A brand is not what a business says it is. It is what the consumers say it is.
And we, the consumers of brand Nigeria, demand a change in policies that blatantly disregard the value of human lives. On this Independence Day, it cannot be business as usual.
The news about the death of ARISE News anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu, as a result of an armed robbery attack, is devastating.
Yes, armed robbery doesn’t just happen in Nigeria. It happens all over the world. That’s not the point. The point is this: the long-standing culture of hospitals in Nigeria rejecting patients in critical condition must stop. That rejection — not the robbery itself — ultimately cost her life.
We are tired of the endless press statements from our government officials. We are tired of the glossy recounting of “successes” each Independence Day. Yes, there have been milestones over the years – but no milestone can ever compare to the sanctity of human life.
So, on this Independence Day, I ask myself: what exactly is the Nigerian dream that is frequently packaged, marketed, and sold to us – and what is the reality we live in?
God bless Nigeria.
Rest in Peace, Somtochukwu Maduagwu.
