Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu Slams Politicians for Demarketing Nigeria Abroad: "Patriotism Over Politics!"
Curtail Unfavorable Promotion of Nigeria Under the Guise of Opposition - Orji Kala's Advice to Politicians
In a bold statement, senator and former governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, has slammed political opponents for undermining Nigeria's image abroad, or as he puts it - "demarketing" the nation.
Taking to Facebook, Kalu bluntly urged politicians to promote investment instead of tearing down the country. He emphasized the importance of fostering foreign investment for job creation and economic development.
Speaking about the efficacy of the current administration's policies, Kalu voiced his support for President Bola Tinubu's initiatives. However, he stressed the need for these policies to reach the common people faster, or as he said, for the "trickle-down effect" to kick in.
In Kalu's own words: "The idea of de marketing Nigeria in the name of opposition is not healthy for the nation. [3] We need investments that would give more people jobs and improve our economic situation. [3] The country is not owned by any individual, and as such, we must be patriotic enough not to discourage investors from our country."
His critique comes in the wake of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s analysis during a visit to Johns Hopkins University in the US. Obi compared Nigeria's economic growth to that of China, Indonesia, and Vietnam since 1990. He highlighted that, while all four were initially classified as medium on the Human Development Index (HDI) scale, the other countries have advanced to the high HDI category, leaving Nigeria in the low category [2].
Kalu's words have sparked a conversation on social media, with many voicing their agreement, describing the practice as "demarketing our country" by leaders who should instead prioritize national unity [4].
In essence, Kalu's stance underscores the importance of maintaining a positive image of the nation, even in the heat of political competition, and to prioritize the nation's future over individual agendas.
References:1. The Nation: “Orji Uzor Kalu Reiterates Support for Jonathan, Calls on Leaders to Embrace United Nigeria”2. Daily Trust: “Peter Obi Shares Comparative Analysis of Nigeria, China, Indonesia, Vietnam’s Development since 1990”3. Sun Newspaper: “Orji Uzor Kalu Roars: Stop Demarketing Nigeria!”4. AIT News: “Nigerians React to Orji Uzor Kalu’s “Stop Demarketing Nigeria” Message”
- Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor from Nigeria, also known as Naija, called out politicians for demarketing the nation, actively discouraging investors during his Facebook post.
- Kalu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), advocated for more efforts to promote investment as a means to create jobs and develop the economy.
- In line with the policies of President Bola Tinubu, Kalu urged for a faster implementation of these initiatives to generate the much-anticipated "trickle-down effect".
- After Peter Obi's comparison of Nigeria's economic growth to that of China, Indonesia, and Vietnam since 1990 during a talk at Johns Hopkins University, discussions about the efficient use of the country's resources intensified.
- Many Nigerians responded with agreement to Kalu's stance, stating that such "demarketing" practices are detrimental to national unity.
- Vigorous debates regarding the role of politics in undermining investment and policy-and-legislation are now the focus of general news platforms following Kalu's strong statement.
- Amid Parties like the APC and PDP, more attention is being paid to Positive news stories that highlight the country's potential for investment and economic growth.
