•Portfolio nomenclature should change, says Akinwunmi
•Man with advertising/marketing experience should be minister, Odigbo insists
•New communication blueprint needed, counsels Adigwe
High wire lobby is on for who gets what in the Muhammadu Buhari administration. Political jobbers, party faithful, and technocrats all are ready to serve under the new dispensation of change.
But no one knows yet who will be posted to what office.
Every major contributor to the economy has a substantive ministry, except integrated marketing communication (IMC).
It used to be the Ministry of Information and Communication; but communication, which takes care of telecommunication and other information communication technology (ICT), has been separated from information.
Patricia Akwashiki was a banker and lawmaker (both in the House of Representatives and the Senate) before she was made Information Minister. She had little or no prior knowledge of the media and IMC.
Several others before her were also appointed without recourse to basic knowledge of the industry.
However, the government picks technocrats as ministers of health, finance
In some countries, the information minister deals with information matters, including censorship and propaganda. Sometimes the position is given to a separate minister of culture.
Industry view on previous appointments
Some analysts argued that information ministers are always chosen from a primitive and myopic standpoint, someone loyal to the president who will protect his image, rather than a grounded technocrat who will deliver professionally.
“It is obvious that almost without exception the choices have been as a result of political affiliation and not professional relevance. Dora Akunyili worked very hard but not from a position of knowledge or professionalism.
“Labaran Maku did not seem to understand the role,” said former Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) Chairman, Lolu Akinwunmi.
Information management is often seen by the government as a tool to disseminate one-way communication to the public, hence the type of people chosen as information minister.
Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) Vice President, Muyiwa Akintunde, moaned that “little effort, if any, is paid to stakeholder engagements and a feedback mechanism that can help in shaping government policies in the interest of the public.”
DDB Lagos Managing Director, Ikechi Odigbo, believed that recent information ministers were fairly capable but this did not translate into defining the national agenda.
Said he: “I do believe that while we have had fairly capable ministers of information in the recent past, we have not really had a definitive information leader that has gone beyond conveying government position on issues on a tactical reactive basis to carefully articulating the national agenda as well as shaping national discourse in a way that fosters public understanding and goodwill towards the government.
“In effect, we have not had a strategic engagement of the various constituencies of the Nigerian public in a way that engenders holistic buy-in and enthusiasm towards state programmes and policies.”
Desired character
Just like other ministries, stakeholders in IMC also have a choice. The minister of information is not directly responsible for the industry; he or she manages public communication for the government and the country.
The expectation is that the one to be appointed by Buhari should possess certain characteristics.
Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXAN) President, Kayode Olagesin, sought “a proactive and innovative technocrat who understands the workings of the IMC industry. He should be a go getter and a bridge builder.
“He should be able to mobilise the media to effectively communicate the programme of the government to Nigerians. He should be able to contribute to the development of the media and IMC environment in Nigeria.”
Odigbo: “I believe the integrated marketing communication industry wants a minister that fully understands the unique roles of the various professions that make up the industry as well as their issues.
“We want a minister that actively promotes and supports professional excellence through industry consultations and continuous openness to new ideas.”
Akinwunmi: “Ideally the right candidate must be knowledgeable in the art and science of public information management. The person must be responsive. The person must be able to communicate effectively.
“The person must understand the strength of the popular media and take the best advantage of it. The person must also understand the subtlety of the social and new media.
“The person must be strategic and even understand things like spin. The person must be personable and approachable. The minister is the brand custodian of brand Nigeria.”
Between media and IMC
When the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaigned on the platform of change, by implication it promised a more creative and effective approach to governance in all ramifications.
One critical mandate for the minister of information under the change era is to inspire a truly patriotic ethos and consciousness by creatively driving a national re-orientation programme.
This is to embed social values in each citizen to become a change agent, for Nigeria to fulfill its great potential and assume its pride of place in the comity of nations.
Odigbo: “The next goal would be to deliberately build an authentic yet positive brand image for Nigeria that would instill national pride among the public and foster international investment
“The minister of information should cultivate a robust relationship with the media that not only seeks to channel and communicate government position and policies but also seeks to objectively weigh and harness public opinion as a feedback mechanism to determine areas of emphases, and improvement for the government.”
In Olagesin’s view, the major challenge is exposure and experience, so the choice of information minister must be carefully made.
The interest of Nigeria and the administration will be best served by engaging a consummate professional with the right network in the larger IMC environment, he stressed.
Akintunde added that the media is crucial in the delivery of the mandate of the minister of information, and “every other element of marketing communications must be integrated for effective public perception management.”
Most ministers acted on briefs while others lacked the skill to manage the portfolio.
“The ministry should be given the free hand to hire good hands to deliver rather than interfering with them and distorting their flow,” counselled Chris Adigwe, former Unilever Nigeria Communication Channel Manager.
Improving sector
Akinwunmi said the new minister should involve all practitioners of public communication.
“Indeed,” he stressed, “the first thing to do is a major review of Nigeria’s communication policy. Second, the government must decide who speaks for it. Should it be this minister or the people in the Presidency?
“There should be a group that regularly advises the minister on policy and strategy, made up of all key stakeholders in the media, communication practice, the academia etc.”
Olagesin believed that an improved sector would mean a minister who can create an enabling environment for the growth of the industry.
“He has to support the implementation of the FoI Bill, get the Nigerian broadcast media to effect the digital switch which we are well behind schedule on, support the growth of the IMC environment, help give effect to the APCON proclamation and enforce its recommendations.
“This needs executive support for the benefits to be realised.”
Odigbo: “I believe the place to start is the APCON reform. With the full backing and support of the new minister for the implementation APCON reform which has now been promulgated into law, the IMC industry would experience a redefinition and rejuvenation in terms of professional practice and business growth.
“The new minister should also seek to encourage a practice among government departments and parastatals where only professionally registered and certified practitioners are contracted to handle communication, advertising and branding briefs.”
Adigwe urged the Buhari administration to formulate a blueprint that will guarantee a smooth take off and sustain progress, and the minister should align with government policies and give information support as needed.
“He must be abreast with our multicultural ethnicity and maintain balanced information always.”
Baseline
IMC stakeholders are interested in who will pilot the affairs of the sector and are keen to make contribution to ensure that the best man gets the job.
Akinwunmi: “The role is that of a management of a nation’s communication policy and strategies. It is a brand management role. I have always said it is not a role for journalists.
“Journalists can act as spokespeople for the Presidency, but the information minister will do more than this. By training and orientation, the minister will be a cut between a brands manager and communication expert.
“It is a combination of all that that will do the work. Beyond these the person must be experienced, given the expectations of Nigerians on the concept of change.”
Odigbo said the tradition has been that when the government and its agencies are thinking of people to man the information or communication functions, they go for journalists turned PR experts.
However, the craft of communicating to the public is better handled by advertising and marketing communication professionals who have a more strategic and holistic approach to engaging public audiences.
“So it goes without saying that change is also due in this regard. The Nigerian people deserve a minister of information with an advertising and marketing communication background for a change,” Odigbo insisted.
Akintunde: “It is an added advantage to have a minister of information with hands-on experience in various aspects of marketing communications.
“However, what is ultimately helpful is to have one who is willing to work with knowledgeable professionals in the industry.”
Olagesin: “I will not be prescriptive but I am more in support of a professional whose experience cuts across sectoral groups. What is important is to have a technocrat who knows his business as well as his limitations and can access readily available help when necessary.”
It is now left for the political class to give to IMC what it has been giving to health, aviation, finance , defence, commerce and industry, science and technology and other ministries.
Not to dump a politician on IMC who cannot navigate it.