Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser on media and publicity to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has announced an indefinite leave of absence to focus on medical issues concerning his immediate family. Ngelale expressed the hope of returning to national service if circumstances allowed. President Tinubu has accepted the decision and wishes Ngelale well.
Ngelale’s leave of absence has sparked numerous reactions from many Nigerians. This comes as no surprise; anyone taking an ‘indefinite’ leave or resigning from President Tinubu’s administration is likely to be viewed negatively due to the current economic challenges in the country along with some of the administration’s unpopular decisions and policies. Additionally, there is a public perception that those who are not in the‘inner circle’ of the Tinubu administration may encounter difficulties or hiccups- though such assumption has always been a familiar thing. However, Daily Nigerian reported that Ngelale was forced out- the paper said that Mr Ngelale was only given a soft-landing to quit as presidential spokesman, but he chose to quit all the positions he was occupying.
Since Mr Ngelale’s appointment, which was influenced by the first family, there has been internal pressure to replace him.
It was reported that Mr Ngelale was also on collision course with other media aides working for the president for allegedly sidelining them in the running of the affairs of the office.According to sources, Mr Ngelale had also chewed more than he could bite, taking a number of roles that affected his primary media relations.The sources said the tasks of being a Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, has created a role strain and gave the cabal a reason to convince the president to replace him.
Ngelale has done an outstanding job as a spokesperson, given his skills, experience, and expertise. While the Tinubu administration will need to find a capable replacement for him, it is crucial that they focus on more than just appointing another Special Adviser on Public Affairs. What the administration truly requires is a dynamic and versatile media and PR team that can shift from a reactive to a proactive approach, as Nigerians will not now listen to just standard good English.
President Tinubu needs a PR team that can effectively reinvent the well-known image of Asiwaju Tinubu that Nigerians have been familiar with. The focus should not be on finding a replacement for Ngelale, but on assembling a dynamic and strategic team capable of rebranding and promoting Tinubu. This team should highlight his accomplishments and present them in a way that can restore public confidence. For instance Tinubu’s PR should have a special focus on the North, where the president rating is on the decline daily. Moreover, it’s essential to showcase the value and contributions of each cabinet member, emphasizing what they bring to the administration’s overall agenda. The greatest mistake Tinubu will do is to bring on board core politicians, most Nigerians will not listen to them.
President Tinubu should rejig his media and PR team, and they must not only communicate in a way that resonates with Nigerians but also actively engage with them. They must speak to Nigerians in the ‘language’ they understand. The bottleneck is that the only language Nigerians understand is what will bring ‘rice and beans’ to their tables.
Zayyad I. Muhammad, –This Day
