ON THE NEW COLOURS & LOGO FOR CROSS RIVER STATE NIGERIA

Cross River State Logo

As part of the celebration of the State’s 50th anniversary, the Governor and his Executive Council have decided to deprive the State of her famed brand identities namely- the colours, motto and logo. A government official told pressmen that the State colours will be changed in the next few days. It is said the colours of red and white will replace the colours of blue and white. The new red and white logo also has a bull in the middle signifying the ‘energy’ behind the activities in the State and the 18 stars encircling the logo represent the 18 local governments of Cross River State.
•Analyzing the changes and the reasons for them, one will see that the State Executive Council has no compelling reason to change the State logo. They are simply looking for mundane undertakings just to lay claim to having marked the State’s golden jubilee. How can they change the State logo which is unique in all its ways into that new thing that looks like the logo of a secret fraternity?
•Already, the new colours are rather alarming and it is now topped off by a centralized bull, an animal which cannot be found in any of the 18 local government areas of Cross River State. The logo also lacks originality as there is nothing unique in a logo having stars in a circular pattern. This knee jerk and ill-thought through plot to rob us of our now popular brand motto and logo which both portray what we stand for as a State is about to succeed unless insightful citizens rise up stoutly to resist such vain executive action.
•Let us not allow our uniquely wonderful blue and white colours which represent the rich aquatic nature and vibrant spirit of our people and State as well as our 'Destination Cross River State' Logo be replaced with colours and logo that hardly typify who we are as a State.
•It is also worthy of note that in the press briefing, the State official said that the State motto is being changed to what we do not yet know on the erroneous reason that there is no more ‘Destination Cross River’. He/she explained that Cross River State has already arrived at the said "destination". This is ignorance at its highest!
•The State administration ought to know that the word- DESTINATION in the current motto means that Cross River State is itself the "Destination" all humanity is headed. Thus, the Ayade administration has got it all wrong to assume that the State has arrived at its 'destination'.
Plans are also in full swing to change the State flag to maybe red and white; though this is yet to be unveiled.
•Governor Ben Ayade should be educated that State symbols and corporate brand identities are rarely changed. As it were, the basis for the proposed changes to our State symbols betray a poor understanding of the underlying philosophy behind and the import of the existing symbols.
•The disgust in the Ayade move is heightened by the fact that the proposed replacements in no way measure up in philosophical depth and brand appeal which the existing symbols bear. Gov. Ayade is well advised to abandon this misconceived venture.
•The administration if in need of work should return water to the pipes and taps of the State capital that have seen no drop of water for several weeks, this current state of affairs being the climax of the past 2 years of epileptic water supply in a city where before May 2015, owners of private water boreholes had shut down their boreholes since public water supply was 24/7.