Rebranding country is not for money-making - Akunyili

Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili has said in Abuja, that "Re-branding Nigeria Image" project was not a money-making venture.

Akunyili made the clarification at a forum to initiate the project to replace the former image project, Heart of Africa.

She said: " I want to assure Nigerians that this is not a money-making venture. If money was my goal and I say it with all sincerity, I would have stuck with the Heart of Africa project, since it was mainly overseas oriented.

"I would have planned trips to countries, pick my allowances and have few hours meeting with Nigerians and foreigners, pay courtesy calls to information ministers, have photo sessions, take some rest and maybe do a little shopping. "But I have chosen the tedious option of evolving a home-grown branding which will involve all Nigerians."

Akunyili maintained that the Heart of Africa, just as past projects as Green Revolution and Vision 2000, failed to achieve their desired objectives due to a lack of public support.

Akunyili said: "Heart of Africa could not fly for many reasons. The name was contentious as Malawi was the first to use that slogan.

"Many other African countries have laid claim to being the Heart of Africa. Secondly, it was launched overseas and that automatically disconnected the ordinary Nigerians.

"However, we are not going to throw away the baby with the bath water. We will incorporate all the positive aspects of the Heart of Africa and other government initiatives."

According to her, the new branding project will be cost effective, as the ministry will only make use of local consultants. "We also intend to get free publicity for our international audience through Nigeria private institutions," she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the focus of the Heart of Africa, started in 2004, was image management through campaign against negative stereotypes.

In 2008, the project, which is domiciled in the Ministry of Information, received N300 million budget. The House Committee Chairman on Information and National Orientation, Mr. Dino Melaye, lamented the waste of billions of naira in the Heart of Africa project by past administrations.

"I had told the minister during the defense of the Ministry's budget last month that we are not going to approve one naira for the Heart of Africa project. "This is because billions of naira appropriated for the project in the past was used for travelling and tourism globally. "Domestic issues should have been tackled domestically. You have to tackle the problems in this country before you start gallivanting abroad," Melaye told NAN.

He gave an assurance that the committee would ensure that appropriate funds were provided for the new image project in the 2010 budget, after an appraisal of its performance this year.

Responding to the minister's address, the Director-General of NTA, Malam Usman Magawata, appealed for more government support, noting that the station was ready for the re-branding project.

"In NTA, we try to differentiate between national exposure and international appeal.Whatever that is not in the interest of Nigeria should not be for external consumption," he said.

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Messi hails Enyeama

 

Lionel Messi saluted a "phenomenal" display from Vincent Enyeama after the Nigeria goalkeeper produced the performance of his life to deny the Argentine forward in their Group B game on Saturday.

"The goalkeeper was phenomenal," Messi said after Argentina were limited to a 1-0 win over Nigeria at Ellis Park with Enyeama producing a series of tremendous saves to thwart the world player of the year.

"He takes all the credit. We played a great game today and created a lot of chances. We just couldn't get the second goal."

Enyeama said he needed to put on the performance of his life to deny Messi his first goal at the 2010 World Cup. Asked how he stopped Messi from scoring, Enyeama said: "God is my secret, just God. He made me calm."

Argentina's winner came from a corner which followed a superb Messi chip which Enyeama had palmed over.

Midway through the first half, in a trademark cut inside from the right, the little ace hit a curling shot to the far corner only for Enyeama to dive and turn the ball away.

Messi threatened again near the end of the half when he curled a lovely shot toward Enyeama's top right corner with the keeper again leaping to tip the ball wide.

And shortly before the end Enyeama denied Messi once more, blocking a close range shot after the Argentine forward found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, Pillar of Sports, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, gave kudos to the Eagles for a good fight, despite the loss to star-studded Argentina. He said the Eagles were graceful in defeat. "Nigerians should not lose hope. This team will improve," said the Pillar of Sports.

In a statement signed by Emeka Obasi, Special Assistant (Media) to Dr. Kalu, the former Abia State governor, lauded the boys' fighting spirit, and urged them to go for goals in subsequent matches.

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Lagerback explains Maradona snub

Nigeria head coach Lars Lagerback has explained why he didn't shake the hand of his counterpart, Argentina's Diego Maradona, after the match on Saturday.

Nigeria lost 1-0 to La Albiceleste at the Coca-Cola Park Stadium in Johannesburg and the Swede walked off-the-field without offering Maradona a handshake, a custom in soccer games, drawing conclusions from the media that he had been too upset with the loss or his players for the number of chances they missed in the second half.

"You can do that (shake hands) whenever you like. It doesn't have to be straight after the match. No, there was no reason why I didn't shake his hand," said Lagerback. "I have a lot of respect for him and it is not a problem for me shaking his hand," he said.

Turning his focus to the defeat, Lagerback said he was gutted, for the Super Eagles deserved a draw. "Of course I'm very disappointed but I was really impressed with my players, because they did very well against some of the best players in the world. We deserved a draw," he said.

Despite hailing his players' efforts, Lagerback admitted he felt they could have done better in dealing with Juan Veron's corner that picked Gabriel Heinze unmarked in the box to score Argentina's only goal with a diving header in the sixth minute.

"I have given my players a lot of credit for doing so well in dead-ball situations during the friendlies but the way games are played at this level is that if you lose concentration and don't mark players in the box you are going to be punished we were punished this time, otherwise I think we could have earned a draw, but we are not out of it yet," said Lagersback, whose side face Greece on June 17 in Bloemfontein in their next match.

Lagerback also defended the choice to start with Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi on Nigeria's left side of attack in place of a well-established Peter Odemwingie.

"We thought Obasi was the best player to play and that was the reason. I thought he did a very good first half but he got tired in the second half but he lived up to the expectation I had on him," he concluded.

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Eagles declare Greece must-win

Nigeria clashed with the Greeks at the 1994 World Cup with the Eagles running away with a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Finidi George and Daniel Amokachi.

"It's a must win for us against Greece," Osaze Odemwingie said after the 1-0 loss to Argentina.

"I'm very positive. If we could just concede a goal against the big Argentina attack, it should be easier for us against the other teams. We just have to keep our concentration and score goals. We're now a bigger threat than we were at the Nations Cup in Angola."

Odemwingie, who admitted he was shocked to be dropped to the bench for the Argentina match, disclosed he will be a lot more selfish in front of goal after he failed to make hay during a quick counter attack late in the game.

"I was thinking of passing the ball when I should have shot at goal. The way Obafemi Martins was shouting on me to pass to him the ball, I thought he was in a better position. I lost concentration and the chance," he said. "Next time, I will just go for goal."

"We will get better by the next game and show the real Nigerian team. We only need to do a little more against Greece to win and we will be back in contention," added Nigeria skipper Joseph Yobo, who also came face-to-face with Argentina at the 2002 World Cup.

Man of the match against Argentina, goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, said Nigeria will be aiming for maximum points against Greece and Korea so as to make it past the first round of the tournament.

"I see no problems in us beating Korea and Greece and I think we will qualify quite easily," predicted Enyeama, who said he would have readily traded his heroics against the South Americans for the three points at stake at the weekend.

"Now the most important thing is to look towards the next game on Thursday against Greece and go on to win it," added Nigeria coach, Lars Lagerback.

Meanwhile, Taye Taiwo has said that he only suffered a cramp, which forced him to quit the Argentina match in the closing stages, but will be available for the game against Greece.

Taiwo appeared to have hurt his ankle when he fired a shot at Sergio Romero's goal, which missed target narrowly, but at the same time he also kicked the ground.

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Ibori's bail revoked, re-arrested in Dubai

Former Delta State governor James Ibori has been arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates after the revocation of the bail he was earlier granted by a court.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has submitted "overwhelming evidence" to the Dubai authorities to show that Ibori is a fugitive from justice in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government had earlier protested the bail granted the former governor in Dubai and threatened to withdraw the operational licence of the Emirates airline.

Ibori was rearrested by the authorities in Dubai after his sister, Christine Ibie-Ibori, and his mistress, Udoamakaa Okoronkwo-Onuigbo, were jailed in the United Kingdom for mortgage fraud and money laundering, among other offences.

Ibori's re-arrest is said to be preparatory to his extradition to Britain to answer charges of money laundering levelled against him.

After his first arrest in Dubai, the London Metropolitian Police said in a statement that Ibori was arrested at the United Kingdom's request on suspicion of money-laundering and conspiracy to defraud.

The Met added that they are seeking extradition though the EFCC are reported to have also requested his extradition to Nigeria where he is to answer corruption charges.

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