Nigeria’s image crisis: drivers, efforts and prospects

ABSTRACT

Nigeria is bedeviled by myriads of socio-economic and politico-security problems. These crises have been the crux of much debate, with the pendulum swinging from both internal to external handlings of the country’s interests. However, the debate about the impact of these problems on the country’s image climate is still ongoing. Thus, this paper provides a succinct picture of Nigeria’s image in the Fourth Republic by identifying the salient motivations for Nigeria’s ‘falling’ image and underscores the efficacy of government efforts to redeem it. The study applies a qualitative research method. After a critical review of data collected mainly from secondary sources, the study discovers leadership failure with an incongruous modernism to the followership’s behavioural attitudes, and overwhelming rate of corruption as the major manifesting factors that are dampening Nigeria’s image. It argues that the instrumentality of implementation of government’s efforts is in a state of vacillation. The paper concludes that there is need to build a symbiotic relationship between the Nigerian political leaders and followers (citizens) upon the infallible foundations of trust, integrity, patriotism and unyielding spirit of nationalism, with the aim of establishing strong structures and viable institutions. This requires the culture and paraphernalia of good governance.

KEYWORDS:

• Corruption
• good governance
• national interest
• nigeria’s image
• political leadership

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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Notes on contributors

Michael B. Aleyomi

Michael B. Aleyomi hold a PhD in Political Science. He is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Federal University Oye, Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria. His research interests include foreign policy and diplomacy, psephology, image building, and environmental politics.