INTERNATIONAL PRESS SHOULD SEE OTHER GOOD THINGS IN NIGERIA

The international press have been overwhelmed with different plagues such as the oil crisis and the Boko Haram crisis that have befallen the country. It is obvious that this is why the global community have negative impressions about the country.
There is no doubt that there is a significant drop in oil prices and this has negatively impacted the economy. Nigeria being a country that has solely depended on crude oil as a major source of foreign earnings is currently bearing the brunt of such a dependency with dwindling revenue, slumps in financing capital projects, low exchange rates, rising inflation and also bad debt in the financial sector from oil companies.
The drop in oil prices is also associated with the discovery of other items that can be used instead of oil, such alternative energy sources include hydro-energy, solar energy, wind, biomass, shale oil. Unfortunately, the excessive gains made from oil over the years have been squandered by successive governments.
In the same vein, terror has become synonymous with Nigeria. Many lives have been lost to terrorism and the country has been fragmented due to this. At the moment, the northeast of Nigeria is just being re-integrated into the country because of the dominance of terror attacks in the region. Many of the indigenes have been in refugee and IDP camps for months hoping that one day they will return to their homeland.
However, there is a need for the international press to see good things in Nigeria. The artwork of Oresegun Olumide went viral online recently. The international media went agog with his images and that was a good break from the circus of negative reportage on the country.


Hippo_Lake_(River_Oli)_Kainji_Lake_National_Park_(4893517813)
Hippo Lake/River Oli, Kainji Lake National Park

There are other things that can also be explored by the international media to help attract investors into the country most especially with the war against corruption led by President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB). This fight against corruption has been intense and this seems like a ray of hope for the citizens that better days are ahead for investors too.
This time seems to be a season for revolution as Nigerians have seen the need to return to the farm. The government is trying to put together agricultural policies that will transform the sector. There are hectares of uncultivated lands in Nigeria that would support mechanized farming. It is obvious that any company that comes in this sector has the ability to make it substantially.
Tourism is one of the sectors that needs to be better enhanced at this time as well. Different companies can come to partner with state governments and develop the potential of these natural wonders spread across Nigeria. Some of the locations that need revamp include Yankari Games Reserve, Bauchi; Gashaka Gumti National Park, Taraba; Zuma Rock, Abuja; Kainji National Park, Niger State; Idanre Hills, Ondo; Ogbunnike Cave, Anambra and many more.


Oresegun-Olumide007
Oresegun Olumide

The entertainment sector which is growing geometrically can be given international media attention so that Nigerians in Hollywood would see the need to collaborate with those at home to produce movies that will be sold out in the international cinemas. Recently, Davido signed an agreement with Sony Music; there are still a lot of acts that can be signed unto other labels as well.
Other areas that can be invested into also include the manufacturing industries so that natural resources are explored and processed more here. This will give more earnings in terms of foreign exchange versus when it is exported as a raw material. Equally, whichever company gets it right with stable electricity generation will make a fortune from Nigeria as this is the desire of many households.
As the saying goes, “when you focus on problems, you will have more problems; when you focus on possibilities, you will have more opportunities.” The international press should focus on the possibilities that Nigeria has to offer so that the country can advance swiftly for the good of the global community.

First published on nigerianreporter.com

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