OCHENDO: A VICTIM OF OVERZEALOUS E-ROBOTS (part 1)
Don Norman Obinna.
Critics are not one’s enemies in politics but concerned individuals with professional background in the field for which they deliver judgments. They exist as ingredients of democracy to check government/public office holders’ immoderation, create awareness, provoke action against and evaluate policies through political debates.
The objective is to create and promote variety of opinions essential for a true democracy. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria chapter IV, Section 39 guarantees citizenries these –Right to Freedom of Expression-
So with this lucid exposition, the question is who are the real enemies of a politician(s)? The answer isn’t far-fetched. The aides who through their action or inaction expose their bosses to widespread odium and consequently give critics or general public heated topics to deliberate upon are the concealed enemies.
Aides especially the spokespersons or image makers are the express images of their bosses. This is rightly so because they are the channels through which their bosses reach out to the public. They serve as the eyes and ears of their bosses (observers), liaise with their bosses and come up with a planned programme or action that will serve both their respective bosses and public’s (constituents) interests.
Public office holders who understood the importance of communication and accountability in democratic system employ the services of professionals to act as their mouthpiece and also other aides to fill vital positions in order to bridge the dichotomy and false dualism of “they and us” ( rulers and the governs) and foster rapprochement.
To avoid stultification, there must be specification of duties with each aide knowing his/her boundary. The person saddled with the responsibility to speak for the boss should be a person of stimulating candour to win the trust of the public because image making or PR is not propaganda or advertisement. Any form of discordance in communication will not only lead to discombobulation but bring infamy to the boss.
The archetype example of victim of this illustration is the most distinguished senator of the Federal republic of Nigeria; Senator Theodore Ahamefula Orji popularly refers to as Ochendo. Despite the nimbus of fame he is encompassed with and benevolence which changed (to a large extent) the status of several individuals, he is still regarded by section of the people as a misanthropist and a schemer. Why?
Bad media representation, there are factoids about Ochendo this article is set out to address and most of them are the makings of the unofficial e-robots whose overzealousness to impress Ochendo have rather alienated him from the people he represents.
To execute a task well, a professional PR officer should be au fait with relevant theories of mass communication to apply in certain critical issues as well as the Crisis Response Model which gives guidelines on steps to adopt in crisis management in PR. Misapplication of these in the discharge of one’s duty is a disaster talk less of ignorance.
To Be Continued.
Join Me Tomorrow for the Explosive parts
Don Norman Obinna is a former Special Adviser on media to Sen. T. orji
