The Honourable Minister for Information and Communication Prof. Dora Akunyili has charged Nigeria media to be in the fore-front of the crusade of rebranding Nigeria.

Prof Akunyili who was speaking at the launching ceremony of her pet project "Re-branding of the Nigeria nation" in Asaba stressed the importance of blowing the nations trumpet very loud because nobody will do it for the nation.

She said it was important for the media to promote the positive aspect of the nation and play down on the negative side of the nation.

Prof Akunyili noted that the bad image Nigeria has been portrayed with was as a result of our attitude saying "If Nigerians are called bad names by the outside world it originated from what our media portrayed about us".

Explaining further, she said the bad image of Nigeria has gone unchallenged for long and as such the re-branding campaign is to correct the negative perception about Nigeria.

Prof. Akunyili stressed that re-branding was fundamental to our need as a people and that the project was anchored on institutional change re-orientation and re-discovering of cultural values.

"We have to believe in ourselves so that we can tell our story ourselves. Rebranding Nigeria is about us, it is our responsibility to present our country in positive light".

She argued that criminality was not peculiar to Nigeria as only heaven is free of criminals stressing that Nigerians should speak good about the country.

"Let us be kind when we are talking about our country. This word called corruption is not a Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba, it was forced on us".

Recalling her days as the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Akunyili noted that Nigerians are loving and patriotic people adding that the logo and slogan "Nigeria- Good People Great Nation, emanated from Nigerians and government.

Prof Akunyili commended the developmental strides of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan saying "Dr. Uduaghan has converted the whole of Delta state into a construction site".

In a brief remark, the state governor, Dr. Uduaghan stated that the process of rebranding started in the state with good governance anchored on the three point agenda of his administration.

He declared that as a governor he will do his best to rebrand the state adding that "I will do my best to rebrand but for it to be meaningful the operators should ensure that what is due to the people gets to them".

He recommended that authors of false petition on the pages of Newspapers should be persecuted even as she explained that those who thrive on character assassination through adverts in the print and electronic media should be severely punished if found guilty.

Speaking further, he explained that rebranding was not just about public campaign but embraces our attitude as a people even as he promised to take the rebranding campaign to the grass root.

I will do my best to take this rebranding campaign to the grass root, so that we have a rebranded Delta State and by extension a rebranded Nigeria.