Nneoma introduces the #lightupnigeria movement and offers some suggestions for moving forward.KG, NigeriansTalk, Jul 2009

You should read the whole article.

Global Voices Online and Global Dashboard are spreading the word as are several blogs – Nigerians Talk, Riranwo.

Elites TV has also caught the bug.

There is also an official LOGO.

lightup nigeria logo

But to explain or fathom the reasons why it is so complex. From the cartels who import generators, the contractors who fail to complete power projects, citizens who vandalize power lines and installations, languid attitude of government up to the manufacturers of the generators (in developed countries); all these have a vested interest in the continued failure of power
provision in Nigeria.

Is the efficient and effective provision of electricity in Nigeria rocket science?

Nigerians, young and old, have decided to stand up to what is possibly the biggest embarrassment to the nation (okay, maybe second to corruption and scams) and start up a revolution to bring to the notice of the Federal Government that ENOUGH’S ENOUGH!

The revolution has started online via various media:

Twitter has been buzzing furiously with #lightupnigeria tweet

People have been encouraged to make videos and post on YouTube as eLDee has done

Bloggers are encouraged to also blog with the key word being LIGHTUPNIGERIA

So let’s join this revolution, new media style – please LIGHTUPNIGERIA!

Let's LightupNigeria!

All hell broke loose on Twitter as the story spread like wild fire. The tagline, “gas with attitude” was even suggested.

The connotations of the name seemed to have eluded both parties as it will go down in branding history as one of the worst blunders.

Brand Republic reminds us of some past blunders:

* The Ford Pinto ‑ which in Brazil means small penis

* The Pepsi slogan “come alive with the Pepsi generation”. In Taiwan this rousing motto translated as “Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead”.

* Mitsubishi was forced to change the name of its SUV model the Pajero in Spain, where the term means ‘wanker’.

* Chinese translations are fraught with difficulties — Kentucky Fried Chicken’s “finger lickin’ good” managed to come out as “eat your fingers off”

* Starbucks opted to stick with the term ‘latte’ when it launched in Germany, to the amusement of locals. While the word means ‘milk’ in Italian, in German it is a slang term for ‘erection’.

* A simple translation error meant that a Parker Pen ad run in Mexico ended up promising consumers that it would not “leak in your pocket and make you pregnant”

Next time you want to name that product, THINK!