In the colorful tapestry of Nigerian politics, gaffes and missteps are woven alongside grand speeches and policy promises. Recently, Senator Monday Okpebholo added his brushstroke to this canvas when he declared that there were no animals in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s museum.
Without recourse to campaign of calumny in this milieu, Senator Monday Okpebholo, a businessman-turned-politician, has been making waves, but his recent statement about the absence of animals in Obaseki’s museum is rightly or wrongly raising eyebrows and hasprovoked a flurry of memes and social media chatter. But what led him to this curious assertion?
But is this just an isolated incident, or does it echo the blunders of politicians’ past? The answers are capital NO and YES because to understand Okpebholo’s gaffe, it is pragmatic to rewind to the early 1980s when Sabo Bakin Zuwo, a former Kano State governor, who left an ineffaceable mark on Nigerian politics as he inadvertently said that soft drinks are variants of mineral resources. Embarrassingly enough, Zuwo, despite his roots in the Kanem Bornu Empire, grew up in Kano. Therefore, it is embarrassing that his lack of formal education until age 16 did not deter him from making headlines.
To buttress the foregoing view, it will be recalled that in the 1983 Kano gubernatorial election that Zuwo faced off against the charismatic AbubakarRimi on the strength of his infamous predilection to the radio. Therefore, he leveraged the medium effectively, entrancing voters with his messages. Till date, his victory over Rimi remains a testament to the power of communication in politics.
To further answer the question that Okpebholo’s gaffe isn’t an isolated one, it is germane to look back, and recall that former Governor Victor OkezieIkpeazu shared an uncanny resemblance with Bakin Zuwo. Both men have a penchant for radio and television appearances. Ikpeazu’sinterviews on Channels Television went viral, showcasing his passion for Aba’s development. When questioned about Aba’s progress, he confidently listed Dominos, Chicken Republic, and even a cinema as signs of prosperity. But is this enough to convince skeptics?
Given the foregoing backdrop, it is germane to pivot to mineral resources. As already alluded to in this context, Bakin Zuwo famously lacked formal education until age 16, yet he navigated the political landscape with flair. In contrast, Senator Okpebholo holds a doctorate in Biochemical Pharmacology. It is against the foregoing backdrop that his recent animal museum blunder is keeping tongues wagging with the questions about his grasp of facts and depth of knowledge.
Given the foregoing backdrop, it is not a misnomer to opine that as Monday Okpebholo joins the ranks of politicians who have stumbled publicly that Nigerians are once again reminded that even the most educated minds can slip up. Perhaps it is time for a crash course in museum fauna to be organized for our esteemed senator. And as for BakinZuwo’s legacy, it lives on a lesson in the art of political communication.
In a similar vein, it will be recalled in this context that former president Goodluck Jonathan’s statement that “Stealing is not corruption” had sparked significant debate and controversy, and that the faux pas still resonates.
Buttressing this view from a similar perspective, it will be recalled that in 2014, during a national television interview, former President Goodluck Jonathan responded to allegations that he was not doing enough to curb corruption among his ministers. In response to the question at the time, he claimed that over 70% of what is referred to as corruption, even by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies, was not really corruption but common stealing. According to him, these corruption claims appeared to be politically motivated.
Still on faux pas or flip of tongue, many Nigerians, particularly political observers, will not forget in a hurry when Nigeria’s federal lawmakers sometime in August 2023 came under public condemnation when the Senate President, GodswillAkpabio, had a ‘slip of the tongue’ while announcing the commencement of a 7-week vacation for members of the Upper Chamber. Senator Akpabio said “In order to enable all of us to enjoy our holiday, a token has been sent to our various bank accounts by the clerk of the National Assembly.’’ When some senators alerted the Senate President that the live coverage of the plenary was still on and that his statement could cost them their public image, he quickly reversed himself and said “I withdraw that statement’’ and then proceeded to say, “In order to allow you to enjoy your holiday, the Senate President has sent prayers to your boxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return’’. Media reports indicate that each of the 109 senators received N2 million to help them ‘enjoy their vacation’.
Against the perspective of the fact that the list is of faux passes or slip-ups made by our leaders since Nigeria returned to a democratic government in 1999 is exhaustively long, it is expedient for this writer to cut the story short, and advise that it is expedient to advise that our leaders should always prepare and be composed when going for public events as adequate preparation, matters.
The reason why it is good for them to always prepare cannot be farfetched as public events provide the platforms for them to communicate their ideas, policies, and vision. Without a doubt, a well-rehearsed speech ensures clarity, coherence, and impact. The reason for the foregoing advice cannot be farfetched as without practice, leaders riskstumbling over words, losing their train of thought, and inadvertently conveying the wrong message.
To strengthen the reason for offering the foregoing advice in this context is that they are under constant scrutiny, and so very gesture, expression, and word matters. More so, rehearsing allows them to refine their body language, tone, and overall demeanor, particularly as a confident and polished appearance fosters trust among constituents.
Without a doubt, it is expedient leaders avoid gaffes, particularly as the now talked about and trending “Museumfor zoo” attributed to Okpebholo’s incident is unarguably embarrassing; both to the speaker and the listeners. This is as such linguistic blunderis capable of becoming viral memes on social media platforms, and consequently erode public confidence. Reiteratively put, rehearsing speeches, getting facts right and practicing pronunciation can prevent embarrassing slip-ups. Therefore, taking steps toward improvement matters.
Without resort to demeaning our leaders in this context, they should allocate time for thorough preparation ahead of public events, even as it is advisable they understand the occasion’s context, audience, and key messages. They should always ensure that speeches are rehearsed, anticipate questions, and practice responses.
In fact, our politicians and leaders alike should always ensure that scenarios are simulated to identify potential pitfalls before attending any opening event, even as role-play with advisors or colleagues should meticulously be put into consideration. This is as the exercise helps politicians and leaders adapt to unexpected situations.
Despite the robust professional and academic backgrounds of most of our leaders, it is expedient to advise that they still need short media training, even if the curriculum is abridged. The reason for the foregoing view cannot be farfetched as effective communication extends beyond speeches. In fact, given that media interactions require finesse, it is germane that leaders undergo training sessions that can teach them how to handle interviews, debates, and impromptu questions.
Given the foregoing, it is germane to urge Nigerian politicians and leaders to always recognize the factthat their actions resonate far beyond the event venue. Each misstep affects public perception, governance, and national pride. Therefore, let us urge our leaders and politicians to rehearse diligently ahead of forthcoming events, ensuring that their public appearances reflect competence, respect, and preparedness. Only then can we move toward a Nigeria where politicians and leaders inspire confidence rather than amusement.
Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient that we remind ourselves that no one is above mistake, therefore, our leaders should exemplify the highest standards of speech making while at public events. Given the foregoing fact, let Senator Okpebholo’s incident serve as a wake-up call, and a reminder that rehearsal is not a luxury but a responsibility. As citizens, we demand that our politicians and leaders should refrain from committing faux pas and that they should rise to the occasion by making good speech at public events.
In a similar vein, it is germane to recall that in 2018 that the then IGP of Nigeria, Ibrahim Idris, became an unwitting internet sensation due to a rather peculiar speech blunder. During a public event, he repeatedly stumbled over the word “Transmission” while attempting to read a prepared speech. His struggle to pronounce the word correctly led to widespread amusement and countless memes across social media platforms, thus becoming viral unarguably to mock him.
