[Intl-tobacco] BAT - Proudly Nigerian

[Robert Weissman]

BAT Launches Proudly Nigerian Campaign

This Day (Lagos)
December 18, 2002
Posted to the web December 18, 2002
http://allafrica.com/stories/200212180601.html

Tunde Okoli
Lagos

When the Western tobacco manufacturing giant, British-American Tobacco
(BAT) decided to invest in
the purchase of the defunct Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC), the company
knew it was a risk against
the wishes of its financial advisors/consultants. Today, that gamble is
a manifest multi-million dollar
investment made by BAT in the ultra-modern manufacturing facilities in
three cities in Nigeria - Ibadan,
Zaria and Port-Harcourt.

The company which merged with the NTC two years ago, is set to roll out
the drums in a campaign
aimed at, not only promoting the company's products, also to showcase
the positive aspects of Nigerian
life, heritage and landmark achievements. To this end, the campaign is
aptly tagged, 'Proudly Nigerian.'

At an elaborate media event in Lagos last week, BAT
hosted the press launch of the Proudly Nigerian campaign
with fanfare. Welcoming guests to the launch, the
Managing Director of BAT, Mr. Nick Haces explained that
campaign marks the beginning of another exciting phase
in the partnership the company is having with the Nigerian
business climate and the people of Nigeria in general.

"Why are we so excited about it? It is because as a
company we feel especially privileged and honored to be
promoting a cause that is so dear to the heart of all
Nigerians who long to see the nation's industrial sector
expand, to the benefit of everybody," he said.

He explained that the 'Proudly Nigerian' campaign "does
more than capture the vision of Nigeria becoming a proud
producer of world class products and services. It also
highlights the fact that the Nigerian spirit exhibits a clear
capacity for excellence."

He added that as a company possessing vibrant interaction with diverse
sections of Nigerian society,
that the organisation has seen the "Proudly Nigerian" spirit at work in
every aspect of Nigerian life.

"One sees the originality and enchanting diversity of its arts and
culture; the eagerness of our staff to
utilize opportunities for self development - and skill acquisition; also
the 'Proudly Nigerian' spirit in the
sheer number of Nigerians who have become highly prized world leaders in
keenly competitive areas
such as, academia, research, science and sport," he stressed.

Most importantly, he stated that "as entrepreneurs with an abiding
vision for enduring economic
partnership with Nigeria, we are excited to see this 'Proudly Nigerian'
spirit in the growing number of
products made right here in Nigeria which have become highly successful
with consumers."

On this note, he recalled some quality made-in-Nigeria products that
have not only strived to attain
international standards, but that has a reputation of outselling their
foreign competitors. "'Proudly
Nigerian' bottled drinks, especially beer, made in Nigeria, by far
outsell any imported beverages. Nigerian
made electric cables are known to be made to the highest standards of
quality; proof of this is that they
are the first choice of electrical and technical contractors."

He opined that the successes in the areas enumerated above goes a long
way to show that "the
sophisticated Nigerian consumer very readily and warmly embraces made in
Nigeria products when such
products meet their exacting quality requirements."

To this end, he informed that BAT identify strongly with the Federal
Government of Nigeria's on-going
campaign aimed at sensitising the Nigerian populace to patronize
'made-in-Nigeria' products. He
therefore expressed hope that the company's cigarette brands will
shortly fall into the category of such
products.

"This exciting phenomenon is a great inspiration to us at British
American Tobacco, as we get set to
produce world class tobacco products from our state of the art new
manufacturing complex located in
Ibadan."

Hence, as a world class organization, he expressed that "we are
confident that our investment of
US$150 million in an ultra modern manufacturing facility, in combination
with the newly recruited highly
trained Nigerian engineers and technicians will produce the finest
quality cigarettes ever seen by
consumers in Nigeria. A quality that will not be bettered by any
manufacturing plant anywhere in the
world."

The event which started well behind time was lightened up with
scintillating performances by members of
Rhythm and Blues Dance Troupe. The cultural interludes saved guests and
participants of boredom
while waiting for the BAT officials to arrive to kickstart the event.
The troupe took the audience on tour of
some popular Nigerian cultural dances like, Bata dance, Hausa/Fulani
Gorozo dance, Atilogwu acrobatic
dance from the east among others.

The campaign was conceptualized, developed and executed by BAT's advert
consultants, Prima
Garnet, one of Nigeria's foremost advertising agencies which is still
reveling in its 10th anniversary
celebrations. In his presentation at the event, Tunde Ologbodi the
Managing Director of the agency
explained the idea, inspiration and the import of the unique campaign
concept. He informed that "the
'Proudly Nigerian' campaign is a celebration of things that are uniquely
Nigerian. Things that are 'proudly
Nigerian in order to showcase the best of Nigerian achievement in all
walks of life- the academia, sports,
beauty pageant, music, information technology, literature and other
things that are decidedly Nigerian."

He went on to enumerate some areas where Nigeria has recorded exemplary
achievements which
distinguished the country as a country of achievers and dynamic people.

"Available records show that Nigeria produces the best wire cables in
the world. The quality of our cable
has pleasantly shocked the world. So when Nigerians insist on buying
locally-made electric cable, you
have to admit that they know what they are doing. Especially if you
consider that the quality of Nigerian
cable is believed to be far superior to foreign ones," adding that "we
develop the pidgin English from
English language which even the English are yearning to learn how to
speak today."

In the world of academics, he recalled that Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian
became the first African to win the
Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986 and another Nigerian (Philip
Emegwali) was shortlisted and came close
to clinching the Nobel Prize for Physics this year. "Some of the most
prestigious universities in the world
reserve their best chairs for Nigerians. If we want to list the names of
Nigerian academics lecturing in
foreign universities, we'll take up all the pages of this publication.
When it comes to academia, Nigeria is
just in a class of its own," he said.

In the world of sports, he said that "it is Nigeria that produced the
Nwakwo Kanus, the George Finidis,
the Chioma Ajunwas, the Power Mikes, the Joseph Yobos of the sports world."

He said Nigeria has also recorded enviable records in world music. For
him, no other country could have
produced Fela Anikulapo Kuti, one of the world's renowned music legend
and originator of one of
world's most popular dance music. "Only a Nigerian could have invented
Afrobeat music with its rich
melody, rhythm, inimitable call and response style. This unique music
form is just one of Nigeria's gift to
the world." What is more, he said it is also Nigeria that invented
Gangan (talking drum) to the music
world. "The beautiful art of drum-making has been the specialty of
Nigerian craftsmen over many
generations."

Even in the world of information technology, he said that the country
has recorded enviable feat too. "A
Nigerian, Philip Emegwali developed the fastest chip in the computer
world today," he enthused.

In fashion and beauty, he said Nigeria also has excellent records. He
observed that it is only Nigeria that
can produce unique fabrics like the Tiv's black and whites stripes
fabric, the Yorubas Aso Oke among
others. "These fabrics are 100 percent Nigerian cotton and the weaving
expertise uniquely Nigerian."
While in the world of beauty, he drew the attention of the audience to
the fact that it took a 16-year-old
Nigerian, Agbani Darego, to win the Miss World Pageant for Africa for
the first time.

During the interactive session, Nick Haus explained that BAT has a
clearly defined community
development plans with which the company hope to contribute to the
development of Nigeriaby
providing employment and training to young Nigerians in the areas of
production and packaging.

"We have also created a BAT Foundation to handle our community
development project with initial
capital of about USD$150,000. The Foundation will also look in the areas
of scholarships to indigent
students, HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, among others. We are also going
into partnership with the
Ministry of Environment in the areas of aforestation and preservation of
Nigeria's rich ecosystem."

Kehinde Johnson, BAT's Corporate Affairs Director added that the
company's huge investment in
Agriculture is aimed at boosting the sector. "We have a target to
increase the number farmers working
with us from 1000 to 5000 in the next five years."

On health risks tobacco products poses to peoples and relation to
campaigns restrictions placed on
tobacco products in Europe and the West, Nick explained that as a
socially responsible company, "BAT
will continue to abide by all the restrictions. In fact, we have imposed
restrictions on ourselves beyond
what the stipulated regulations in Nigeria. We accept the fact that
there are health risks associated with
smoking, that is why we always target adult smokers. Our products in
Nigeria are highly regulated to
conform with Federal Government's regulations. The health warning we are
all using is the one approved
by Tobacco Decree No. 10 of 1999."

Nick who expressed overwhelming joy during the launch added that "On the
eve of this major initiative,
we as a company are committed to guaranteeing that locally produced BAT
brands will provide the
Nigerian consumer, with the very same unmatched excellence with which
our products are identified and
appreciated globally."

As a mark of quality and distinction, he said that the products will
proudly wear the British-American
Tobacco logo as symbol of excellence. In essence, he added, "They will
be 'Proudly Nigerian'".