In the last twelve months, these two cases have taught me, among others, the very strategic role media plays in galvanizing public opinion toward influencing policy initiation, execution, and, like in these cases, policy turnaround.
The government had suddenly announced the Lagos-Calabar road project, and in the process, the multi-billion Naira Landmark project was suddenly at risk.
Before you could raise your eyebrows, contracts had been signed, resources mobilized to the site, and some parts of the resort earmarked for demolition.
The owners didn’t panic. They just went into a serious PR mode, which saw them strategically engage public opinion with little emotion but a lot of facts and data, highlighting the economic benefits of the resort vis-a-vis the demerits of its destruction.
In no time, pressure was on the government, which now had to fly in its Minister to a public engagement where he was utterly grilled by the Arise TV reporter who wanted to know if there was any Environmental Assessment report, to which the Minister famously answered, “I no go school.”
Dangote has been more strategic with his PR machinery.
From day one, he threw himself very humbly to the public.
He must have very savvy PR advisers. First, he allowed his grey hair to grow, started wearing his glasses more often, and threw his human side at us.
“Ohhh, I don’t have a house in Abuja. I live in a rented apartment.” This was a masterstroke.
How can the richest African be a tenant? He doesn’t have any house anywhere else in the world?
This was the “rich also cry” parody, and his aging looks and pitiable sight drew sympathy, showing that he was making a huge personal sacrifice for this project.
Once he got that, he went for the jugular. He was no longer part of the cabal but a victim that needed protection.
“They are starving me of crude, they are bringing in low-quality diesel to kill me, we would no longer be able to produce if this continues, my friend who advised me against investing in Nigeria is laughing at me.”
The humanization of Dangote was a killer as all of us now started seeing this fight as our fight.
“Who is disturbing this harmless old man, who just wants to help us?” This now became the war cry of the people.
To make matters worse for his adversaries in the public eye, his fellow oligarchs kept mute.
The Otedolas, Jim, Tony, and the rest not saying a public word in his defense further portrayed him as that lonely fish being surrounded by sharks.
Instantly, Dangote now became our fight. “Ohhh, because he didn’t support Tinubu,” the public shouted, “the cabal wants to keep on importing fuel so they continue to prey on us. They want to kill Dangote so they continue to eat our flesh.”
What was playing out was a classic Muhammad Ali move where he would goad and taunt his opponents to make costly mistakes in the ring.
This is what now happened when the regulator came out shouting, “Ohh, he wants a monopoly, his diesel is low quality,” and all.
Which made the public start asking questions like the ones attributed to Emir Sanusi – “What dumb monopoly? What happened to the over $15 billion spent on TAM on all refineries over the years with no single drop of products coming out? Give us the Dangote diesel with its high sulfur; we will take it like that, instead of yours that we have not seen.”
The PR campaign was so effective that it took on a life of its own, with people sharing clips of Alhaji in his various homilies.
Finally, the government, with its back against the wall, called for a détente with the Minister of State for Petroleum calling a meeting of all stakeholders.
This has been a victory for PR, as it was able to galvanize public angst by throwing up a humanized narrative, which eventually pushed the lever towards Dangote’s corner.
It’s still a long way off for Alhaji, as this is a marathon. He would have to combine his expert PR capacity with very deep and penetrative pragmatic boots-on-the-ground initiatives if he is going to succeed and maybe finally buy a house in Abuja.
Thanks,
Duke of Shomolu
