Perpetua Egesimba
President, Fertilizer Producers Association of Nigeria, Thomas Etuh, has called on Nigerians to be culture ambassadors.
He said the economic survival and growth of the country depend on citizens willing to be ambassadors of change and culture.
Etuh, who spoke at the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Lagos recently during the public presentation of a book; PITCH: Debunking Marketing’s Strongest Myths, authored by brand analyst, Ikem Okuhu, warned that the country may not achieve much at the various platforms of global exchange if the citizens do not make themselves available as ambassadors of everything the country stands for.
Represented at the event by a former national chairmanship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Birma, Etuh, who is also the chairman, Tak Agro Plc, described Nigerian writers as flag carriers, whose works go a long way in moulding the perception the world has of Nigeria.
“Writers, be they of fiction or management, are agents of culture and nationalism. Their reflections of the country in their books form the pictures and impressions that readers, especially in other climes have about our dear country,” he said.
He said, contrary to widely held beliefs, Nigerians are still avid readers of books and called on those gifted with the skills of writing to continue to document events, trends and stories around them as a means of preserving the history and heritage of the Nigerian people.
Also at the event, Vice President, Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Opara, described the book as ‘table-shaking’, alluding that the author’s track record as a journalist that approaches issues usually from a different perspective may have helped in shaping a book he was sure would stir a lot of debate in the Nigerian marketing and communications industry.
While recommending the book for both practitioners and intending practitioners and students of marketing and communications, he commended the author for raising some critical issues in many areas while at the same time, proffering solutions rather than just complain.