Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has urged Nigerians to be more measured in the way they portray the country, warning that persistent negative narratives could reinforce damaging perceptions abroad.
Sani made the remarks in a post on his X account, where he reflected on the reactions of Nigerians to criticisms of the country by foreign individuals and groups.
According to the former lawmaker, many Nigerians express outrage whenever British politician Kemi Badenoch describes Nigeria as a corrupt country or when xenophobic groups in South Africa portray Nigerians as fraudsters, drug dealers and human traffickers.
He, however, argued that some of the same people frequently make disparaging remarks about Nigeria on social media.
“You are angry whenever Badenoch calls your country corrupt. You are angry whenever the South African xenophobic gangs refer to your country as a nation of fraudsters, drug dealers and human traffickers. But all your posts and statements are negative about your country,” Sani wrote.
He cautioned that constantly projecting the country in a negative light could shape how the international community views Nigeria and its citizens.
Drawing an analogy, Sani added:
“You can’t tell the world that your family are bad and expect the world to think you are good.”
The former senator’s comments have generated reactions on social media, with some users agreeing that Nigerians should be more patriotic in their public comments about the country, while others argued that citizens have a right to openly criticise governance and national challenges in the interest of accountability.
Sani’s remarks come amid ongoing debates over Nigeria’s international image, public criticism of government policies, and the balance between constructive criticism and national reputation……See More
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