Rebranding Nigeria’s Image in the Diaspora: Education as a ‘Soft Power’ Tool

Abstract

The study examined how the Nigerian educational system can be revitalized through the reintegration of moral instruction to rebrand Nigeria’s image crises globally. Although one of the core goals of the Nigerian government policy, domestic or foreign, is to project a good national image, the nation’s image is increasingly being battered through overwhelming negative press reports on vices and atrocities perpetrated by some dodgy Nigerians in the Diaspora. Consequently, this has climaxed into image crises for the totality of Nigerians at home and abroad. Nigerians are arguably the most educated African contingent in the Diaspora and the group with the worst record of image crises. Meanwhile, education is expected to instil right values and morals that can project individuals and nations’ image in positive light. The inability of the current crop of educated Nigerians in the Diaspora to project a good image of themselves and their country, suggests that there is disconnect in the content of education they received. In contrast to the Nigeria’s past moribund efforts at national image laundry which focused on top-down socio-political approach, this study, however, advocates a shift in policy direction to a bottom-up approach with the use of education as a ‘soft power’ tool for bringing about the desired social change. The design adopted for this research was a qualitative, and no variables were manipulated because it was a library research. Based on the review of literatures, it was recommended that moral instruction should be reintegrated into the Nigerian school system as a core subject.