A former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Atahiru Jega, has warned Nigerians not to leave the country despite the economic hardships they are facing today.

He noted that other nations have gone through more turbulent times than Nigeria but have emerged stronger, expressing hope that the current situation will not last forever.

Speaking at the launch of the “Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative” (URNI) in Abuja recently, the former INEC boss said being a first-class citizen is more gratifying than being considered a foreigner in a foreign land.

“On record, most people who leave this country end up regretting it. Most people leave here when they’re young, but as they get older—when they’re in their 70s and older—they start thinking about coming home. This means that wherever you go, your mind still reminds you of your roots. It is one of the disadvantages of this Japa syndrome as you call it. That’s why it’s important to stay here and build the country together,” he said.

Recalling his active days in the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the 80s and 90s when several groups rallied to fight military rule in the country, Jega expressed optimism that the challenges facing Nigeria’s democracy will also be outdated. one day.

The Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Isa Oniru, regretfully acknowledged the negative perception of Nigeria globally, including the problems of insecurity and corruption, which he admitted were real and unfortunately led to stereotypes harmful that does not really reflect the situation of the country. character.

He lamented that social media content creators have continued to paint Nigeria in a bad light over time, disclosing that the agency has put in place a mechanism to ensure that social media content is created to portray the nation in positive way.

“We are working to make sure we put an end to foreign cartoons for our children. All cartoons, with time, must come with local content that reflects our cultural values ​​as a way of instilling discipline in our children as a way forward,” he said.

The initiative aims to project Nigeria’s positive image by highlighting the country’s true strength, abundant human and natural resources as well as its vibrant culture to the outside world for a more balanced and positive image of Nigeria.