Date: 2012-06-09

Success Nwogu writes that as the Kwara State government spends N31m on logo rebranding and Democracy Day celebration, observers are kicking

The recent campaign for the rebranding of Kwara State by the state government under the leadership of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed as exemplified in its new logo has generated a lot of furore among stakeholders in the state.

Major antagonists of the campaign are the Action Congress of Nigeria, Air Commodore Ayuba Buhari (retd.), Campaign Organisation of the Congress for Progressive Change, and a faction of the Congress of Nigerian Political Parties. However, another faction of the CNPP believes that the rebranding exercise is worthwhile. Ahmed had, during the Democracy Day celebration on May 29 at the Metropolitan Square, Asa Dam Road, Ilorin, announced the birth of a new Kwara State.

He said his administration was rebranding the state in line with his avowed quest to grow it for greater prosperity.

He stated that the campaign and the accompanying new logo were designed to promote the state as a top investment destination, using its reputation of peace.

He added that the people's strength was in agriculture, commerce, solid mineral development, tourism and strategic infrastructure. According to him, the government intends to strongly market the state as a haven for lucrative domestic and foreign direct investment.

"Let me state that this is not a mere political gimmick. Rather, we are setting the foundation for the long-term prosperity of our great state and its people. The previous administration placed the state on a global stage through innovative programmes and policies. Today, we make history by launching a new Kwara; one which gives us all a greater sense of pride, ownership and participation. Today, we celebrate the things that make us unique as a people and strengthen our identity as a people. On this day, we commemorate the peace in our communities, our harmony in the midst of diversity, our growing strengths in agriculture and our age-long reputation for entrepreneurship.

"From the streets of Ilorin to the farms of Pategi, the neighbourhoods of Erin-Ile, the courtyards of Kosubosu and fields of Bacita, let it be heard loud and clear. A new Kwara is born today! It is therefore with a great sense of history and pride that I formally unveil our brand new logo and inaugurate the campaign for a greater Kwara. Indeed, it is good here."

But the state ACN Chairman, Kayode Olawepo, said his party was not surprised that the PDP-led government rolled out the drums on May 29 to have a grand celebration of a new logo.

According to him, over the years, the PDP in Kwara had allegedly shown disrespect and disdain for the residents.

He said the campaign fell squarely in the list of misplaced priorities, given the glaring developmental challenges confronting the state in the areas of basic amenities like water, road, primary health care, infrastructure and rising unemployment.

Olawepo said, "For one thing, logos anywhere stand for the identity and or niche countries/states/peoples have carved for themselves over the years. A logo is designed based on antecedence/history/achievements.

"So, what inspiring identity has the PDP government carved for Kwara State and its people to warrant a logo change and multimillion naira launch? Apart from the logo being a means to siphon public fund and to shift attention from the failure of the government, how do the people of Kwara benefit politically, socially and economically from the launch of a new logo?

"How many jobs does the new logo offer the hundreds of thousands of the jobless?"

The Director-General of Air Commodore Ayuba Buhari (retd.) Campaign Organisation, Ismail Mohammed, said it was amusing that the state government chose its 365 days in office to declare a celebration.

He said there was nothing to celebrate looking at the plethora of socio-economic and infrastructural 'decay' in the state.

Mohammed alleged that to further insult the sensibility of Kwara residents, the government declared spending outrageous sums on rebranding the state and designing a new logo despite the myriad of problems bedevilling the state.

"We ask the government if rebranding and logo redesigning are the priority programmes that the people of the state desire and deserve at this ominous time. This is what we term government ultimate insensitivity to its people's plight.

"We believe this government should focus its attention and direct the state resources to rudimentary socio-economic and infrastructural provisions the state needs for human and capital development.

"This shows lack of transparency, unaccountability and insincerity on the part of a government that claims bogus spending on projects that should cost far less. Despite the colossal sums claimed, the effects and results of the projects are next to nothing," Mohammed said.

He said residents of the state had been experiencing acute water shortage, epileptic power supply, bad roads and other infrastructural challenges.

He stated that if the PDP played by democratic principle of 'one man one vote,' it would not win even a local government in 2015.

Also, the scretary and the chairman of a faction of CNPP, Adebayo Lawal and Lekan Alabi respectively, said the rebranding campaign was not a developmental priority, which the people expected from the government.

Lawal said while Ahmed should be commended for striving hard to keep his electoral promises to the people and what he called the current efforts being made to turn the state into an investment haven, the governor should shy away from wasteful exercises that would not yield commensurate benefits to the state.

He called on Ahmed to stop the rebranding campaign and concentrate on laudable programmes.

He said, "All holes of wastages must be plugged in the finances of this state that depends heavily on the meagre monthly allocations from the Federation Account. The present economic reality in the country and in this state, in particular, has made a rebranding programme to appear to the people as bogus and unnecessary at this time.

"The pertinent needs of the people of this state are basic amenities, infrastructural development, potable water, uninterrupted power supply, education and health services."

He stated that employment and postings should be more evenly distributed and that governance should be left in the hands of the elected, who he said could be constitutionally held accountable for their actions and inactions. Alabi said, "The government should determine the unending yearly budget on water supply that has not achieved its objective. It should also ensure that federal statutory allocations to local government councils are passed to them un-infringed."

However, another faction of CNPP in a statement by its chairman, Zakari Mohammed and secretary, Amidele Omotosho, said the rebranding campaign was a promise of hope, a social, political and economic re-engineering.

According to them, rebranding is an exercise in proactive governance, probity, accountability, transparency and incorruptibility, which are germane for sustainable growth. They stated that rebranding was necessary for proper regeneration.

"We want to emphasise on Ahmed's statement that 'much work still needs to be done.' While pouring encomium on Ahmed, we want him to live up to his words and his promises. We are watching. Kwara residents are observing him. Nigerians are assessing him. Indeed, his activities are on the internet for the world to view. Today is great, tomorrow is greater," the statement said.

Ahmed's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Muyideen Akorede, said the rebranding campaign including the unveiling cost the state N11m. He added that N20m was spent on activities commemorating the administration's one year in office, including the Democracy Day celebration and the inauguration of several projects by the governor.

He said the campaign was primarily design foreign investment into these sectors.

He stated that this would translate into more jobs for the youths, wealth creation for local businesses and enhance the state's Internally Generated Revenue.

According to him, the campaign is actually designed to secure additional revenue inflow to address the critical areas of infrastructure, job creation, housing and economic empowerment.

The state PDP Publicity Secretary, Alhaji  Mas'ud Adebimpe,  said the PDP government in Kwara, since its inception in 2003, had not only impacted on the lives of the people positively, but had transformed the state to an enviable commercial centre with corresponding economic growth.

He added that the state had moved from its civil service status to a flourishing industrialised state with various investors trooping in from different sectors of the economy such as agro-allied, commerce, transportation, construction among others, to take advantage of the state's investment-friendly environment.

"Those criticising the rebranding are enemies of progress, who have nothing to offer our dear state and never again will our state move backward in her giant strides to bring development to the door-step of every Kwaran," Adebimpe said.