Awosika, Ogwezzy, Ali-Balogun, others seek balanced African story

Chairperson Access Bank PLC, Dr. Dere Awosika; member Editorial Board, Guardian Newspapers and Professor of Mass Communication University of Lagos, Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika and convener NECCI PR Roundtable, Nkechi Ali-Balogun, were among personalities that stressed the need to rethink telling the African story in a balanced and truthful manner.

Speaking at the 22nd edition of NECCI PR Roundtable in Lagos, yesterday, Awosika, who was the keynote speaker, stressed the need to tell accurate and balanced story of Africa.

With the theme: “Danger of a single story: Communication & Reputational Crisis in Africa,” she noted: “We must tell our stories right. The answer is in our hands. We are too negative minded telling a story. We don’t give room to think positive. We must allow our culture tell our stories. We must do balanced writing and speaking.

We are ambassadors of our culture. The ecosystem of Africa is created for a purpose.

“We need our system not to be corrupted. Those at the helm of affairs must also ensure the system is not corrupt. There must be equity and justice. Loopholes must be filled with good governance. Let’s tell the right story by doing the right thing.”

Ogwezzy argued that single story creates reputation risk, insisting that there is need to create counter narratives of stories told.

Ali-Balogun added that Africa, as the next global frontier, needs to tell her story and tell it well. She said the time has come to do something drastic to debunk the long held “Afro-pessimistic” notions of Africa as a backward continent plagued by conflict and poverty.

Founder of BEEC International, Mike Okereke, said the problem of Africa is Africa, noting that the solution begins by Africans loving one another. He also said African leaders should make mobility in the continent easy.

President, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Mukhtar Sirajo, observed that Nigeria is suffering from no story, adding: “We have also taken communication for granted. He described communication as the oxygen of existence.”