Nigerian travelers to other parts of the world can attest to the fact that whenever they receive accolades from their hosts, it is rarely on account of the nation’s political prowess, scientific innovations, or economic advancement. More often than not, such recognition comes on account of our soft power in sports and entertainment.
I witnessed this firsthand many years ago in one of the Gulf countries when chants of “Nigeria,” “JJ Okocha,” and P Square’s soundtrack “Chop My Money” filled the air upon spotting a colleague and me. That moment did not happen because Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, and later Buhari and Tinubu were exceptional leaders. These “big names” may never resonate with any non-Nigerian because there is nothing spectacular about their leadership styles that merits global recognition.
However, there exist brand names of Nigerians in the world of entertainment and sports, including those seeking recognition in the Guinness World Records, all of whom have boosted and projected Nigeria’s image in a positive light internationally. The latest exemplar is Hilda Baci, who has just secured another historic milestone as a GWR holder for “preparing the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice” using the largest pot ever constructed for such a purpose.
This “culinary spectacle” represents yet another feather in her colorful cap, coming two years after she first set the GWR for the longest cooking marathon, dubbed the cook-a-thon. Hilda should be applauded for her creativity, effort, hard work, and resilience that accompanied the conceptualization and manifestation of this achievement through the massive cooking pot and the sheer ingenuity of organization that came with it.
Rather than deriding or criticizing what did not go perfectly, her pace-setting initiative, inspiration, and patriotism should be recognized first and foremost. For those who are critical of the mistakes without offering commensurate recognition of her contributions to nation-building, I urge you to reconsider your position. While dragging people on social media may be your pastime, what have you gained so far from ridiculing Nigeria on the global stage?
Achievements like Hilda’s draw positive attention and comments from around the world, something that millions of dollars spent on image rehabilitation, advertisements in Western media, and image-laundering through presidential visits can never achieve for our country. These organic moments of pride transcend the artificial attempts at reputation management that our political leaders often resort to, creating authentic connections between Nigeria and the global community.
When we talk about global recognition for Nigeria in sports, we are reminded of the remarkable glory brought by the Flying Eagles’ gold medal victory at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and Nigeria’s astonishing comeback victory against Russia in the 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup in what became known as “the miracle of Dammam” in Saudi Arabia. We cannot forget the athletic sensations like Mary Onyali, Chioma Ajunwa, and Tobi Amusan’s achievements, including her World Championship performances and world record in the 100-meter hurdles. These athletes have consistently put Nigeria on the global map through their dedication and excellence.
In the entertainment industry, including Nollywood and the music sector, the victories have been remarkably impressive and transformative. Nollywood stands as the world’s third-largest film industry after America’s Hollywood and India’s Bollywood, with an estimated value of over N6.4 billion. There was a time when Grammy awards seemed elusive and unachievable for Nigerian artists. Today, we can count numerous victories in our collection. Artists like Burna Boy, Tems, Rema, Wizkid, and Davido have become global icons, making Nigeria proud through their artistic excellence and international recognition. Hilda’s cooking achievements belong in the same category as these accomplishments have brought glory to Nigeria.
The contrast with our political landscape could not be starker. Our so-called “revered political icons” consistently bring us opprobrium, shame, and embarrassment on the international stage. They call themselves democrats but act in dictatorial manners; they rule rather than govern, leaving in their wake tales of corruption, nepotism, and self-aggrandizement. The mess, and effects of their misgovernance, the opacity of their administrations, their lack of transparency, and the massive corruption scandals are the unfortunate legacies of their governments.
These are unenviable legacies that tarnish our image and make us a laughingstock as a giant with clay feet—a nation with horrible and terrible reputation for election manipulation, leadership deficits, and systemic corruption. While our entertainers, athletes, and record-breakers elevate our standing, our politicians consistently drag it down through their actions and inactions.
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The Hildas, Osimhens, Davidos, Wizkids, Tunde Onakoys, Lookmans, and countless others have brought us fame and international respect through their individual excellence and determination. They should be encouraged and celebrated rather than ridiculed for minor infractions or imperfections. They represent the pride of what appears to be an ungrateful nation with an overly critical social media audience that seems more eager to tear down than build up.
Just imagine what the world would remember Nigeria for without these iconic Nigerians who have carved their niches and written their names in gold across various fields of human endeavour. They are the true ambassadors of our nation, achieving through merit what political manipulation and diplomatic maneuvering have failed to accomplish.
Zainab Suleiman Okino (FNGE) is a syndicated columnist and Editorial Board chair of Blueprint Newspapers. She can be reached via zainabokino@gmail.com
