Sometime in 1991 as a Youth Corps member with the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, news got to me that a body named the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations was going to hold her membership outreach for new intakes into the PR profession in Nigeria. Venue was the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Kofo Abayomi, Lagos. I was greatly elated about the news which I had been waiting for to start a fresh path on my long desired journey of PR professionalism or image making.

I had studied political science at the University of Ibadan. Eventually, the D-day came and I was at the auditorium of the Institute with multitudes of other green horns like myself. We had a couple of PR professionals who took turns to address us. In all of these, one personality that stood distinctly out of the crowd was Dr Adekunle Salu, a dark skinned dude, with an athletic frame and velvet voice. He was dapper with a uniquely barbed hair cut marked with an unmistakable airline called “parting” in our street lingo. He started by welcoming us with an infectious smile and candour which my mind had earlier conjectured as a true image of who an ideal professional should be.

An author of distinction, Salu has, in addition to his pioneer book “Understanding Public Relations” written the 1000 pager book “Topical PR” which is a collation of 70 per cent of his practical work experience and case studies in PR.

Pronto, Salu started reeling out the benefits of following the path of public relations as a profession. Being the pioneer Registrar of the institute, he convincingly directed our minds to the chartered examination route of the Institute which had just premiered. He counseled us to follow the exams path in order to be sufficiently grounded in both the art and practice of the profession. Looking back today, I cannot agree less with the sage. I took to his advice to be a chartered member of the Institute through qualifying examinations. My path was set and the rest as they say today is history, as I have through the grace of God and diligence risen meteorically to the pinnacle of my career as a CEO of a reputable institution today on the wings of PR, buoyed on the proverbial seed sowed by the iconic Dr Salu. I am sure many Image professionals today would regale us with stories of their life changing encounters with this icon of PR if time and space permit.

The fact that Dr Salu turns 90 and having put 70 solid years into the PR profession is worthy of being celebrated. Nigeria boasts only of such men in the ilk of the Accounting guru, Akintola Williams, and Insurance Grandmaster, Olola Olabode Ogunlana, in the prestigious league of longest serving professionals in our clime.

Dr Salu has been providentially blessed on all fronts despite his advanced age, his mental faculty and alacrity are intact. Having authored several professional books among them the best seller “Understanding Public Relations” which is a bible of some sort for PR scholars locally and internationally, the literary pen of his is still dripping with ink as he is producing more and writing so vigorously as if he was in his twenties.

A product of the Nigerian College of Arts and Science, affiliated to the University College that later transitioned to University College, Ibadan, also an affiliate of the London University, Salu started his career as an Information Officer with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. It remains to his credit till date that he personally undertook the first national audience research for the station, a feat that propelled him to undertake further courses in Edinburg and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in London. It is quite auspicious to note that Ghana was the only country after Nigeria in the sub Saharan Africa that has undertaken similar research till date. While working with NBC, Salu was also teaching Public Relations at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ).

READ ALSO: Efekoha’s WAICA presidency: Icing on a flourishing insurance career

To break the frontiers of his aspiration and practice, Salu took over the job of Editor “Links Magazine” of United African Company (UAC) in 1969. Like the glittering star that he was, it did not take up to two years before Salu was promoted as PR Manager with the company for its Lagos operations, while Michael Okereke held same position for the Eastern Nigeria office of the company. Not long after that, the trio of Salu, Ikhaz Yakubu and Michael Okereke were promoted as PR Counselors of the company, to strengthen its relationship with the increasing customers and publics in the country.

It was not a coincidence that the paths of Chief Ernest Shonekan who later became the Group Managing Director and Salu crossed at the UAC. They were actually secondary school classmates, but coming from a privileged family, Shonekan was sent to London to study Law after which he returned to join UAC. Salu met Shonekan as an Assistant Legal Manager when he joined UAC and they kept a strong bond of affinity that oiled the delivery of Salu as one of the key Image Makers of the conglomerate. Their closeness was such that Shonekan deliberately delayed the signing off of Salu’s voluntary retirement letter from the company until he was able to convince him with cogent reasons why he had to leave.

While at UAC, Salu recorded some significant feats as the first Nigerian to edit the Links Magazine of the conglomerate as well as being the first PR professional to man the Lagos office of the company where it boasts of the highest clientele or customer base. It is also on record that Salu, out of crave to add value at his personal expense undertook studies on security in Germany and Austria which later became valuable to the company. He was once asked to address all Directors of Unilever in the UK, a rare feat at the time.

On exit from UAC, the bond of friendship and professionalism that strewn himself and Okereke remained strong and they resolved to fortify and expand the operations of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations through better ideation. Prior to this time, the Institute was essentially Lagos based. Mazi Mike Okereke later became President of the Institute and invited Salu as the pioneer Registrar. Regarded as the golden era of NIPR, the combination of the duo brought unimpeachable progress to the Institute as the enabling law was signed in 1991 under them. The Institute hosted the Commonwealth Public Relations Conference in Abuja, which was adjudged remarkably successful. Similarly, more chapters of the Institute were created in almost 19 States of the country. Salu was an unmistakable face of the Institute and a thinking head. NIPR under his Registrarship organized training for all Military officers and Commissioners of Police all over the country, while a faculty of trainers was inaugurated in the Institute. All Local Government officers (10 from each Councils), split between the administrative and executive cadres were trained by the Institute. There is surely no way the history of chartered examinations of the Institute would be told without a mention of Salu under whose tenure it was commenced. The Institute also worked on synergies with some notable higher institutions in the country, to give leeway for PR practitioners to undertake the course at the Post Graduate and Doctorate levels.

As Salu clocks 90, it still remains an irrepressible burden in his heart that the NIPR logs into the advantage of imbibing Neurolinguistics programing, taught by only one university in Europe.

An author of distinction, Salu has, in addition to his pioneer book “Understanding Public Relations” written the 1000 pager book “Topical PR” which is a collation of 70 per cent of his practical work experience and case studies in PR. Other books on faith with 36 Chapters themed “Gods Purpose Public Relations” are set to debut.

As Salu clocks 90, it still remains an irrepressible burden in his heart that the NIPR logs into the advantage of imbibing Neurolinguistics programing, taught by only one university in Europe. His opinion is that the programme is an embodiment of ten other professions that would make every PR professional encyclopedic and more valuable in the scheme of things. He has also recommended “quadri-lingualism for transformational leadership” as another inroad for greater knowledge and relevance of Image making professionals. If anything else, Salu desires to see greater acceptance of PR by all leaders in government and corporate institutions, considering the value of the profession as the fabric of social cohesion and unity.

As the czar of PR joins the prestigious league of the nonagenarians, all image makers in Nigeria and globally could only wish him many more years of divine health and undiminishing value to the profession and humanity.

*Tope Adaramola is a former chairman of Ogun State chapter of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations

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In the pain of the cast on my leg, I started musing to myself that henceforward I must live right. Avoid habits and ventures that could predispose me to ill-health. Eat well, sleep well, watch my habits and eschew living styles that may bring hurtful results to my heath as I advance in years

To say that all is well with our hospitals or medical institutions today is to hide or pretend about the obvious, little thanks to years of successive neglect of that critical sector, partly due to indiscretion of our past leaders and corruption. In the order of human survival, health is one of the topmost in the line of priority, because it takes a healthy individual to contribute to the growth of the family, which is the smallest societal set, as well as the nation at large. It is often said that health is wealth. Little wonder most advanced countries pay all required attention to healthcare of all their citizens from cradle to grave, regardless of their position or station in the society.

READ ALSO: Inauguration of Asiwaju Tinubu: Let’s pray for Oluremi

A visit to many hospitals today leaves one distressed about how cheap life has become in this clime. The surging crowd of those seeking medical care is far more in deep magnitude compared to healthcare professionals on ground to succour them. Where the medical personnel are even on ground, the equipment are either antiquated or are not readily available and they, as humans, are fatigued and expectedly left with no choice than to be edgy and unfriendly. I recall with great sorrow losing a close friend of mine some years back. He had been wrongly diagnosed in a public hospital, meaning that all medications being administered on him were dissonant to his real ailment. The sickness got worse and we had to move him to a tertiary hospital in Abeokuta. Just about a week into his admission, there was a national strike by Doctors and hospital workers, following which he was discharged hurriedly, despite his worsening health condition. By the time the hospital doors were opened again his ailment had reached a hilt. To cut the long story, we lost him due to what was referred to as “total systems breakdown”. Naturally, he wouldn’t have been a candidate of such early death if our medical system was upright. This sordid case typifies what many go through when they need medical attention in Nigeria. Research indicates that today we have less than 35 Doctors to 30,000 patients, depending on the region of the country, falling gravely short of expectations of the World Health Organisation. Even the private hospitals, majorly owned by professionals concurrently employed by government are not better. The surge and inability to get the best care in government hospitals is putting severe pressure on them too. Despite the huge expenditure that is needed to patronize those clinics by individuals, the same bug that is biting the government hospitals have become their lot.

To say that all is well with our hospitals or medical institutions today is to hide or pretend about the obvious, little thanks to years of successive neglect of that critical sector, partly due to indiscretion of our past leaders and corruption.

My personal experience recently tells me that we must all at this time take every precaution to be healthy and reduce the risk of indisposition. In the course of fixing a fractured ankle, I met a young medical doctor, with whom I had a heart to heart conversation. He was frank to tell me “Oga, do you think there is any good Doctor remaining in Nigeria again”?  He retorted further “we that are here are just marking time waiting for auspicious time to go to where we would be most needed and commensurately rewarded”! Even though I knew what he was saying in reference to the “Japa syndrome”, I quipped that this was coming from a young medic that ordinarily should be a hope in our medical sector. Where do we go from here? I asked myself. Self preservation has to be given its primacy in our daily endeavours. In the pain of the cast on my leg, I started musing to myself that henceforward I must live right. Avoid habits and ventures that could predispose me to ill-health. Eat well, sleep well, watch my habits and eschew living styles that may bring hurtful results to my heath as I advance in years. I need to constantly ensure a perfect synergy and well being of my soul, body and spirit. At least if the government, which has the bounding responsibility to aid my wellbeing is utterly lax or negligent in its duties, I owe myself a duty of care first and I hand over the rest to the Almighty creator who maintains our being and determines the borders of our habitation in life.

I keep musing to myself: “This is not really the best time to be ill in Nigeria”!

*Adaramola is a Chartered Insurer and PR practitioner

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Away from the intrigues, the met and unmet expectations of voters or Nigerians about the 2023 General elections, the stark reality is that the country has crossed another intricate line in its democratic process with the swearing in of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President.

From the Greek City States epoch, I surmise there has never been an election result of which absolutely goes down well with all gladiators. So, expecting a deviation from the norm in the case of the last election is an over expectation or banking on the wind, even considering the complexities of the country and her people.

What positive minded Nigerians could do in this circumstance is to give deserved adoration to the Almighty for preserving our growing democracy. I have always argued that the flip side of the peace after the election could have been unfavourable and cataclysmic for our nation, and ultimately for everyone.

It is comforting that going through the records of our First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, she is not strange to the game of power and politics, an attribute many of her predecessors never had.

I have refrained in this piece from joining legion of pundits and well-meaning Nigerians, rightly so too, from setting agenda for the new leadership. That is being done in good measure. Rather, I desire to follow my inner mind to advertise the need for intense intercession for the Wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu, who now occupies the office of the First Lady and who should naturally see herself as the mother of the nation at this time.

Until modern governance, the culture of putting women -this time, talking about wives of political leaders – forward is an anathema of some sort. Women in the pristine society are expected to be subservient, quiet and homebound, with their primary ambitions entirely confined to manage the home and procreate. Though ideal women do these and even more, the reality is that women are often the unsung voices which must be recognized behind every good orchestra. History is replete with many “macho beings” who fell short of effective national and global leadership expectations, simply because they lacked the right type of women behind or beside them.

Right from the Biblical epoch, we had virtuous women like Elizabeth, wife of John; Abigail wife of the bullish and insolent, but rich Nabal, who covered the husband from the Ireful King David that would have killed him for his indiscretion. On the flip side there were also the likes of Zeresh, wife of Modeccai, who instigated the Agagite husband to build gallows to destroy the Jews. Jezebel, wife of King Arab was reputed as having an egregious record of being foremost amongst women that led their husbands to do evil. The fact is that many are still holding the view till now that women are the week vessels  in marriage and society, not knowing that behind that facade of “weakness” is stoic strength of a steel. Wives have capacity to turn the hearts of their husbands to do good or evil of unimaginable proportions depending on what they are poised to or have opportunity to do.

Unfortunately, in the calculus of power, women are often glossed over to the ultimate detriment of all. The fact is that most women whether in public glare or in secret hold the keys to the hearts of men can be little contested. For those that are sensitive, whatever lofty intentions in the heart of the leader, it could either be enhanced or voided by their wives.

READ ALSO: President Tinubu and his forerunners, By Mikail Mumuni

In modern political history, we have had the likes of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt of United States of America who helped the husband push for universal civil rights and social programmes that has changed the narrative of America permanently in history. Similarly, Mrs Jacqueline Kennedy moved into White House in 1961 and was dismayed to find it furnished with few historical artifacts. She made the husband spearhead a restoration of the White House and had hand in preserving the neighborhood around.

We must understand that all those  political gladiators that would be milling around President Tinubu now have restricted borders of relationship; only Madam Oluremi would be left with him in their innermost secret chamber or the  “oza room” where most decisions would be reappraised.

It’s auspicious to note that First Ladies are often seen as motherly symbols and history shows these women can have considerable behind-the-scenes influence. A case that comes to mind was when Melinda Trump had a top national adviser fired in her husband’s cabinet because of the way her staff was treated on a foreign trip. One needs to read the book, “First Women” to, among other things, get insight into how Nancy Reagan was really the “Human Resources Officer” of her husband who decided on who would be in and who would be out.

It is comforting that going through the records of our First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, she is not strange to the game of power and politics, an attribute many of her predecessors never had. She has the rich pedigree of being the First Lady of Lagos State for eight years, when her husband was on the saddle as Governor. As if to confirm to prescriptions of Benjamin Distreli that “it is good for a man to prepare before his time.” Oluremi’s service  as a three time Senator, must have given  her all required seasoning and practical insight into representative politics with which she could complement her husband, aside from being just an house wife. Also, her religious inclination evidenced by being an ordained Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God would have infused in her the required understanding of noble, godly heartedness, as well as divine accountability.

As a man who believes in the efficacy of prayers to make things happen, my thought is that Oluremi Tinubu needs more of our prayers and support as the “Queen Esther” on the throne to help the new king see well and make good decisions that will create peace and desired progress for this Jerusalem, called Nigeria, wherein lies our collective peace.

As a man who believes in the efficacy of prayers to make things happen, my thought is that Oluremi Tinubu needs more of our prayers and support as the “Queen Esther” on the throne to help the new king see well and make good decisions that will create peace and desired progress for this Jerusalem, called Nigeria, wherein lies our collective peace. On the part of the First Lady, it behoves her to remain humble and continually crave divine help on the throne, bearing in mind the question posed to Queen Esther in the bible that. “…knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this”. Nigerians would like to see her input ostensibly through crucial decisions to be taken by the President as time goes by.

We must not be oblivious of the fact that there are bands of “Hamans”; men pleasers, scurrilous and selfish individuals that would be swooping on the President with evil intentions. They could only be sieved off when the eyes of the first family see beyond the ordinary. We all have a duty to return our nation to the desired destination and someone’s part could just be made to make intense intercession for the unsung power behind the throne, laying aside all malice and divisive sentiments, for this to happen. May God help the new government and Nigeria to succeed. Amen.

*Adaramola is a PR practitioner and public affairs commentator

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In the words of Kenneth D. Mclroy in his stimulating book The Pragmatic Leader, “The key to moving yourself off starters block is to decide to take action to continually improve yourself, establish new goals in life and continue to act on them, never flagging in your zeal to reach the goals you have set.”

There is no better way to describe the undiminishing vision of the astute insurance professional, Eddie Agberia Efekoha, than in these wisdom nuggets. Eddie who exemplifies the saying that one’s decisions determine his destiny, rose from a humble beginning to occupy a conspicuous seat amongst top notch men, not only in Nigeria, but at the international space. With his election as the next President of the West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA), Efekoha’s vision of adding more value to insurance practice beyond the coast of Nigeria is a reality. His assumption of office would also be another enviable icing on his over 40 years professional experience and diligent service to the Nigerian insurance market which he bestrides till date like a colossus.

Most noteworthy was the fact that the coming into the insurance industry of Eddie was providential.

The iconic insurance professional who hails from Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria, had occupied the enviable dual apex positions of Chairman of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) and President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN). As one of the leading lights, Eddie’s undeniable contributions to the industry’s growth, both in professional, human, and structural developments cannot be underestimated.

Most noteworthy was the fact that the coming into the insurance industry of Eddie was providential. He had nurtured the ambition of becoming a teacher, which naturally prodded him to seek admission at the Nana College, Warri, for his Teachers Grade II Certificate,  after which he taught briefly in a primary school. Seeing better prospects in the horizon, he left his first love- teaching- to join the Warri Refinery & Petro-Chemical Company, which offered a better prospect at the time. As a promising young man, Eddie realised early the need to improve his status by acquiring more education, so concurrently with his work schedule he studied on a part-time basis for GCE Advanced Level which he passed brilliantly.

READ ALSO: Lagos train-bus accident bad, but showcases beauty of insurance

In his quest for more knowledge, Eddie secured admission to the prestigious University of Lagos and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a Second Class Upper Division in 1985 and later obtained a master’s degree in Business Administration from the same university in 1995.

Fired by the desire to extend his professional career, Eddie sat for the prestigious Chartered Insurance Institute of London (CII) by examination in 1987, qualifying as an Associate, and in quick succession obtained the Fellowship of the same Institute in 1991. He was consequently elected Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria in 1995. In 2018, he was admitted Fellow of the Institute of Directors, Nigeria.

Eddie’s insurance career spans well over three decades, starting from his compulsory National Youth Corps scheme with now defunct Everyman Insurance Brokers Ltd, Ilorin,  in 1985 under the astute Reverend Elisha Fabiyi. He reminisced with fondness how Fabiyi acquitted himself to him both as a father and professional mentor throughout his stay with the company. Thereafter, he worked at different times for two leading brokerage outfits in Nigeria, namely: first Hogg Robinson Nigeria and Glanvill Enthoven & Co (Nig) in 1988 as an Assistant Manager. His versatility, hard work and extraordinary capacity earned him a meteoric rise on the career ladder. In 1997 he was appointed to the Board as Executive Director (Technical operations). He left Glanvills in 1997 with some professional colleagues to found Fountain Insurance Brokers Ltd as its Managing Director/CEO where his experience gained over the years came  handy. In less than 5 years the company catapulted to one of the top 10 industry leaders.

In 2003, the relentless Eddie championed another turnaround stride as he and a few others acquired the then Metropolitan Trust Insurance Company Ltd which was transitioned to Consolidated Risk Insurers Plc (CRI) with Eddie becoming its Vice Chairman/CEO. The regulatory induced recapitalisation of insurance companies in 2007 led CRI to merge with two other companies and morphed to become Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc. The Company under Eddie’s leadership as the  MD/CEO, buoyed on creative leadership, foresight and superb board room strategy grew its revenue northwards and diversified its operation by offering other financial services, translating it to one of the best insurance brands in Nigeria’s financial ecosystem today.

A superb social connector who has earned unassailable respect and reverence from colleagues and juniors in the industry, Eddie’s bondless zeal for knowledge is legendary as well as makes him a proud product of the Chief Executive Programme at the prestigious Lagos Business School and most recently the Owner/President Management Program of the Harvard Business school, Boston, USA.

At the continental level, Eddie served as a member, one-time chair of the African Insurance Organization Book Review Committee and he is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the African Insurance Organization (AIO).

Eddie’s instinct as a teacher came handy during his tenure as Chairman of the then nascent College of Insurance & Financial Management and President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, during which he assisted in preparing students for both the CII London and Nigerian professional examinations for several years.

At the continental level, Eddie served as a member, one-time chair of the African Insurance Organization Book Review Committee and he is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the African Insurance Organization (AIO).

Married with three wonderful children and a grandson, Eddie is a soccer fan and an avid golfer. In a few weeks from now, precisely May 7-9, 2023 ,  when he would be formally installed at the WAICA Conference holding in Lagos, the insurance industry titan would be bringing to bear on the 50 year old Association his huge personable traits, professional experience and sagacity to join other worthy team members to ”reposition Insurance Industry in West Africa for Global Competiveness” which is in perfect alignment with the theme of the epochal insurance regional conference.

*Tope Adaramola is the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Broker.

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Few days back, Nigerians, nay Lagosians, woke up to the distressing news of the fatal collision between a commercial intra-state train service and a bus owned by the Lagos State Government. The vehicle was said to be a staff bus conveying civil servants to work. At the aftermath of the disaster, six people had lost their lives while about 56 others suffered several degrees of injuries.

Typically, the disaster punctured then ongoing frenzy of the electioneering campaigns, as numerous well wishers and sympathisers surged to the scene of the disaster, as well as the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital where the victims were evacuated to for treatment.

Disasters and unfortunate accidents do not announce they would be coming, it only makes good sense to prepare for them in form of insurance.

In a swift reaction, the Governor of Lagos State Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, who personally visited the victims in the hospital commiserated with them over the unfortunate mishap. He also gave a soothing assurance that the State Government would foot the medical bills of all the victims. Several opinion moulders and sympathisers both within and outside the state also registered their sympathies, with a wish that such event should never recur.

But behind the scenes of this disaster, the insurance industry, which has the mandate to provide risk protection and cushion effect of such calamities for the insured, went to the drawing board to appraise the situation and get their acts together to pay the claims after ascertaining that all conditions for the insurance contract have been met. It is noteworthy that the Lagos State Government has remained a frontliner when it comes to embracing of insurance, amongst its peers in the country. The State has in place a well structured insurance and risk management strategy, which are meant to cope with such eventuality as the one on hand.

READ ALSO: Humour, theatrics of 2023 electioneering campaigns

As at now, arrangements are being finalised by the State government to formally present required claims requisition to the insurance companies handling the State government’s insurances. With the extant global insurance package for civil servants, Lasaco Assurance Company Limited is leading a retinue of other Insurers as the Lead Underwriter, while Quick link Insurance Brokers Ltd is leading the divide of Insurance Brokers as the Super Lead Broker. The insurance team would no doubt live up to their billing by settling the claims, timeously. The way insurance works in this case is that the deceased’s families would be compensated under the Group Life policies, while those who were injured would have their compensation paid under the Group Personal Accident (GPA).  A source hinted that the office of the Head of Service which superintends over staff matters in the public service of the State would soon apprise the Finance Ministry with the exact information before the claims payments would be activated.

Although the unfortunate accident drew out the humanness of Nigerians who handsomely responded in cash and kind to the victims, from the scene of the accident, to the point of treatment, such show of magnanimity would only complement benefits that the victims would be entitled to from the insurance industry, and not reduce or preclude it. The insurance industry would among other things, be looking at paying compensation for total or total permanent disabilities of the victims, as enshrined in their Group Life and personal Accident Schemes.

One cannot agree less with the submission that insurance is like a nation’s army which many think is needless in the time of peace, but becomes a life safer when war breaks out!

Sad as the disaster was, it is no doubt bringing out the much needed beauty of insurance in risk amelioration and protection. Imagine if the victims were not insured by their employers, I bet their misery and sense of loss would have been more, regardless of palliatives emotionally given to them by well wishers. One can only commend the Lagos State Government for entrenching a robust insurance regime for its human and material assets. Others States in country should urgently take a cue these unfortunate incidents and the intervention of insurance to place the required premium on insurance for their human and material assets. Disasters and unfortunate accidents do not announce they would be coming, it only makes good sense to prepare for them in form of insurance. One cannot agree less with the submission that insurance is like a nation’s army which many think is needless in the time of peace, but becomes a life safer when war breaks out!

*Tope Adaramola is a Chartered Insurer and PR professional

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Politics in the view of Harold Lasswell is who gets what when and how. This belief about politics makes the game suffuse with intense competition amongst political actors or gladiators in an attempt to worst one another to win.

It is not strange that in playing the political game, politicians believe, like in warfare situation, that every strategy is fair, provided one wins, putting it in the frame of thoughts of that iconic French philosopher, Nicolo Machiavelli, who opined that “in the action of the Prince, the end justifies the means”!

Nigeria’s democracy is without a doubt becoming stable, having had this strand of governance uninterrupted since 1999, after power was wrested from the jackboots. With the 2023 general elections, the entire nation was again enraptured in frenzied emotions, occasioned by voters’ crave to make choices amongst politicians wooing them for votes. This particular Presidential election was remarkably different from previous ones, little thanks to the intense injection of religion and ethnic sentiments into the game. It makes no news that the election was also characterised by unprecedented upstages, as strongholds of political lords or sectional demagogues were rattled, especially by the Labour Party. As against the two political parties that we used to have in the political race, Nigerians had a choice in pitching their tents this time around with either APC – the ruling party, PDP – main opposition party, or the newly emergent third force – the Labour Party. It makes no news that the Labour Party under its Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi,  literally shook the table, rooting out the two traditional parties even in some of their captive zones. Though unable to gather the required numerical strength to become the winner, Labour Party came third in the contest, but not without giving the APC and PDP bloodied nose.

Without a doubt, Nigerians had some fun-filled campaign again as new words were added to their lexicon and humour arsenal, particularly coming from the Presidential candidate of the APC, who has been declared President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

But while the campaign and election lasted, some pundits like this writer did not miss the theatrics that made the game interesting. The dramatics and humour that characterised this campaign seem a resurgence of what we used to have during the first and partly second republics when political jibes and humorous comments by political gladiators ignited the political atmosphere while the political campaigns lasted. The likes of Sam Mbakwe, a.k.a the Weeping Governor; was often reported at throwing verbal javelins at his opponents, even in their domains. He does this to provoke them to anger and by so doing making them lose balance. He had the slogan “Onye si Mbakwe agaghi achi, obu nna ya ga achi?” translating “Whoever says Mbakwe will not rule will his father be the one to rule”?  Akintola; Adelabu, Penkelemesi  et al, would not also be easily forgotten for humourising their campaigns with sarcasms and anaecdotes, many of which are still in history books till date. Bashorun MKO Abiola was also legendary in humour and rich anecdotes with which he laced his campaign during the botched “Hope 93” campaigns. The business mogul was noted for saying “no man can shave a man’s head in his absence”, “no one should tell a blind man that the market is over, after all if he could not see, he could hear when there is no more noise in the market place” as well as “no bird has the grace of flying with one wing”.

READ ALSO: Aftermath of the 2023 presidential election, By Kazeem Akintunde

Without a doubt, Nigerians had some fun-filled campaign again as new words were added to their lexicon and humour arsenal, particularly coming from the Presidential candidate of the APC, who has been declared President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Someone averred before the election that even if Asiwaju Tinubu fails to win the election, he was deserving of a garland for his ingenious fabrication of humour and adjectives which livened up the political game, notwithstanding the sarcasm that left sour tastes in the mouths of opponents and those with differing views. Despite the alleged flurry of bitter darts hauled at his ambition, Asiwaju, like the bull in the enemy’s territory fought his way through with brain, brawn and oratory. From his declaration of his ambition to his party faithful  in Abeokuta, Asiwaju spewed venomous attacks at his presumed political traducers whom he believed were planning to put a wedge on his path to victory. Speaking about the serial attempts by President Mohammadu Buhari to become President under another party for which he often failed, Asiwaju Tinubu could not find a better way to express his roles to help Buhari become President than by using the Yoruba expressions of “O se ekini, o lu’le; O se ekeji o lu’le; O se eketa, o lu’le” Meaning President Buhari made first attempt and failed, he made second attempt and failed..” It was at the same meeting that he justified why he must be the president of the country, somewhat as a compensatory logic for his stoic support for many whom he had helped politically to actualise their mandates in the past even at the risk of self-abnegation. Asiwaju  came up with the “Emilokan” (it’s my turn) slogan and in a jiffy, this also provoked and gained currency all over the country, to the extent of becoming good content and rave for musicians and prayer warriors. In what some referred to as a strategy of distracting his opponents, as contained in the 48 Laws of Power, Asiwaju, in one of his campaigns was reported to have muttered an incomprehensible sentence Bala blue, Blue Bala, a sentence that his opponents held against  him to prove that he was already suffering from old age dementia. Other gaffes that became good comic relive were Asiwaju’s “Vote PDAPC” apparently uttered on the rostrum to urge voters to vote for his party – APC. This is without forgetting another bombshell he threw at the same Abeokuta a second time. Reacting to the inclement environment being created by the Naira swap by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the raging fuel scarcity, Asiwaju pointedly addressed his enemies to do their worse, bellicosely noting that “e gbe epo pamo, e gbe naira pamo; a ma d’ibo, a ma wo’le” translating “you kept naira, you kept petrol, notwithstanding, we shall shall vote and we shall win”!

The conclusion of the matter is that the 2023 general elections brought back a bit more of the homour and glitz that were characteristic features of our politics of old.

There were other interesting moments and utterances such as the one made by Iyorchia Ayu, chairman of the PDP at a campaign rally somewhere in a Northern state. Ayu who ostensibly wanted to justify why no voter should foist the party (APC) on Nigeria again for all its perceived evils, substituted PDP with APC in his vituperations in what many saw as a self-shot on the foot being the chairman of PDP! The humour game is not complete without a mention of tantrums of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. Wike, who along with four other governors of the PDP fell out with the leadership and some party members for their alleged collusion to install Alhaji Atiku Muhammed as Presidential candidate of the party, in deference to the zoning of the position to the South, often used every avenue to entertain Nigerians. The mercurial politician authored the sound bites of “as it dey pain dem, it dey sweet us”! This did not only become sweet slogan to wipe political foes, it is now another addition to lyrics of some musicians and irredentists.

The conclusion of the matter is that the 2023 general elections brought back a bit more of the homour and glitz that were characteristic features of our politics of old. These do not only enrich the game, they also lightened the atmosphere, dousing the tension that comes with the game of politics.

*Adaramola (topejanet2000@gmail.com) is a PR professional and political analyst

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