Samuel Okwaraji long dead since August 1989,
but his heroism and selfless virtues remain very alive in the minds of
Nigerians. Never again have we seen such a man that so relished the honor and
privilege to serve his dear fatherland Nigeria.
Perhaps, Okwaraji is one model we need to
project to our people today, especially at this time of CHANGE. Though, we may
never be able to resurrect his now decayed body, but we can sure make his
spirit come alive. Of course digitally, the dead can rise again to advertise
any product on TV.
Come to think of it, not many brand managers in
Nigeria understands how to take advantage of dead celebrities like okwaraji, to
fast gain public acceptance of their products today.
Post mortem endorsements isn't something hot,
out of the box. According to Homer Simpson: "You celebrities need to
realize that the public own you for life. And after you're dead, you'll all be
in commercials dancing with vacuum Cleaners." Employing dead models for
advert has been an age long practice.
Computers have given producers incredible
abilities to manipulate images and create breathtaking effects for film and
television audiences.
Famous but long dead celebrities have been
digitally resurrected to lend their endorsements to numerous commercial
products. Photographs or scenes from their filmed appearances are digitally
processed to show them interacting with various products or people. These dead
celebs have given their digital support to numerous products and services as
well.
Now, the virtues Okwaraji displayed during his
lifetime can fast track the sale of any product in Nigeria. The advantage
really is paparazzi cannot come up with anything negative news about Okwaraji,
you can't fault a dead man. So it is safer to use such famous dead models for
advertising purposes.
It is cheaper to use dead models because all
you need do is to pay royalties to his benefactors. So at death, Okwaraji can
still remain a bread winner for his family. That will go a long way to
alleviate the current hardship his dependents are facing because of the sudden
demise.
Major brands in Nigeria should go on big time to
sponsor the Samuel Okwaraji Memoral Lecture and the All-stars Match events. GreenHunters
Sports International plans to pioneer this event next year.
For many Nigerians, that day and hour when
Okwaraji slumped and died in the main bowl of the capacity filled National
Stadium while he laboured for the glory of the country remains etched in their
minds.
That fateful August 12, 1989, FIFA World Cup qualifying
match between Nigeria’s Green Eagles and the Palancas Negras of Angola in the
main bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, where Samuel Sochukwuma
Okwaraji demonstrated heroism that eventually claimed his life on the field of
play.
