As part of efforts aimed at changing the nation’s negative narratives and projecting the country’s rich cultural heritage to international audiences, the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) have pledged to partner to implement programmes to positively brand Nigeria.
Speaking when a delegation from VON paid a visit to the management of ASCON in Badagry, Lagos, the Director General of VON, Jubrin Baba Ndace, said in the age of fake news, disinformation and misinformation, VON has the social responsibility to broadcast positive stories about Nigeria, Africa and World.
Urging the ASCON to leverage VON’s platform to tell the Nigerian stories, he stated: “I am leading the team of VON to reconnect it with one of its critical partners, ASCON, in the spirit of collaboration and partnership. I want to assure you that as Director General, I am committed to the mandate and vision of founding fathers of VON.
“I have been working hard with the management team to reposition the organisation through partnerships in order to reach its audience on both digital and terrestrial platforms.
“As an institution, we want to be in the lead, and in doing this, we require new thinking, new perspectives, new approaches, and new mindsets on how modern institutions are run.
Since I assumed office, I have activated old partnerships and entered into new ones as part of efforts to reposition the organisation. It is about building a brand that the public can trust and connect.
“You have to understand the dynamics of the environment in which you operate. I understand that despite the advent of technology, there are communities in Nigeria and Africa that still depend on terrestrial platforms for information.”
Responding, acting Director General of ASCON, Babatunde Eniaiyejuni, said: “We serve as a think tank that gives insight and solutions to pressing national issues. This partnership presents unique opportunities and experiences to explore areas of collaboration that would strengthen the purpose of our coming together. We look forward to engaging in discussions mutually.” He stated that his organisation was willing to hit the ground running on the partnership.
