PSEUDO IMAGE LAUNDERING

Psesudo Image Presentation: A Common Manifestation in Under-Developed and Developing Nations.

In June 1979 at a time when Germany was successfully thriving as a nation – they still are; former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt of West Germany made this comment about his country

“German isn’t a world power. It doesn’t wish to become a world power”

That statement sounds sober and self deprecatory. But it’s not a false statement.

In August of the same year, during the “Thank You Tour” of General Oluasegun Obasanjo to Ogun state. He said,

“Nigeria will become one of the ten leading nations of the world by the end of the century”

I believe the end of that century was the year 1999. See where Nigeria still is now. Its visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that Nigeria is not even on the list of top 50 nations of the world.

This problem of false image presentation is one key issue in under-developed and developing nations. Instead of admitting who they are, they deceive themselves or the populace by portraying themselves in a manner that doesn’t befits them. Its like an hungry man chorusing that he has surplus to eat. Perhaps this strategy has been employed by many African leaders and most under-developed and developing nation leaders just to simply shut the mouth of their citizenry.

Have you observed that developed nation don’t chorus their successes as poor or underdeveloped nations do? Its seems the proverb, “An empty barrel makes the loudest noise” is the best way to describe such act. Under-developed and developing nation leaders are very flamboyantly comfortable with presenting psesudo image of their country to the international community. Government in developed nations leave their citizenry to praise them when they must have seen the progress they’re making with their own eyes. Its not same in third world nations; before excecuting any project, they would have made all the noise and announcement. Despite this, the project either fails, is abandoned or doesn’t address any concerns of the populace.

The ruling elites of most third world countries live in a world of make-believe and unrealistic expectations. Its the belief that someday, without any efforts on their path, a trailer of goodies will arrive at their doorstep with all they’ve ever dreamt of possessing. In Nigeria, people that subscribe to such mentality mostly confess the phase, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. They say this to console themselves that there are better days ahead or to pacify others to be patient with the present administration. Chinua Achebe said, “Listen to Nigeria leaders and you will frequently hear them say, this great country of ours but Nigeria isn’t yet a great nation”; third world nations leaders do that too. While poverty, diseases and insecurity is ravaging their communities, they still tell the world that all is fine with their country.

Recently, despite all the killings and insecurity issues in Nigeria, the vice president went to the US to say some of what they read about Nigeria are false information. He was literally saying, “Nigeria is very fine.”; everyone knows Nigeria is on fire. Little or no progress has been made in recent times. Hunger, insecurity, kidnappings and unemployment has taken over the land in recent times. But Mr. VP said we’re fine. Nigeria cannot solve her problem if she isn’t sincere with herself.

When the first tenure of President Buhari was drawing it curtains, he praised his cabinet for putting an end to the Boko Haram insurgency in their time. Shortly after this even the Boko Haram he claimed to have defeated struck again in the North Eastern part of the nation. Should we say there’s is a spirit of falsehood resident in Aso Rock?

I wish to keep giving various examples of how Nigerian leaders have projected the nation so high like we’re a member of the G7 nations when we are still battling with third world nations challenges.

Third world leaders especially those in my native country must stop all these false presentation of their nations before the world. It is one of the reason why accountability is still an issue in African politics. There’s nothing wrong in telling the citizens the real state of the nation. If we don’t stop calling black for other people as white, we will still be where we are; wailing about a failed government.