If there is a gobbledygook in Journalism that has it that a story should only cover some kind of disaster or violent death as it is believed that such story garners attention and increases audience or readership, it is unarguably the one that says, “If it bleeds, it leads.”
However, contrary to the foregoing somewhat erroneous professional belief, audiences and readers are also primed to respond positively to uplifting stories and can reap many benefits from them, including increased happiness, better health, and more success in business, to name a few.
Given the foregoing backdrop, permit me to journalistically view Dr. Uche Nworah from the perspective of being a patriotic marketer that needs to be emulated, particularly at this time when Nigeria as a country needs to be a more united and monolithic nation.
For the sake of clarity concerning his background, it is expedient to say that he holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree in Communication Arts from the University of Uyo (2nd Class Upper), Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree in Marketing from the University of Nigeria (Enugu Campus), Certificate in German language from Volks Hoch Schule, Dusseldorf, Germany, Master of Arts (M.A) in Educational Research from the University of Greenwich, London, Master of Science (M.Sc) degree in Mass Communication from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degree in Marketing from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam (formerly Anambra State University). Added to the array of professional and academic degrees and certificates he has over the years acquired, he has held several senior leadership and management positions. He served as the MD/CEO of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Anambra State, Nigeria from 2014 to 2022, and currently runs a media and branding consultancy.
At this juncture, the question “What makes him a Nigerian to be emulated?” The answer to the foregoing question cannot be farfetched as he is uniquely an expert in Patriotic Marketing.
Simply put, “Patriotism is a political ideology. It means an emotion of devotion and a sense of attachment to the homeland. This feeling creates a sentiment of oneness among all the citizens of the country. This quality is quite omnipresent in the world. We love where we are born and that attachment can be seen throughout. We feel like a part of something big and the hope that it brings is immense. That feeling of being united with all other citizens who are sharing the same land and laws is what we call patriotism.”
However, as capitalism grows and more and more businesses are being set up, we can see how the world is changing. It is changing and the little elements are changing too. We see business and advertising penetrate into our daily lives. They are so omnipresent that if we don’t find them, we feel like something is missing. That kind of effect can be seen in every stratum. Businesses have changed and manipulated the meaning of patriotism to its benefit. They have now begun using the term for promotions of their product. It truly makes a good combination.
Opinionated from the backdrop of the foregoing view, it is not an exaggeration to say that Nworah has over the years been demonstrating and showing Nigerians how the marketing world can innovatively use patriotism as a promotion mechanism.
Then the question again, “What is Patriotic Marketing?” The phrase patriotic marketing is that form of marketing when the theme of the marketing campaign aligns itself with the feeling of patriotism. There are slogans, images, and catchphrases to lure people and convey a message of pride and honor for the country.
This new form of advertisement uses the united and pride feeling of the citizens as the face of the marketing campaign. This helps in the wider reach of the campaign and that also ensures that people are connected to the advertisement (emotionally). The intentions are yet to be found but patriotism as a marketing technique works, in this writer’s view, is not commonly practiced.
It can take many forms and types. It can be promoting the product that is “Made in Nigeria”, or the product being made with raw materials from Nigeria. It can also use colors to wake up the inner patriot in you.
Against the foregoing backdrop, it is not surprising that in his recent article titled, “Marketing and De-Marketing Anambra State”, angled towards the betterment of Anambra state, and published the online platforms of the Nigerian Voice, PM News Nigeria, The Niche, Daily Review Online, Online Nigeria. 365 daily he passionately wrote against the de-marketing of Anambra State thus: “Two popular individuals within the Anambra and wider social media communities in Nigeria, – MC I Go TUK, also known as Ogbuefi Main Market and On-Air-Personality (OAP), Huge Man (Ifeanyi Orakwue) of Onitsha -based Sapentia Radio put out viral videos recently criticizing Anambra state Governor, Professor Charles Soludo. They are of the view that the Governor’s recent interactive session with Ndi Anambra living in Lagos on a home-bound investment drive was an exercise in futility. They point at some of the challenges Anambra state is facing at the moment, ranging from insecurity, and poor road networks in and around markets in Nnewi, Awka, and Onitsha. They emphatically advised Ndi Anambra not to bother coming back home to invest until the government has tackled these challenges.
“These outbursts that have since gone viral suggest that the honeymoon period that new governments enjoy has finally come to an end for Governor Soludo and his team. As we draw nearer to the 2025 Anambra state gubernatorial elections, it is normal to anticipate that many such harsh criticisms will come. Soludo government’s honeymoon period lasted over a year. That’s a record I should say. During our time in the Obiano government when I served as the Managing Director and CEO of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), we never enjoyed such a long honeymoon period. The largest political propaganda known to man in these parts was unleashed on the government and its officials almost at the onset. This was occasioned by the almost immediate fallout between Governor Obiano and his predecessor, Peter Obi”.
In fact, there is no denying the fact that anyone that has been dispassionately following Eze Udo, particularly on social media platforms, will agree with this writer that he is no doubt patriotic, and has been blending it with his marketing background towards the betterment of Nigeria on the one hand, and Anambra State on the other hand.
Unarguably thumbing up for him, particularly as to his patriotic fervor, Chief Frank Nwokike, the Secretary of Enugwu-Ukwu Traditional Cabinet, wrote on the online platform of 247UReport thus, “I, Ozonkpu Chief Frank Nwokike really appreciate the above write-up from a very concerned mind. I chose to delve into the notion held by Social media communities in Nigeria with special reference to MC I GO TUK and hype Man of Onitsha-based Sapientia Radio criticizing Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Soludo. Their criticism hinged on the home-bound investment drive by the Governor as an exercise in futility. They emphatically advised Ndi Anambra not to bother coming back home to invest until the government has tackled some challenges which they named as insecurity, poor road networks etc.
“Chief Uche Nworah went down memory lane to recall the efforts of our past Governors and/or Leaders to access these issues. I quite align myself with his stand but suggest that we move further out from Anambra State to other States making up the south-East Zone Known as the Core Igbo States. Looking at the Negative happenings in Nigeria and the efforts towards sustaining Igbo relationships with other parts of Nigeria; I am of the view that what we will be looking at presently is POSITIONING SOUTH – EAST FOR THE 21st CENTURY. This must be put in place by our Governors in the South East and perhaps some Igbo Stakeholders.
“It will be an understatement to declare that South East has not fared well, as it ought to because of the investment and psychological damages metered on them in recent times in Nigeria. The missing link is an observed division and leadership failure amongst our Governors and leaders”.
