IBB- What is in a statement?

By Joseph Edgar…

If you are very conversant on social media you will come across almost on a daily basis statements credited to so many prominent individuals stating their positons on national issues. This has gone on overdrive since Obasanjo released his letter and as we get closer to the elections, it will get worse.

The telling thing about these letters are the fact that those who are credited with those statements usually come out to deny authorship of such statements. This sign posts a dangerous curve in our national outlook and this is because these prominent individuals being signposted carry a lot of weight and followership and any wrong signal usually leads to confusion and possible break down of law and order if not carefully handled.

In the last one week, I have seen statements credited to Iyorchia Ayu and Bode Olajumoke. Olajumoke has come out to deny the statement and I am sure Mr. Ayu would soon deny his. What has led to this write up is the seeming saga between IBB and his spokesperson.

Prince Afegbua for as long as I can remember has been the official spokesman for the highly respected and regarded ex Military President over the years. He has been the official spokesperson for IBB on all matters both official and personal. So when he was said to have released the controversial statement on IBB’s seeming position on Buhari’s future everybody stood up to listen. IBB, you will agree, is a great influence leader. So, such a direct statement especially from one who is legendary for his turn about manner of speaking would be of great concern to not only his followers but to also those who would be at the other end of the statement. It was really no surprise that the statement was denied immediately.

However, the drama gets more intense with the spokesman coming out to insist that he issued the statement. This drama is just unfolding, so may be this essay is a little bit premature and that is why I will try not to dwell too much on the statement but rather ill impress on the need for responsibility in handing information meant for a near literate population that we have today.

The truth is that in political discussions across all divides, logic is usually the orphan. Factual analysis takes a hike and we are left with ethno-religious and emotional sentiments which drive passion and positions. So, our people see things through those narrow prisms. Thus, when statements or positions that would be credited to influential leaders are not clearly thought out it only serves to fuel already charged situations.

Our people do not have the capacity to dissect these statements, they take them at face value, add their own innuendoes and twist them into rumours and begin to spread them through word of mouth till they assume a life of their own.

Read also: As Jonathan paved the way for Buhari he breeds OBJ coalition

So the Fulani Herds men wahala is a concerted and deliberate policy of the Fulani to dip the Quran in the ocean while killing and maiming the rest of us. Buhari was poisoned by the cabal, so that they could continue to rule while having him sign all policies. Buhari hates the Igbos and will do everything possible to decimate them, this not minding that Igbos hold very sensitive and powerful positions in his government. Oshiomole has just established the largest Airline in Cape Verde where is wife comes from. Plsssssssss!
These are the idiotic stories that continue to spread and is aided by the immediacy and deep penetrative powers of social media, especially that wonderful App called Whats App.

Meanwhile, a cursory look of some of these statements comparing same to the pedigree of the claimed source will immediately throw up a discrepancy.
Bode Olajumoke a well-known conservative and seemingly docile political actor could never have released such a controversial statement. Furthermore, if you look carefully at this IBB statement you will see that it is so out of character that except IBB was in a drunken haze could he have authorised that statement. IBB that we know would dribble, go round in circles say everything and nothing while expecting you to try to understand what he is saying. He will never be that direct and will never take a position on anything that is why we have labelled him Maradona. As this event unfolds I remain patient and wait to be proven wrong.

It is as a result of all these irresponsibility on the Internet that I think maybe the government is trying some kind of censorship on social media. This is totally wrong as people must be allowed to freely participate in the political process, but then again what would a respectable government now do when people abuse these privileges by sending out information that would continue to enlarge the national gorge?

Let us show a high level of responsibility in our positions especially on social media because of its obvious ability to influence and push people to the wrong side if not particularly handled well.

So, my dear Prince, the onus is on you to prove who or what authorised the statement. I really do not envy you at this point.

 

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