crimes. The difference is in how the government deals with crimes.
“In 2014, Nigerian girls were abducted from Chibok community. The government of the day said it was a scam meant to blackmail the then President. Consequently, valuable time was lost in efforts to recover the girls. Compare with the abduction of the Dapchi school girls, the way the Buhari Administration swung into action.
“The same Buhari government, is still bringing back the Chibok girls. But those who lost them, are now the current day security experts on national television. (Dem no go make heaven).
“A few weeks ago, the Chinese Ambassador, speaking to some young Nigerians, lamented the way the Nigerian media exaggerates the matters relating to security in Nigeria. He said that if the Chinese media reported that way, no one would come to China.
“But foreigners, inspite of the misleading reports that Nigeria is unsafe, continue to migrate in droves to our great nation, to invest and reside. Their Embassies and Missions in Nigeria, continue to encourage and inform them correctly and accurately.
“I do not know any other nation where lives are lost daily like the United States of America. Over 300 people are shot daily in America. About a third or around 110 of those shot, die daily. But their media market the United States as the nation next to heaven.
“We are the only ones on earth, who travel safely by road across Nigeria and then return home safely with our heads, still on our shoulders. Then we go on the social media to announce how Nigeria is unsafe. The lazy and armchair media, make it their headlines the next day.
“When you, as a Nigerian, sell your nation as a terrible place to live, you are a terrible person because You Are Nigeria. Consequently, you will reap what you sow. Bless Nigeria and be blessed. Curse her and you are cursed,” she said concluding with a prayer of “God bless Nigeria.”
