When a sponsored attack song backfires, it reveals everything about the sponsors and nothing damaging about the target.

A brief disclosure is necessary before I proceed. In December 2018, Jamilu Gwamna then Managing Director of the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) personally approved the removal and reinstallation of electric poles to support the expansion of the PRNigeria Centre in Kano. That gesture of institutional goodwill remains unforgettable. His spokesperson, Ibrahim Shawai, who still serves in that role today, has also been a long standing professional colleague. I state this up front because transparency about relationships is the foundation of credible commentary, and what I am about to say directly touches on the political contest in which Gwamna is now a participant.

I must also clarify my relationship with Isa Ali Pantami. I have closely monitored the evolution of Nigerias digital economy ecosystem since his days as Director General of NITDA and throughout his tenure as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy. That monitoring led to active promotion of legitimate achievements and a sustained effort to counter malicious narratives directed at him. It also resulted in a book documenting his trials and triumphs. My engagement with Pantami has always been based strictly on public service record nothing more, nothing less.

For more than two years, Pantami has openly signalled his intention to contest the governorship of Gombe State. There were early indications that Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya might not remain neutral in the APC primary. I raised this concern with the Governors spokesperson, Ismaila Misilli, during the launch of Pantamis books in Abuja in January 2024. Misilli consistently reassured me that the Governor would be fair to all aspirants.

When Shawai later informed me that Jamilu Gwamna would also be contesting after securing the APC ticket, I did what fairness required: I told him directly that any press release or material his candidate issued would be published on our platforms at no cost the same courtesy extended to Pantami, who had paid his dues in national service. Equity demanded nothing less.
This week, precisely last Thursdays evening after Shawai discussed a release and a new photograph of his candidate with me which we published immediately a video began circulating less than twenty four hours later.

In it, APC Hausa praise singer Kahutu Rarara did not merely criticise Pantami; he accused him of drug addiction, alleged corruption, and issued thinly veiled threats of referral to anti corruption agencies. He then, in the same breath, lavished praise on Jamilu Gwamna, the APC governorship candidate. The sponsorship was not implied. It was announced.

The response was swift, fierce, and deeply instructive. Clerics who had previously criticised Pantami came out in his defence. Scholars who had held reservations issued statements of solidarity. Politicians in opposing camps expressed sympathy. Social media influencers with no particular allegiance condemned Rarara in terms sharper than anything he had directed at his target. Without spending a kobo or uttering a word in his own defence, Pantami gained more followers, more sympathisers, and more vocal supporters in forty eight hours than any conventional campaign event could have delivered.

The attack produced the exact opposite of its intended effect. This is not a coincidence. It is a textbook case of demarketing by incompetence a lesson written in real time for anyone willing to read it.

I have made this point repeatedly in professional settings, and it bears restating with the specificity this episode demands. There is a fundamental difference between publicity, where noise and trend matter, and public relations, where substance and credibility matter. Many politicians and campaign managers behave as though the two are interchangeable assuming that anyone with a large audience or a talent for generating noise is automatically a useful campaign instrument. This is a costly error.

Publicity measures reach and volume. Public relations measures credibility and consequence.
A praise singer with hundreds of thousands of followers can generate trend after trend, but if his credibility is already compromised, every trend he generates carries the stench of that compromise. The audience does not simply receive the message; it filters it through what it already knows about the messenger. When a campaign instrument is perceived as mercenary, every message it carries is contaminated.

Kahutu Rarara is not an artist in the tradition of musicians who use their platforms to advocate justice or accountability. He is, by his own pattern, a hired tongue available to praise whoever pays and to attack whoever his current patron designates. He has performed this function against former Kano Governors Ibrahim Shekarau and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, among others. In each case, those he vilified were, in other seasons, recipients of his flattery when patronage flowed in their direction. Nigerians are not unaware of this. His credibility as an independent voice is precisely zero. That is why there can be no basis for comparing a global musical icon like Davido with Rarara after their public clash in June 2026 over Nigerias kidnapping crisis.

Any campaign strategist who deployed him for this assignment either failed to conduct the most basic perception audit or conducted one and ignored it. Either way, the professional failure belongs to the architects of the strategy not to Rarara, who simply did what Rarara does.

While publicity chases attention, public relations earns trust. And the most damaging form of demarketing is when an opposition relies on a weak, hate-driven campaigner who resorts to ignorance, arrogance, and indecency. Such tactics almost always backfire, instantly boosting public sympathy and solidarity for the reputable competitor without them spending a single penny. That is exactly what we are witnessing in the case of Rararas attack song against Pantami.

Yushau A. Shuaib is the author of Pantami: Trials & Triumphs of a Digital Economy Maestro. Email: yashuaib@yashuaib.com

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From the airport to the city centre, one could not miss the growing visibility of Professor Ali Isa Pantami, the former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy. His images adorned commercial vehicles and strategic locations, signalling what many interpret as an early but deliberate build-up of political momentum.

I must state upfront that Pantami is a brotherly friend with whom I have shared years of a professional relationship. He listens, reflects, and applies constructive criticismeven when such engagement is not publicly acknowledged. Over time, this trait has shaped my own perspective about him, transforming me from a critic into an admirer of his policy-driven approach to governance.

This evolution informed my decision to author Pantami: Trials and Triumphs of a Digital Economy Maestro, a work that chronicles his reform agenda, policy battles, achievements, and controversies during his tenure in public office. His role in navigating complex institutional disputesfrom multiple taxation in the telecom sector to the NIN-SIM linkage challenges and stamp duty controversiesdemonstrated an uncommon capacity to manage bureaucratic tensions within Nigerias digital ecosystem.

Equally significant were the external pressures he confronted, including the ASUU versus IPPIS/UTAS dispute, the controversy surrounding his professorship at Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), and allegations linking him to extremist narratives. These episodes tested his resilience, yet they also reinforced his ability to withstand public scrutiny.

Beyond controversies, Pantamis legacy in expanding Nigerias digital infrastructure is undeniable. Institutions such as the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), the National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (NDIEC), and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) stand as enduring pillars of his contribution to the countrys digital transformation. These initiatives not only strengthened the countrys digital ecosystem but also created new economic opportunities.

Given this background, his entry into the gubernatorial race under the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not a surprise. What is more intriguing, however, is the intensity of reactionsboth supportive and oppositionalthat his ambition has generated.

During my interactions with journalists, academics, students, and even artisans in Gombe, I sought to understand the political terrain beyond social media narratives. The responses I received were candid, diverse, and, in some cases, sobering.

There are indeed forcesboth within the state and at the federal levelwho would prefer alternative candidates to emerge as the APC flag bearer. For some, Pantamis perceived bluntness, independent-mindedness, and principled stances make him a difficult figure within conventional political structures. For others, it is simply a matter of competing interests and entrenched loyalties.

To move beyond speculation, I probed further: who are the likely contenders?
At the federal level, names such as Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkalia two-term senator and former Minister of Transportationfeature prominently. His political network and relationship with Vice President Kashim Shettima are seen as strategic advantages. Similarly, Hon. Usman Bello Kumo, a three-term member of the House of Representatives and Chief Whip, is widely regarded as a formidable contender with strong legislative backing.

Within the state, influential figures such as the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Gambo Magaji, and the Accountant-General, Prince Aminu Umar Yugudaboth considered close allies of Governor Inuwa Yahayaare also being mentioned in political calculations.

From the private sector, Dr. Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna, former Managing Director of the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), is reputed to possess strong financial backing and elite networks. Other notable figures include Architect Yunusa Yakubu of Nobel Nigeria Ltd and Engr. Aliyu Mohammed (Combat) of the Velocity Groupboth successful entrepreneurs with growing political interest.

While many of these aspirants are yet to formally declare their intentions, Pantami has already taken the decisive step of publicly announcing his ambitionan indication of confidence and readiness.

The critical question, however, is not just about who is contesting, but what the electorate truly desires. Pantami arguably enjoys a unique advantage in name recognition, intellectual pedigree, and a public service track record that resonates beyond partisan lines. His blend of religious scholarship, technological expertise, and administrative experience positions him differently from traditional politicians.

Yet, politics is rarely decided by credentials alone.

There are legitimate concerns about whether his technocratic style can seamlessly translate into grassroots political leadership. There are also debates about the role of religious scholars in partisan politicsa discourse that often surfaces in Nigerias complex socio-political environment.

However, such arguments must be approached with balance. Nigeria has seen Christian clerics ascend to governorships. The 2023 elections were spectacular as two ordained Christian ministers Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, a Catholic priest, and Pastor Umo Eno, founder of All Nations Christian Ministry International were sworn in as Governors of Benue and Akwa Ibom States, respectively. Many observers viewed this as a culmination of longstanding advocacy by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for greater Christian participation in politics.

It would therefore be inconsistent to deny an Islamic scholar the same democratic opportunity to test his competence through the ballot. Ultimately, democracy thrives on choice, not exclusion.

As observersparticularly those of us who are not direct participants in Gombes political processit is neither our place to impose candidates nor to dismiss legitimate aspirations. We can advocate for a fair, transparent, and competitive process that lets the best ideas and leadership qualities emerge.

Yushau A. Shuaib, the Author of An Encounter with the Spymaster writes from ysashuaib@yashuaib.com

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I have always admired the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami for his solid intellection and painstaking understanding of his brief in public service, alongside his charismatic and pragmatic efforts in governance. As a pioneer in government, defining the frontiers of a new future for our country, he has a fascinating understanding of his remit, which is as evident in the manner he speaks without the prompting of prepared addresses, as equally in his eloquence with facts and figures.

Beyond an endearing gift of oratory, in less than three years of his tenure, his ministry has grown in leaps and bounds, while facilitating the establishment of newer agencies and departments. This includes the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) in 2020; Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) in 2021; the National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (NDIEC) in 2021; and the Nigerian Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) this year, 2022.

While he spearheaded the unbundling of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), which now has subsidiaries for property development, transportation and logistics, courier service and a micro-finance bank, the aggressive NIN-SIM verification campaign following the transfer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to his Ministry resulted in the significant capturing of over 85 million Nigerians in the National Identity (NIN) database. As his endeavours have made many aware, the need to document the identity of Nigerians in this age cannot be overemphasised, particularly towards the goals of national planning and accountability, including the greater demands for security.

It is therefore not surprising that during Pantamis ongoing tenure, the ICT sector has the highest growth rate in Nigerias economy, contributing an unprecedented 14.70 per cent to GDP in 2020, and which increased to 16.20 per cent in the first quarter of 2022, as enumerated by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.

Despite his busy and crowded schedules, it was quite surprising to learn that the Minister still found time to nurture his first love as an academic, by authoring two books that were recently unveiled at the Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Emerging Technologies, coordinated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in Lagos.

The books, with the first being titled, Cybersecurity Initiatives for Securing a Country and the second going by the title of Datafication of Society to Foster an Internet Economy, both constitute a tour de force of high intellection, which elucidate upon key elements and initiatives on cybersecurity and datafication in the digital age, with Nigeria as the case study.

While the book on datafication brings together a series of lectures delivered by Pantami at various academic fora, including universities and analogous institutions, the book on cybersecurity provides insights on modern strategies in the protection of internet-connected systems involving hardware, software and data from cyber threats, particularly in Nigeria.

The 129-page Datafication of Society unfolds in nine chapters, traversing a General Overview on Datafication As a Concept, Economic and Security Issues in Using Public and Private Data, ICT As a Catalyst for Economic Development, and the Funding of Nigerian Tertiary Institutions for Entrepreneurship Education.

Other chapters comprise erudite expositions on the Role of the Digital Economy for National Development, Population Growth and Human Capital Development, the Role of Disruptive Technologies, and Data Privacy and Confidentiality.

In his introduction, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim, who occupies a commanding height on issues pertaining to Nigerias digital reality, both as a scholarly mediator and policy-maker, points out that datafication is an emerging technological trend involving the harvesting and transformation of the different aspects of everyday life into digital data. To him, this approach converts a wide range of everyday information into machine-readable and mineable data that can be used to generate deep insights about such information through the patterns it encodes.

In his attempt to ensure a layman understands the concept of datafication, the author offers a simple illustration of how he uses his smartphones to count his daily steps and also the calories that he burns for healthy living, etc.

On its part, the book on cybersecurity, published by the University Press Plc, spans seven chapters that are spread over 95 pages. Some of these sections focus on the Imperative of Cybersecurity, the Internet as an Enabler of Cybersecurity and Cybercrime, Leading National Cybersecurity Efforts, Policies and Initiatives on Cybersecurity, Citizens Data Harmonization for Enhanced National Security, and Strengthening the National Identification Number (NIN) and Securing a Country.

In his foreword to the book, the President of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), Professor Mike Hinchey describes the Cybersecurity Initiatives for Securing a Country, as a first-hand personal representation of Pantamis efforts, challenges and successes in implementing the extremely crucial cybersecurity mandate in Nigeria.

Hinchey, who is a professor of Software Engineering at the University of Limerick, Ireland, noted that from the practical approaches to establishing a National Identification Number for accessing government services, to restricting the number of mobile telephony SIM cards assigned to an individual, for which Pantami received numerous death threats, to implementing the National Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a Digital Nigeria, the book details a magisterial chronicle that is fascinating and insightful to read.

Hinchey further describes Professor Pantami as a recognised expert in the field of cybersecurity. In addition to professional practice as a professor, teacher, and public speaker, Pantami has kept his skills and knowledge up to date with courses at some of the best universities in the world, he points out.

A medley of scholars, including intellectual peers, subject matter experts, Vice Chancellors of reputable universities, and leaders of relevant professional bodies have engaged with and offered their praises for Pantamis critical book on cybersecurity.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe aptly noted that without making assumptions about the reader, the author presents a concise, definitive and clear introduction of cybersecurity and its enabling technology, the internet, making it an easily comprehensible and engaging reading experience for a wide range of audiences of diverse backgrounds.

Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Kabiru Bala said the publication is highly crucial to Nigeria, especially in these difficult times of pervasive security challenges, as it concisely deals with the necessary building blocks for ensuring a digitally secure nation. This, to Bala, has been particularly through the indigenous efforts of public agencies such as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and other levels of technical support.

In a related vein, Professor Adesina Sodiya, the President of Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), observed that the book encompasses key strategies that can be adopted to curb cybercrimes, while the models, frameworks and case studies captured in the book are valid and tested, as reflected in the Nigerian situation.

With his knowledge and experience, the author has presented readers with some essentials of cybersecurity and datafication in lucid and comprehensive prose, devoid of technical jargon. The books are designed to assuage the curiosity of readers who are concerned about the threats and opportunities of emerging technology.

Professor Pantami draws from his experience as Nigerias Chief Information Technology Officer, as well as Minister of the Digital Economy, using the country, Nigeria as a case study in some instances, while providing sincere insights on how activities on the internet are changing the way humans feel, think, and behave.

In fact, the books document a number of the accomplishments and success stories attained by the administration of President Muhammadu with regard to the building of a sturdy digital economy in Nigeria.

These books are indeed gifts to scholars and professionals, not only in the ICT sector but for those interested in the changing reality brought about by the digital age, in which internet-enabled devices are continuously changing the ways we do things.

The author holds B.Tech and MSc degrees in Computer Science, an MBA in Technology Management, and Doctorate in Computer Information Systems. He is a professor of Cybersecurity.

Professor Pantami also holds various certifications in Digital Strategies and Leadership from reputable global institutions of learning including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Oxford University, the University of Cambridge, and the Institute of Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland, among others.

Yushau A. Shuaib, Editor-in-Chief PRNigeria and TechDigest
www.YAShuaib.com yashuaib@yahoo.co

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It was on August 23, 2021, that a man in a black suit walked into our office at 9.30 am. He introduced himself as the Protocol Officer in the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and announced that the Minister, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, would arrive at our office by 11.00am.

Prior to that, we had sent out invitations to the Minister and the agencies under his Ministry, to a close-knitted and private event of a book presentation in our modest conference room at PRNigeria Centre, Wuye District, Abuja

While aware of the fact that a Monday morning is usually a hectic period for many chief executive officers, we had kept our expectations moderate and hoped that at least the Minister and the CEOs of associated agencies would send representation to the event.

As we went about organising the sitting arrangement of the anticipated guests with the protocol officer, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa, arrived, followed shortly by the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of cognate parastatals of the Communications Ministry.

The CEOs included Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Muhammad Abubakar of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Dr. Abimbola Alale of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Engr. Aliyu A. Aziz of National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC), Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi of Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) and Mr. Ayuba Shuaibu of Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF)

We were flabbergasted and exhilarated in equal measure by the arrival of the minister at about a quarter to 11 a.m, before the start of the event, which is highly unusual for an official of his calibre in Nigeria. Following this, our premises became a beehive of uncommon activities.

Before that day, the last time I had met the Minister Face-to-Face was in August 2020, when I led editorial members of the Economic Confidential publication to his office for an interview. That encounter motivated one of our staff writers, Inyene Ibanga, to develop a keen interest in covering the Information Technology sector, going forward.

As a Mass Communications graduate, with a Master’s Degree in Public Relations, Ibanga not only started filing in reports on the sector but he equally wrote weekly articles on Digital Innovation, with a particular focus on activities at NITDA.

By July this year, Inyene Ibanga, who currently edits TechDigest, had developed a remarkable portfolio of published articles on the digital economy sector in Nigeria and other related developments in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Blockchain technology, Big Data, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, social media, among others.

In realising the paucity of literature on the Information Technology sector in Nigeria, the parent company of our publications, Image Merchants Promotion (IMPR), which was declared the Most-Creative PR Agency Worldwide in 2020 (check Statista), decided to compile and publish Ibanga’s articles into a book form entitled, Digital Innovation for Prosperity in Nigeria.

The book comprises eight chapters of 40 well-researched and articulated subjects, with the chapters of the book including, “Enhancing Start-ups”; “Strengthening Innovative Solutions”; “Managing Data for Productivity”; “Protecting Cyber Security”, and “Accessing E-Learning”. The other chapters consist of, “Promoting Digital Inclusion”; “Transforming the Way of Doing Things” and “Advancing the Digital Economy.”

Analogous issues and areas mediated upon in the book include elucidations on the smart city, smart campuses, digital transformation, disruptive technology, e-commerce, e-learning, e-tourism, fact-checking, the Industrial Internet of Things, virtual reality, augmented reality, e-voting, among others.

We were delighted, at the compilation stage of the book, when the Minister accepted to write the Foreword. And, in his recommendation, the erudite scholar and professor of cybersecurity noted that the “book will help expose its readers to the benefits of digital innovation and digital economy.”

As earlier mentioned, with the arrival of the Minister, the programme started with a welcome address by Chairman of the Board of IMPR, Dr Sule Yau Sule, who hailed the rapid development of the digital economy in Nigeria, with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) being the fastest-growing sector of the economy.

Whilst speaking in the same vein, the DG of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa, who was also celebrated at the occasion for clocking two years in the saddle, expressed excitement that the well-thought-out policies, initiatives and promotion of digital innovation, as engineered by the Minister, are already yielding huge positive results.

As I reviewed the book, I informed our August visitors that the compendium explores ways in which Nigeria does not get left behind in the deployment of technology for providing solutions to economic challenges. The book also examines the roles of regulatory bodies, especially NITDA in the promotion of Information Technology across all the spheres, through the development of frameworks, standards, guidelines, regulations, and policies.

As the Special Guest of Honour, the minister commended the contributions of IMPR’s titles in constructive engagements and the media coverage of various sectors.

Pantami said: “The publications of IMPR, especially PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and TechDigest have demonstrated the quality of evidence-based journalism.”

Speaking on the book, the minister noted the author, Inyene Ibanga, as highlighting how digital innovation has led to surging economic prosperity in Nigeria, within the framework of the ground-setting and key initiatives of the Ministry of Communication with the full endorsements of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Minister, therefore, urged Nigerians to develop the habit of reading, as “Readers are leaders”, and that all noted world leaders are people who spend quality time reading.

Speaking on behalf of all other special guests at the occasion, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta praised the author and the publisher for the compendium on ICT in Nigeria, and with special reference to the significant milestones that have been attained by NITDA.

In commending the excellent synergy and rapport among the chief executives of agencies under the Ministry of Digital Economy, Mallam Yusuf Alli, one of the directors of IMPR, used the opportunity of the closing remarks at the event to also laud the rare leadership of Prof Pantami.

Mallam Alli, who is an award-winning investigative editor further stated that other ministries and agencies of government in Nigeria could learn a lot from the unity of purpose of these officials, as exemplified in their collaborations for the development of the country, alongside their humility, brilliance, intellection, and high senses of responsibility.

Days after, while the magnificence of that event still resonates, the coming together of a rich calibre of personalities to reflect on Nigeria’s digital journey so far, on a unique Monday Morning, is not only a great honour to many of us who have been toiling to produce information that enhances Nigeria’s image, but also a memory that will remain indelible in our minds for a long time to come.

To the August visitors, especially, the enviable Professor of Cybersecurity, we are indeed highly indebted for the surprise visit and kind words. As PR people, not just communicators, we cherish friendship and the sense of brotherhood through constructive engagements towards a greater nation.

Yushau A. Shuaib
Editor-in-Chief PRNigeria and Economic Confidential
www.YAShuaib.com

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In public relations practice, decision-making processes on an issue and crisis management are always the toughest before any act of communication can be effectively executed.

Unlike journalism that feasts on bad news, which is what sells, the tradition of public relations or PR is to engage in ‘damage control’ through effective crisis communication strategies.

The key to successfully navigating a crisis is through preparation and teamwork, as the communicator needs a fast and carefully crafted response to minimise damage and prevent reputational erosion.

I was not only alarmed but I have been deeply concerned about some recent statements by the Presidency, particularly through its spokespersons, Mr. Femi Adesina and Mallam Garba Shehu, who have both incidentally served as Presidents of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) in the recent past.

Some of their reactive statements to issues could essentially be described as journalistic, for the predilection towards making news headlines, and these have been quite disturbingly below the standards of PR, which tend towards demonstrating empathy, employing diplomacy and forestalling the attrition of relationships, when responding to issues of deep concern.

The recent statements by the Presidency over what they considered as the unsavoury comments of Father Ejike Mbaka, alongside the reaction to allegations of the past extreme views of Dr. Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, are teachable instances of how not to engage in public communication. If anything, they can both be said to have been hasty in their conception and execution, and ultimately needless.

Dr. Pantami, an Islamic cleric as well as an ICT scholar, was alleged to have proffered extremist views in the past while describing some religious extremists as “fellow Muslims,” and praising the leadership of Al Qaeda in a video. Another report claimed that Dr. Pantami had chaired a meeting in a North-Eastern state in Nigeria, which had sat to plan an attack on a Christian governor in the North-West of the country.

While Pantami has come out to blame immaturity, ignorance, and a lack of exposure to global politics for some of the opinions he expressed over a decade ago, he has equally expressed regrets for those once-held views and recanted on them, while denying some other untoward allegations made about him. In seeming solidarity to his plight, the Kaduna Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), among other groups, have faulted some of the allegations levelled against the Minister.

While some commentators called for his resignation, others have tempered this by pointing out that Dr. Pantami has rather being at the receiving end of intolerance for condemning the evil ideology of Boko Haram leaders, including the founder of the group, Mohammed Yusuf, in a debate. His criticisms of terrorism had made the commander of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, to subsequently threaten Dr. Pantami with death in a series of audio and video recordings that are available on the Internet.

The otherwise swift response of the Presidency to the allegations made against the Minister can be faulted as being fairly hasty and unduly defensive. While one may be uncomfortable with some of Pantami’s past remarks, and his earlier advice that clerics should shun public office, it is an undeniable fact that he remains one of the most focused, result-oriented and charismatic Ministers in the current dispensation. He is a round peg in a round hole, in terms of professional competence in the sector he oversees.

The points in the presidential statement released in Pantami’s defence could have been highlighted by third parties and beneficiaries of some of the projects he has executed in office. It is without controversy that within the past two years, Pantami as the Minister in charge of ICT in the country, has ensured the implementation of digital projects nationwide, including the creation of ICT Innovation Hubs, the enabling of the acquisition of digital skills for entrepreneurs and innovators, alongside the setting up of Community IT Training Centres, Tertiary Institution Knowledge Centres (TIKC), and School Knowledge Centres (SKC). Also, the commissioning of more Emergency Communication Centres (ECC) across Nigeria, the downward review on Right of Way Charges for improving broadband penetration in states; the mandatory registration of SIM Cards to ensure these are not used for criminal activities, etc.

Apart from saving the Federal Government over N22 billion through the clearance of information technology (IT) projects, as of April, over 51 million Nigerians had been registered for the National Identification Number (NIN) , with the majority having updated their SIM registration records. Therefore, it was not surprising that the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that the contribution of the ICT sector to the Nigerian economy grew by 14.70 per cent in the last quarter of 2020. It further indicates that it is the fastest-growing non-oil sector, with double-digit growth within the period under review.

In a similar vein to its problematic release pertaining to Dr. Pantami, the Presidency’s reaction to Father Ejike Mbaka’s call for the president to resign over the deteriorating insecurity situation in the country was needless, unwarranted and unjustifiable.

Therein the Presidency made a strong accusation that Mbaka’s latest uncomplimentary public commentary was due to his anger at President Muhammadu Buhari for not awarding him contracts as a reward for his previous campaigns and support for the president in the elections of 2015 and 2019.

In January 2015, the outspoken Igbo Catholic priest had urged Nigerians to vote out President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to stem the tide of insecurity and corruption in the country.

At a greater risk to his life and parishioners, the Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry (AMEN) had endorsed and campaigned vigorously for Muhammadu Buhari, a Northern Fulani Muslim from the pulpit, saying that was what would bring the needed change to Nigeria.

The religious leader then said, “I love President Goodluck Jonathan and I used to be his ardent fan, but I want good for my people and that’s why I want Nigerians to vote out Goodluck Jonathan and vote General Muhammad Buhari. I don’t care if Buhari is a Muslim and from the North; all I care about is that Buhari can save Nigeria.”

Shortly after Buhari’s victory in the election, and on becoming the Nigerian president, he had commended Father Mbaka for his patriotism in the run-up to the general elections, saying that the renowned cleric’s courage had earned him a spot in the sands of time.

In a statement to congratulate Mbaka on the occasion of his 20th priestly ordination, the president said history would be kind to Father Mbaka for daring to speak truth to power, even at great personal risk. Buhari mentioned that Father Mbaka had chosen the path of honesty, despite realising that this could attract hostility from those he described as, “leaders detached from reality.”

The president further stated that “the priest’s courageous actions, while the Peoples Democratic Party was still in power, was clear evidence that religious leaders are the custodians of truth and morals in society.”

In addition, the president noted that Fr. Mbaka’s decision to identify with the masses and uphold the struggle for improved governance in the country was, no doubt, enviable. In that statement signed and released on behalf of Mr. Buhari by Garba Shehu, the President was extremely impressed by the priest’s sincere comments and patriotic disposition over the state of the nation at the time.

The statement concluded by praying to God to grant Father Mbaka greater wisdom, good health and long life, as well as the continued resolve to serve humanity.

I strongly believe that those who stood by us when it really mattered, especially respectable public figures, do not deserve a demeaning and disrespectful response, no matter the situation.

A professional and effective communicator should always realise that even when there are disagreements and contestations of opinion, particularly on behalf of a public personage like a president, the communicative endeavour should be one that sets out on persuading from opposition to a more agreeable point of view, in the most civil language, and without seeking to inflame a situation further. PR ought to build up mutually intelligible relationships, even when this is strained while avoiding the seedy route of the public fight, in the manner of motor park touts – the bolekaje and roforofo mode of confrontation – in the name of political communication.

We should always acknowledge and bear in mind all the well-meant gestures of those who might have been admirers in the past and also learn to develop a greater capacity to tolerate criticism, without muddying up issues by dredging up other sordid narratives.

In all these, while I have noticed that the media is generally more inclined to celebrate conflict and crisis, they also deliberately – and rather, unfortunately, censor – other crucial sides of stories that ought to temper the public drift towards hysteria. On one level, if the Presidency had released another slew of commendations of Father Mbaka, very likely this wouldn’t have received the same attention the attack has received, which offers an eternal insight into the psychology of the media.

On the other level, while the situation that Dr. Pantami has found himself in is quite saddening, yet there is the flip side in which there are dozens of videos and audios of his attacks against religious extremism and terrorism in the past decade that his newly hatched critics have wilfully refused to acknowledge. As earlier mentioned, these had attracted several death threats from Boko Haram, which though were widely reported in the media in the past, have barely been referred to in the present assault on him.

While public relations is different from journalism, they equally have much in common, which should be affirmed, rather than being negated. In this regard, the professional communicator and journalist should strive towards emphasising more of what unites us, rather than focusing on our divisions.

Yushau A. Shuaib is the author of “Award-Winning Crisis Communication Strategies”
www.YAShuaib.com

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