Tinubu’s Masterful Wisdom And Foresight

It is a common cliché in Yoruba parlance that one’s enemy hardly kills a big antelope. Regardless of the size of the kill, it remains an ant in the eye of the hater. Governance across the globe requires criticisms to put the leader on its toes. As can be seen, even the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump whose government is less than three months today has had the fiercest criticisms in the history of America’s democracy. Understandably so, America’s economy has tanked and gone the lowest in recent times with inflation reaching rooftops. However, criticisms must be constructive, less the critics are seen as cynics and/or naysayers.

The slain African American revolutionary and human rights activist, Malcom X had this to say on media, “The media is the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power, because they control the minds of the masses.”

Criticisms remain integral part of democracy because it allows government to put on its thinking cap and do the needful every step on the way. To assert that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as composed today, does not have a formidable media team that engages the public, hence, zero communication is to try to prevaricate the truth. It was rather stupefying a piece written by one Temidayo Akinsuyi and published in the Vanguard Newspaper which he captioned, “Tinubu Administration – Many Spokesperson, Zero Communication” and presented as today’s reality.

Akinsuyi’s piece will at best pass for a mere gibberish or with all sense of modesty a balderdash, especially when his opinion is juxtaposed with happenings in the last four months. It is an open and shut fact that up until middle of November of 2024, the administration was at the receiving end. The office of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as his person were soft targets from vitriols. Overtly observable, no one was speaking for the administration. I observed that none of the cabinet members was audacious enough to engage the media on government programmes, policies, and reforms, not even anyone from the existing media aides (as it were) could muster the courage. Everybody was on their own, leaving Mr. President alone and aloof in his constant barrage of attacks, mudslinging and nonstop invectives – whether on the pages of print media or social media. That may have accounted for why at some point, Mr. President had to read the riot act to his media aides.

However, the pronouncement of the vocal lawyer and public affairs analyst, Daniel Bwala as the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication (State House) in the middle of November appeared to be the game changer. Although, the former’s appointment may have come amidst harsh criticisms, sponsored propaganda, and in-house hostility; one fact remains his eventual announcement to work in the ‘State House’ is a pointer to the masterful dexterity of Mr. President as a ‘strategic poacher’. President Tinubu saw what many did or could not see then. And as it would turn out, the appointment of Daniel Bwala has brought calmness and stability into President Tinubu’s communication team.

Except for a nayasyer, it is a known fact, indubitable and irrefragable that Bwala has remained the only Presidential Spokesperson visible on TV stations where and when necessary. In today’s world, media engagements have gone past print media. TV stations, podcasts, new (social) media have become the order of the day. Bwala has been visible on all these platforms. And just like X rightly posited, “…they (media) have the power to make the innocent guilty, and to make the guilty innocent…”, media stations in Nigeria today have mastered how to spin the narrative against government of the day. This, Bwala has been able to counter quite effectively. He has hitherto become more like a shock absorber for the administration – where he speaks, not only for Mr. President but also some of his cabinet members whom, up until recently, were seen as ineffective or dead woods.

Not until Bwala was appointed, the Chief Spokesperson for government and Minister of Information was only visible during awards nights, dinner events and other ceremonies other than on television stations, radio platforms and other media outlets to discuss the administration and its drive, resulting in endless backlash against the government. Even the fiercest critics agree that Bwala’s appointment had practically filled in the gap and relief the communication apparatus of the president of unforced errors.

Akinsuyi’s opinion points to a fact that his position may have been based on either pure mischief or acute ignorance – where he has restricted himself to only print media. It is not impossible that he had expected Mr. President’s media team to engage Nigerians only on the pages of newspapers. Otherwise, it would amount to sheer wickedness for anyone to claim there is zero communication from ‘The Presidency’ when, from my observation, hardly a week goes by without Bwala appearing on at least six different media platforms speaking for government. Does it appear in any way to Akinsuyi that Bwala’s opinions on national issues have even become inputs for news publication by electronic and print media? Today, media houses use Bwala’s tweets on the X blogosphere as raw inputs for their news output. How much more communications does Akinsuyi want?

I was one of those who vehemently spoke against the appointment of Daniel Bwala. As an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, and a diehard Tinubu supporter, I was angry that Bwala left the party even though he was everywhere for the candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the APC flagbearer. But as a true party man, I felt disappointed when he joined the opposition during the campaigns. However, Bwala’s appointment has again proved that emotions have no place in politics. Mr. President saw what people like us did not see in him. And he has proved every critic wrong. He has proved his mettle, better than others.

In today’s media engagements, the world has moved past mere ‘Press Releases’. That should be left for Chief Press Secretaries to handle, not Spokespersons/Spokesmen. Having worked with the Buhari administration for eight years pro bono, and even with the opposition during the electioneering, Bwala definitely must have something ‘believable’ for Mr. President to have poached him from the opposition. Today, Bwala has showcased in greater proportion the efforts of Mr. President’s on reworking the entire governance architecture in the country. Prior to his coming on board, the only appointees I observed were trying to keep Nigerians informed were the new media duo – O’tega Ogra and Olusegun Dada. Akinsuyi suggesting individuals in the presidential media team are working at cross purposes suggests one thing – a man lost on substance inhailing.

Propaganda runs the media of today – with spin narratives, fake news, and unsubstantiated innuendoes which require spontaneous actions and proactive measures. Bwala’s strategies are akin to a Navy seal that goes where a problem is spotted, not retreating. Bwala does not run from media houses perceived as adverse to the government. He takes the ‘fight’ to them. I watched him recently on Arise TV in their Lagos headquarters where he had gone to square up with the ‘Morning Show’ anchors and put them where they rightly belong. That is another testament of his gallantry – ever ready.

He has constantly demonstrated unmatched communication skills and artistry, drawing from his engagements both nationally and internationally, appearing on BBC, CNN, France24, Russian TV Voice of America, local and international radio stations. He has proved an indispensable asset to any cause he believes in.

Nigerians would recall what used to be the ‘new norm’ where releases and counter releases were the order of the day, causing needless embarrassment to the office of the president. Bwala’s inclusion in the media team has brought placidity into the team. This is because he came with less errors. And this may be one of those qualities Mr. President did see in him – as a master strategist himself that he particularly requested that he work directly with him in the State House. Akinsuyi should return to his bed and have a proper sleep. It is no doubt he may have either woken up on the wrong side of the bed when he put that nonsense together and published same as an opinion suggesting the reality, or he may have written such piece from the angle of mischief or ignorance even though he is educated. That somebody is educated does not mean they cannot be ignorant. Of course, educated ignoramuses abound.

– Desmond Akintunde Johnson is a public affairs analyst. He writes from Abeokuta in Ogun State. He can be reached through dajohnson@hotmail.com