Reno Omokri
Bemigho Reno Omokri,[1] is the Special Assistant to the Nigerian President on New Media,.[2][3][4][5][6][7] He is noted for using social media to conduct surveys[2] and project the developments undertaken by the Nigerian Government. He is the founder of a multi-media project, Build Up Nigeria,[8] and has produced a series of short films. He has a LL.M from the University of Wolverhampton.[1]
Prior to this, he was Vice President, Africa, at Joe Trippi and Associates, a U.S Political Consulting firm.[9][10]
He is the pastor of a church, Mind of Christ Christian Center, where he teaches the word of God on a regular basis. He is also known in the Nigerian media for using Social Media to project the Gospel.[11] Reno pioneered the use of Social Media as a political force and an agent for social rebirth in Nigeria.[12][13][14]
Omokri regularly writes articles for major Nigerian newspapers (mainly political OpEd and Christian material).[10][15][16][17][18]
Reno has been a panelist at the United States Institute of Peace[19] as well as the Atlantic Council,[20][21] where he was a panelist on an event that featured other speakers such as Jendayi Frazer, former U.S. Asst. Secretary of State for Africa, both in Washington D.C.
He was also a signatory of a letter by a group of eminent Nigerians (G 57) that called for the resignation of President Umaru Yar'adua[22] after he was evacuated from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia on November 23, 2009, for a medical emergency without handing over executive powers to his vice, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and in 2011 he led some Diaspora Nigerians to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2011 elections.[23]
In 2011, during the Nigerian fuel subsidy crisis, Omokri allegedly described North Nigerians as "parasites" in Twitter, and after angry reactions from Nigerians on Twitter, the seemingly offensive tweet was deleted,[7][24] however, he publicly denied this allegation.[25] In January, 2012, Omokri attempted to silence Kathleen Ndongmo, who criticized the Nigerian Government's policy on fuel subsidy, by warning her to stop commenting on the policy and its consequences because she was a Cameroonian and not a Nigerian, a move for which Omokri was rebuked by fellow Nigerian journalists.[3]
He is the author of the book 'Shunpiking: No Shortcuts to God'[26]
References
- ^ a b "Nigeria's Diminished President". P.M. News. Lagos, Nigeria. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ a b Agency, Reporter (12 August 2012). "Jonathan seeks feedback from Nigerians on power supply". Punch Nigeria (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ a b Egbejule, Eromo. "Seven days and seven nights". Daily Times. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ Ntia, Usukuma. "Image Making: Between Media Advisers And PR Consultants For Public Sector". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ Lere, Ismaila. "Few highs, many lows as GEJ marks two years in office". Sunday Trust. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ El-Rufai, Nasir Ahmad (15 May 2012). "Between terrorism and corruption (2)". Nigerian Compass (Ogun State, Nigeria). Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ a b Kawu, Is'haq Modibbo (31 May 2012). "Obasanjo vs National Assembly: Ali Baba and the 40 thieves". Vanguard (Lagos Nigeria). Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ "Washington Update Radio - Recent Guests". Justice Integrity Project. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ Imam, Imam (16 September 2010). "North: Jonathan's Declaration'll Set Bad Precedent". This Day (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ a b "A Polite Response To General Babangida". Leadership (Lagos, Nigeria). 23 August 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ Azuh, Maureen (7 September 2012). "Jonathan's aide turns preacher on Facebook". Punch Nigeria (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ Imam, Imam (3 Jul 2010)). "Response to Facebook Page Thrills Jonathan". This Day (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 8 September 2012.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Nigerian Diaspora Seeks Credible Elections Using Social Media". Voice of America (USA). 13 April 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
- ^ El-Rufai, Nasir Ahmad (15 May 2012). "Between terrorism and corruption (2)". Nigerian Compass. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ "Dokpesi and the Elastic Conscience". This Day (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ "Getting Better and Not Bitter". This Day (Lagos, Nigeria). 26 June 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ "Single term: Another view". Tribune (Lagos, Nigeria). 9 August 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ "Again on El-Rufai and Bitterness". This Day (Lagos, Nigeria). 3 June 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ "Can Nigeria Hold Credible Elections?". United States Institute of Peace, Washington, DC. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ "An Initial Assessment: Nigeria's Elections". Atlantic Council, 1101 15th Street, NW, 11th Floor Washington, D.C. 20005, U.S.A. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ Kreig, Andrew. "Experts Debate Nigerian Election Fairness". Justice-Integrity Project LLC. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ Ujah, Emma (1 January 2010). "Sack Yar'Adua, G-57 tells N-Assembly". Vanguard Newspaper (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ Okoli, Anayo. "2011: Nigerians In Diaspora Back Jonathan". This Day (Lagos Nigeria). Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ Kawu, Is'haq Modibbo (27 October 2011). "General Yakubu Gowon: A patriot @ 77". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ Samuel, Aruwan (21 September 2012). "I never called Northerners parasites-Jonathan's aide". Blueprint Newspaper. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
- ^ Reno Omokri. "Shunpiking: No Shortcuts to God". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 5 February 2013.