What comes to your mind when you hear the words Nigerian or Nigeria?
For many, the answer is negative but what if we choose to focus on the positive? Well, that’s the thinking behind The 419Positive Project, an ambitious mission in search of 419 positive attributes of Nigerians and Nigeria. In a few weeks, we will begin a nationwide tour, filming the attributes we’ve found so far and engaging with ordinary Nigerians. However, there’s something a little special about this tour – we’re asking Nigerians and friends of Nigeria to help design the roadmap by submitting positive attributes. Your voices will direct the team as we make our way around Nigeria.
We’re very excited about this project and have worked on it for a few years now. We’ve endured many setbacks but we’ve also held back deliberately; waiting and watching and hoping for the right timing and atmosphere in Nigeria. During the hiatus we learnt a few lessons, the most important being to stop waiting because each time what we thought was the perfect time drew near, something new would crop up and upset the nation’s ambience.
Still, one question weighs heavily on our minds: is it ridiculous to ask Nigerians to Say Something Positive… when they’re faced with the daily realities of bad governance, poor infrastructure and an uncertain future?
We’ve struggled with this, more so in the wake of recent events, and we questioned whether to carry on but we have decided to follow our hearts and see where this takes us. Deep down we hope that by encouraging Nigerians to think about their similarities and whatever features that are special and positive about themselves and the nation, this project might inspire Nigerians to stop fighting each other and unite to fight for a better future for all.
We’re embarking on this project because we believe in the power of positive storytelling to effect change, and that ordinary Nigerians deserve a platform to tell their stories. We are certain that this journey will come with many difficulties but we are also hopeful that it will reward us with a renewed appreciation for Nigeria and a new understanding of what it means to be Nigerian.
We invite you to take this journey with us.
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Say Something Positive…
