I must say it right off the bat. Looking at a fleet of Air Tanzania’s planes currently, takes me back down memory lane when our country was among competent African countries almost in everything. It takes me back to the nostalgic time under the late Mwl Julius Nyerere when Tanzania tried to decolonise and truly emancipate itself something we now evident many years thereafter. This was before it sank to futility and obscurity up until President John Magufuli burst onto the scene and quickly reclaimed it including saving Air Tanzania’s bacon among others. Tanzania currently, boasts of having its national carrier, which is like a boff currently; and has been welcomed back to the community of competent countries in the world. If anything, the Air Tanzania is among many things that’ll become a legacy of Magufuli soon after retiring.
By and large, provided that now Tanzania deservedly and proudly has its own national carrier, the Air Tanzania, as a national property and symbol, needs to look like; and thereby represent Tanzania, at least, by carrying its four national colours, namely black, blue, yellow and green as seen on our national flag. These colours are not inadvertent in display. As a nation and people, no doubt; we chose them largely because of their significance in representing and showcasing us as we satisfactorily deem fit. For reminder, the black colour represents our colour as Africans, blue represents our water bodies, yellow represents our minerals and green represents our vegetation. This is what every Tanzanian knows after stepping into a class. This is what our nation inculcated in our minds and psyche as nation and people altogether though we somewhat take it for granted so as to pointlessly flout it. This is what I was taught in school in my formative age. I don’t know if currently it is still taught in schools as it used to be under the late Nyerere when patriotism was an in-thing nationally.
As a nation and people, wherever we are represented, we need to be accurately and deservedly represented either through our flag or whatever symbols that represent us without beefing about it. Understandably so, our national carrier is one of the symbols that represent our country in and out. In my humble submission methinks; this is why president Magufuli prioritized the purchase of aircraft. He knew and underscored chockablock importance a national carrier has to the country. For, whenever and wherever it flies, so, too, Tanzania flies there. This is why many countries bear the pains of maintaining their national carriers. It is for business as well as social purposes mainly pride and easily and self-advertisement and promoting. This said, the Air Tanzania needs to quickly tweak its emblem so that it can accurately and deservedly represent our country. It needs to seriously take this. For, this is not a Jar Jar Binks’ talk brought in Ebonics or anything alike.
In fact, when I cogently somehow look at the current Air Tanzania, I wonder if those who designed its colour had what I have in my mind as a Tanzania. For this matter, unbeknownst to them, even its emblem has some issues for having two A’s instead of one that would nicely represent the company. Why have two A’s instead of One, the first one? The bigger A with a round on it is suitable to deliver the meaning the company intends to put across instead of having two A’s which make it sound as ‘A Air Tanzania.’
Red meat aside, I am not intending or trying to condemn, playing chicken, faulting the Air Tanzania or carrying the ball on this goof-up. My assumption is that maybe, just maybe, those who designed its insignia didn’t see what I see, especially when they design it or painted their aircraft. Honestly, I believe that it behoves the Air Tanzania to take my advice instead of nixing it. This is because Air Tanzania apart from being ours, it must listen to our views too. For, those running the company do not have the company to themselves. Importantly, in my off-the-cuff research on other national carriers found that almost all national carriers carry the colours of their flags. This is not a coincidence. National colours have colossal significance in defining and representing the nation in question.
In sum, as elaborated above, this piece seeks to remind the Air Tanzania of its noble role of representing our country deservedly as it meets targeted goals for the development of our country. So, what is intended is not to punch holes on the Air Tanzania but to advise it do the right thing.
God bless Tanzania
No comments:
Post a Comment