“South Africa is actually the giant of Africa,” says a woman named Bimbo Somolu in a TV commercial promoting South Africa tourist capacity. Nigerians are divided over the propriety of a Nigerian telling Nigerians to their faces that “South Africa is actually the giant of Africa.” To some, it is unpatriotic and a disservice to Nigeria. To others, it is just a professional job done in a commercial. There are still others who also think that there is some element of truth in that claim, given the progress South Africa has made since the end of Apartheid and the retrogression that has been the lot of Nigeria in recent years.
In the commercial, which is used by South Africa to encourage Nigerians to choose South Africa as their holiday destination rather than Europe or the Americas, a couple named Bimbo Somolu and Seun Somolu and identified as being based in Lagos, Nigeria, are shown eulogizing the beauty of South Africa. They are shown dancing with traditional Zulu people, watching wild life, participating in the World Cup, welcomed royally to a hotel, receiving a massage, etc. The lady says that South Africa is a beautiful country which can rival any country in everything, adding that “South Africa is actually the giant of Africa.” She laughs after making that statement, meaning that she realizes that by making that statement, she is taking away the name by which Nigeria is known and giving it to another country, thereby belittling her country in the process.
If Mrs Bimbo Somolu had said that South Africa is the best country in Africa, or the most beautiful or the most advanced, no Nigerian would question her. But every country is known with a moniker. The US is not the most religious country in the world but everyone knows it as “God’s Own Country.” Even Italy, on whose soil sits the Vatican City, does not contest the God’s-own-country tag with the US, neither does Israel or Saudi Arabia both of which have holy sites visited en masse all-year-round. Any day any country starts calling itself “the real God’s own country,” that country will be seen as trying to ridicule the US. Even American atheists and agnostics would protest.
South Africa was wise in choosing Nigerians to make that claim, knowing that Nigerians would find it more confrontational if said by South Africans. Since the claim was made by Nigerians, South Africa could claim that the statement was not made by it. But that would be like hiding behind a finger. An advert, like a movie, represents the wishes and views of the producers and not the models or actors.
Despite the existence of freedom of speech, I think the Nigerian government should get South Africa to remove that particular statement in that commercial. It is an understanding that should be reached behind the scene without any rancour. South Africa is the Rainbow Nation. Nigeria is not contesting that with it. South Africa can call itself anything, including the Giant of the World, but it should let Nigeria be with its Giant of Africa.
The truth is that if Mr and Mrs Somolu, as Chinese or North Koreans, were to take such a snide shot at their country, they would either be in exile now or in prison.
TRUE OR FALSE ?
In the commercial, which is used by South Africa to encourage Nigerians to choose South Africa as their holiday destination rather than Europe or the Americas, a couple named Bimbo Somolu and Seun Somolu and identified as being based in Lagos, Nigeria, are shown eulogizing the beauty of South Africa. They are shown dancing with traditional Zulu people, watching wild life, participating in the World Cup, welcomed royally to a hotel, receiving a massage, etc. The lady says that South Africa is a beautiful country which can rival any country in everything, adding that “South Africa is actually the giant of Africa.” She laughs after making that statement, meaning that she realizes that by making that statement, she is taking away the name by which Nigeria is known and giving it to another country, thereby belittling her country in the process.
If Mrs Bimbo Somolu had said that South Africa is the best country in Africa, or the most beautiful or the most advanced, no Nigerian would question her. But every country is known with a moniker. The US is not the most religious country in the world but everyone knows it as “God’s Own Country.” Even Italy, on whose soil sits the Vatican City, does not contest the God’s-own-country tag with the US, neither does Israel or Saudi Arabia both of which have holy sites visited en masse all-year-round. Any day any country starts calling itself “the real God’s own country,” that country will be seen as trying to ridicule the US. Even American atheists and agnostics would protest.
South Africa was wise in choosing Nigerians to make that claim, knowing that Nigerians would find it more confrontational if said by South Africans. Since the claim was made by Nigerians, South Africa could claim that the statement was not made by it. But that would be like hiding behind a finger. An advert, like a movie, represents the wishes and views of the producers and not the models or actors.
Despite the existence of freedom of speech, I think the Nigerian government should get South Africa to remove that particular statement in that commercial. It is an understanding that should be reached behind the scene without any rancour. South Africa is the Rainbow Nation. Nigeria is not contesting that with it. South Africa can call itself anything, including the Giant of the World, but it should let Nigeria be with its Giant of Africa.
The truth is that if Mr and Mrs Somolu, as Chinese or North Koreans, were to take such a snide shot at their country, they would either be in exile now or in prison.
TRUE OR FALSE ?
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