Every month, Nyesom Wike, Minister of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory FCT, takes time off to brief Nigerians on his activities. To some people, the briefings are superfluous and indeed vexatious on account of some of the statements he makes about his political opponents. Other critics imagine that Wike presents the posture of an actor who enjoys usurping the role or powers of the President. The argument is no doubt simplistic. To start with, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is certainly not like his predecessor whose officials reportedly acted as if their principal was inactive. Wike would not have remained minister if his performance was out of tune with his mandate. To that extent therefore, no one needs to cry more than the bereaved especially as Tinubu has repeatedly and publicly commended the minister.
Besides, a minister who accounts for his stewardship monthly should not be denigrated because ours is a developing society where the government ought to constantly brief the governed. In fact, stewardship accounts through the media are a bold step as they open the room for the minister to be taken up on areas of failure; just as they serve as feedback mechanism for him to be better informed of the preferences of the governed. If it is not being done now, we need to encourage ministers to effectively enlighten the public on their activities. I recall vividly that in the past, ministerial briefings were rotated and coordinated by the information minister as a strategy to bridge the gap between government and the people.
In the case of the FCT, the minister is more obliged to do so because of the nature of his location. Although the minister is an appointee of the president, we must not forget that he is running a territory which the constitution says should be treated as if it were a state. In other words, in practical terms, the FCT minister is not exactly the same as head of a ministry. He is more like what in other climes is called Mayor. For effective running of the FCT therefore, there are many things its minister would do as if he were a governor who must constantly serve as a veritable link that binds the territory together. If so, why does he not restrict himself to FCT matters some people would ask and even question why he often spends huge sums of money on live broadcast of media chats? I doubt if these questions fit today’s global village.
Those who think Wike’s media chats are that expansive because the minister has a political agenda probably have a point. Unfortunately, however, those who should normally set the agenda for governance in a nation have in our own clime remained idle for too long. All over the world, it is the media that owns the agenda setting role but in Nigeria, the role has been seized by the political class. Consequently, what the people get to know is determined not by the media but by politicians. If Wike spends more time on political communication than substantive issues of governance, he is not the only one to blame. First, many media organs are owned by political activists who themselves prioritize political communication.
Second, those who sell broadcast prime-time hours for huge sums know that much of it will be used to propagate politics, yet they do not only sell it daily, they strenuously struggle for it to garner ample resources. Everyone blames the politicians for converting the period of governance to electioneering campaigns; yet, it is campaign messages that are most appealing to our people. The average viewer/listener is more willing to follow a political rather than a health-related programme. If we take a typical media chat by Wike as a case study, it will not be difficult to see that even the journalists who constitute the interviewing panel are more at home with questions bothering on partisan politics.
If we are all really bothered by the rather harsh living standards of our people, we should deemphasize politics and ask all our office holders questions about development projects rather than the merits or otherwise of political defections and meetings. When this type of parameter is stretched across the board, those performing well would stand out. Against this background, it is obvious that Nyesom Wike is the best FCT minister since the tenure of Nasir El Rufai. Those who held the office between those two leaders made little or no impact. It is Wike that has brought back the culture of transformation in the FCT which El Rufai pioneered. Such actors will even do better if we hail them and urge them to do more. The way forward is to commend good work while pointing out areas in need of attention.
My verdict on performances is influenced by a research project done by one of my postgraduate students. Perhaps the best achievement of Wike which the project conveys is his institutionalization of the FCT. It was found that some land owners who had paid for certificate of occupancy (C of O) as far back as when El Rufai was departing office got it only after Wike’s appointment. In other words, for more than a decade the FCT operated a disorganized system. The solution which Wike reportedly introduced was that no C of O would be signed before those older than it. With such a simple system, documents paid for were to be signed before new ones were allowed to be processed making it possible for Wike to be the one signing C of Os that had been paid for some16 years earlier without the owners coming to lobby for their documents.
Media chats should uncover performances such as the above to set standards that would make it clear to future ministers that allocation of land in the FCT must be premised on a sound administration for the public good. In fact, the best form of media chat by an FCT minister is the second half of last week’s edition which threw light on projects that transform the lives of the people. It was really refreshing to hear from Wike that 250 schools in the FCT were currently under renovation. When added to roads and other development projects that are visible in parts of the territory, the usefulness of democracy speaks for itself which is a better omen than political controversies filled with claims and counter claims between and among political parties.
Other office holders should thus learn to address the media more on developmental projects and not politics. For that to happen, there is no better time than now for the media to fully recognize its beneficial pivotal role in holding government accountable to the people. It would therefore be reassuring if the numerous political programmes can be reduced. The Nigerian constitution says the primary purpose of government is the security and welfare of the people. Accordingly, the media should place the security and welfare of the people in the front burner of attention. Minister Wike explained last week that his administration is placing a focus on the opening up of the rural areas. In which other parts of Nigeria is that happening? If leaders get to know that Nigerians are thrilled by that policy everyone will buy-in.
Also last week, the FCT minister established that traditional institutions in the territory were being categorized and upgraded. That will not only reduce urban migration it will give hope to the local traditional leaders and their teeming followers. A better publicity of the policy will engender grassroots development in our country. At the same media chat, we heard with joy that contrary to the old discriminatory disposition, indigenes of the FCT will now get C of Os for their land. This will bring equity and social justice to the FCT whose citizens have been wrongly maligned for longer than makes sense. For this, we again commend the current minister.
It would be unfair if this piece which is full of praises ends without making the point that nothing in the piece concerns politics which has been quite unsettling to many well-meaning Nigerians who are not part of it. Second, it would be unprofessional to hold-back commendation that is due to Seun Okinbaloye an outstanding television interviewer and anchor of Channels Television who was criticised by the minister. I have watched the young man in action severally and I am convinced that what may irritate a politician about him is nothing other than that he embraces adversarial journalism in which an interviewer stands for the public while taking the position of a devil’s advocate. Those who don’t like him today may value him tomorrow.
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