The basic ingredients required to function as a public affairs analyst or a commentator on social happenings are knowledge of the subject matter, logic, public-spiritedness, fairness and, of course, the use of language. Knowledge is vital because you can neither interrogate nor accurately analyse a matter about which you are ignorant. In the same way, you need logic to make sense of the whole issue. Public-spiritedness helps you to moderate your views so that you build up rather than tear down the society, fairness ensures that even if you are critical of a position you still treat with respect those whose views are at variance with yours. Then language is the tool with which you put across your views. These are what give the public affairs analyst authenticity, earn him the respect of the audience and the admiration of even the ‘victims’ of his analysis.
Adherence to these makes public affairs analysts respectable, while departure from them makes public affairs analysts despicable. I went through the above to make a point: public affairs analysis is not for the uninformed, it is not for the misguided, it is not for the angry, it is not for the immature, it is not for those who want to score cheap points, and it is not for those who want to malign others. Rather, it is for those who seek common good; it is for those who want to build a great society. So, public affairs analysis is a sacred responsibility to God and country and must not be handled lightly or treated shabbily.
Thomas Hobbes says in his famous 1651 work, Leviathan, that the average person is inherently wicked and selfish. He then submits that for that reason, men cannot be left alone to govern themselves. So, he lends his support to the idea of a monarchy–a commonwealth run by a sovereignty, whose job is to provide power and leadership in order to protect the subjects from themselves and their evil. Over the years, monarchy has had to give way to democracy in many countries of the world. But the point is that government was instituted by the need to save men from their own excesses.
However, as opined by Lord Acton, power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Acton adds that “Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority, still more when you add the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority.” Therefore, just as citizens cannot be left to their whims and caprices, leaders cannot also be trusted that they will make good use of the power they wield over the citizens. In other words, just as citizens are predisposed to excesses, so are the leaders. Consequently, as leaders exercise a measure of control over the citizenry, the people should also tether leaders to guard against them leading the society to the gulag. While the government makes use of the power of coercion to keep the citizens in line, the citizens use the medium of public opinion to keep government in check. This is why there is a need for active citizenship.
Citizenship has two parts; belonging to a sovereign state and participating in managing the affairs of that state. Active citizens are those who, though not in government, are interested in the utilization of resources and mobilisation of people for the society’s common good.
Active citizenship is the spine of democratic governance. It is a principal way for citizens to exercise their civic responsibility in a democracy. It is also an opportunity for citizens to contribute to social, economic and national development.
The glue that binds citizens to the state is participation. A state cannot function optimally without citizens’ participation. A state can neither maximise its potentialities nor operate at its highest level without citizens’ active participation. Therefore, a state’s strength, wealth and productivity are proportional to the level of participation of its citizens in its affairs.
Public affairs analysts form an integral part of active citizens because their goal is a better society. Their vision is to see that citizens are not shortchanged by those to whom they have ceded their powers. Their focus is to make the society work for all.
To achieve their aims, public affairs analysts do the following:
1. Tell the other narrative
Those in leadership, because of the prominence they enjoy and their closeness to the media, always have access to the public space. This allows them to push the type of narrative they want, which may not be entirely true. But through the intervention of public affairs analysts, the other narrative also has a chance of being heard. This is why it is critical for public analysts to be on top of happenings in the society. So that when those in government want to feed the public with falsehood, they will be able to throw light on the issue.
For instance, the records at the Federal Ministry of Works indicate that the contract for the dualisation of the Abeokuta-Ibadan road was awarded at the cost of N3.9billion on November 10, 2010. The project was said to have commenced on December 10, 2010 and slated for completion on March 12, 2012.
The completion was, however, extended till March 31, 2016. But as of today, the project has not even taken off. It is the responsibility of public affairs analysts to highlight issues such as this so that the government would not pull the wool over citizens’ eyes.
2. They set agenda for the society
Those in government do not have the monopoly of wisdom. While they often have good intentions, these intentions may not always be the best for the society. So, when their expressed intentions are not in consonance with what the generality of the people consider as a priority, the public affairs analysts, who have closer ties with the people than those in government, set an agenda for the society.
The last 20 months have witnessed a slew of reforms in Nigeria; subsidy on PMS has been removed, foreign exchange market has been liberalized, energy tariff has been hiked, public schools have jacked up fees, communication tariff has been increased and tax reforms are being considered. While reforms are good, they have brought untold hardship on the people. Therefore, public affairs analysts have a duty to bring these to the attention of the government by setting an agenda of having the government put a human face on the reforms.
3. They call those in government to order
Leaders always have good intentions until they allow distractions to set in. When they give in to distraction, they start the pursuit of primordial interests rather than working for the good of all. At this point, public affairs analysts come in to call those in government to order so that they can continue to discharge their responsibilities to the citizens.
4. Draw attention to the failings of societal institutions
Social institutions are the mainstay of any society. When institutions are strong, the society is strong. Societies fail when institutions crumble. So, public affairs analysts must take up the responsibility of championing the wholeness of institutions for the wellbeing of the society.
5. Conscientise the society
Public affairs analysts have a responsibility to increase awareness about issues that are important to the society. Public affairs analysts shape opinions and mould behaviours. So, they have to be deliberate about bringing to the fore issues that can facilitate societal development and sensitize the people on the same.
How far in Nigeria?
The most important virtue a public affairs analyst must possess is public-spiritedness. Highlighting social defects and government shortcomings should be undertaken for public good, not to position oneself for personal gains.
In Nigeria, many public affairs analysts use the platform they have for personal aggrandizement or political patronage. Not so many people get engaged in public affairs analysis because they want a better society; it is to feather their own nest.
The story is told of a public affairs analyst who was always criticizing former Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State until the Governor decided to bait him.
As narrated by Sunday Aghaeze, former President Muhammadu Buhari’s photographer, the man, known as Jarfa, never ceased to accuse Governor el-Rufai of running a corrupt government.
One day, on the Governor’s request, Jarfa was invited to the Government House with clear instructions that he should come with a Keke Napep.
On arrival, Jarfa was welcomed by the Governor, who gave him N200,000 cash to give the Keke Napep rider that brought him. He went out to the Keke Napep rider as directed by the Governor.
When he returned to the Governor, he was asked how the Keke rider felt on getting the money. Jarfa replied that he felt very happy.
Unbeknown to him, the Governor had directed that the Keke rider be stopped at the exit gate and brought back to the Governor’s Lodge. As the Keke rider joined them, el-Rufai asked how much he was given by Jarfa and he revealed that it was N2,000 only.
After failing the test, the Governor told Jarfa “you see yourself from N200,000 to N2,000; you pocketed N198,000, only you! For that reason, if given the chance you will make Kaduna bankrupt but Allah knows best. You have lost a brand new car, see the key here. I was thinking you were an honest person, but your own is even worse. You can leave now!”
He was then shown out of the Government House.
Many public affairs analysts are like Jarfa; they see public affairs analysis as a vehicle to personal comfort. They use their analysis to court those in power. Unknown to them, those they are trying to court can see through their antics. Hence, they are not taken seriously by those in power. More often than not, their agitations are ignored and their suggestions spurned.
Quite a number of public affairs analysts are in it for personal good, not for the common good. This is probably because there is a weak tie between the citizens and the state. When the tie between the state and the citizens is fragile, even active citizens will push for their personal interests and jettison the common good.
But there is an exception, and that is Dr Oyebade Oyedepo. For about 20 years, he has been consistent in showing the way to improve the Nigerian society. He has built reputation as a public-spirited man who is knowledgeable, logical and stands for fairness. He does not just rent the air with what is wrong with the polity and policies; he also proffers solution to the ills of the society. He is not vitriolic but virtuous. Therefore, he stands tall among public affairs analysts and has become an inspiration for upcoming ones.
With public affairs analysts like Dr Oyebade Oyedepo, who are genuinely interested in working for the common good, Nigeria stands a chance of becoming better because this tribe of public affair analysts will keep on putting the feet of those in leadership to the fire.
Being the text of a paper presented by Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju at the Celebration of 20th Anniversary of Dr (Prince) Oyebade Oyedepo as a Public Affairs Analyst on Friday, January 31, 2025.
