Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has warned that individuals whose interests are alien to majority rule have been working assiduously to derail the country’s hard-won democracy.
The Governor accused these individuals of manipulating Nigerians and creating disunity by politicizing virtually everything. He added, “They have been de-marketing our country and giving it a negative image in the international community.”
Governor Uba Sani made these statements at the opening ceremony of the 48th edition of the National Council on Information and National Orientation. He cautioned, “We must watch them closely and devise strategic communication strategies to counter their divisive and negative narratives.”
The Governor reminded the meeting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office at a trying time in the nation’s history, inheriting a near-comatose economy.
Governor Uba Sani argued that the president “therefore has the unenviable task of initiating and implementing far-reaching measures to prevent the Nigerian economy from collapse.”
“Due to the global economic meltdown and years of mismanagement in Nigeria, fixing our economy requires time and sustained re-engineering. That is why Mr. President has come up with innovative and creative solutions to reinvent the economy and put our nation irreversibly on the path to sustainable growth and development.”
“Although some of the measures have been painful, they are being implemented with good intentions, for the greater good of the Nigerian people. As a Father of the Nation, President Tinubu has continued to renew our hope in the possibilities of the Nigerian nation,” he argued.
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He pointed out that information managers have a responsibility to effectively communicate Mr. President’s reform agenda to the Nigerian people by fashioning a robust communications strategy to carry out this important task.
“We must give the people the background to the reforms, what they are all about, and the benefits therein. We must be patient with the people and break things down for them.”
“Messages should be crafted in a way that takes care of the peculiarities of different audiences. We need the buy-in of the people in what we do. The people are our pillar of support,” he pleaded.
The Governor reminded the meeting that “the history of Nigeria cannot be written without a prominent mention of information managers or the media. The Nigerian media was at the forefront of the battle against the colonial masters.”
“It collaborated with other progressive forces to wage pitched battles against military authoritarianism. It has remained committed to the promotion and protection of our democracy.”
According to him, “I am a product of the struggle. I was in the trenches with key media personalities and information managers as we struggled to restore democracy to our country.”
“We therefore have a stake in this democracy and must do all in our power to consolidate and defend it. We have viewed with grave concern how elements whose interests are alien to the country’s democratic progress have continued to act.”
The Governor noted that the theme of this year’s meeting, “Enhancing Public Information Management for Inclusive Governance: Renewed Hope in Focus,” is apt.
“It not only reminds us of the critical role that information plays in democratic societies, but it also reflects our commitment to a process-led and participatory approach to governance.”
“Effective public information management is crucial for promoting transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in governance,” he added.
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