CALM and unruffled even when the tides of public are beating against him, the consummate Public Relations expert who was appointed in August 2023 as the Minister of information and National Orientation, Hon. Mohammed Idris, has remained true to his promise to Nigerians: “I will never lie but provide credible information to the public”. Like many others who may buckle down under pressure, the former General Secretary of the Newspapers’ Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has remained filial to the task of telling Nigerians the truth all the time
His appointment as minister of information came under the shadows of a ministry known for propaganda, rather than deploying facts to disseminate truth. No one, including yours sincerely, ever believed that he could survive on the position within six without telling a lie. As he promised not to lie, not a few took it with a pinch of salt, others casually waved the vow away, muting to themselves, “Let’s wait and see!”
Nearly two years after being appointed as minister by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Niger state-born professional in politics is not only proving his critics wrong, he has convinced many that professionals, too, can participate in politics without necessarily compromising the ethics of their profession.
Within these nearly two years he has served, he has proved to all that ministers of information can state the truth at all times, and even engage in activities that could go a long way in helping the cause of information transmission to citizens that are too weary and mutually distrustful of government.
The highpoint of the minister’s footprints in the last 20 months is a categorical statement that when there is a will, no mountain can be too high for a bird with strong wings. Being a tested professional who is both conversant with theoretical postulations and practical applications, the former Niger State governorship aspirant for the 2023 governorship poll worked towards creating synergy in the information systems. Instead of the media seeing the government as an enemy that ought to be always castigated; the minister has worked in a manner that has attracted collaborative spirits for the public good.
Under his headship, the Ministry of Information and National Orientation sees the concept of information as an entire gamut of activities with the necessary linkages towards achieving the goal of transmitting the truth. Not a new entrant in the management of information, his nearly three decades of PR practice has exposed him to the nuances and intricacies involved in the management of information at the highest level. It’s therefore not surprising that when he was appointed as minister, he resolved to deploy his many years in the management of information.
Since his appointment as the Nation’s information Minister nearly two years ago, he has shifted focus towards evolving templates for a creative management of public information where both government and the media engage in dialogue for getting clear understanding on issues. Unlike in the past when adversarial engagement was the practice, this media entrepreneur is embracing a style that is devoid of misinterpretation of both motives and content.
In line with modern challenges involved in streamlining information to foster harmonious relationship between citizens and government, the minister created a platform where his colleagues manning various ministries appear to respond to media inquiries and also explain to news reporters some of the issues taking place in their ministries. In so doing, Hon Idris has successfully enthrone a system of engagements between top government functionaries and media practitioners for a better understanding of events and activities in various ministries.
To boost the reach of these engagements between ministers and reporters, these programmes are broadcasted live by some major television stations, among others. The efficacy of both content and channels has been profound as some of the ministers that have appeared on the platforms have successfully explained their programmes to the public, thereby giving an account of their stewardship since their appointments in 2023. By conducting the ministerial platform where ministers meet media practitioners, journalists are always offered the opportunity of hearing from the horses’ mouths.
Considering the initial period after the inauguration of the Tinubu presidency, the wave of public criticism that trailed the suffering that attended the removal of fuel subsidies was most intense. After inheriting crippling despair arising from economic downturn, the shredding impacts of insecurity that had turned Nigeria into one of the most terrorised nations in the world. That the government was able to engage in a new way to turn the forlorn hope into a renewed stream of optimism was hinged on the creative ingenuity of public information management provided by the minister.
For someone whose professional forte has been the media, the minister has used his expertise to engage with his former colleagues to change the narrative, and more than any of his predecessors, Idris created new approaches to robust public engagements with critical stakeholders in order to have an effective information management system. Unlike his predecessor, he has avoided playing the canary but provided a space for various top government officials providing them with the opportunity to be accountable to the public, which is one of the hallmarks of democracy.
In tackling challenges of information management, Hon Idris has also created a platform of meeting with his predecessors in order to tap from their experiences. Unlike in the past when such meetings were not feasible, under the current dispensation, former ministers do have an opportunity to meet and rub minds on information issues. With his vast network as one of the nation’s most critical media stakeholders, the minister rides on professional relationships in evolving a system of information that adds value to his mandates.
The sterling performance of the minister, who is also the ‘Kakakin Nupe,’ is tied not only to his sound academic attainments, but also one of the top industry players renowned for his skills founded on best global practice. He was born 59 years ago on May 2, 1966. After completing his primary and secondary school in Kontagora and Rijau, Niger State, he attended the Othman Danfodio University, Sokoto, where he bagged a degree in English in 1987. He would later acquire a masters degree at the Bayero University Kano where he taught Communications Skills from 1989-1991.
Idris was also an English and Communication Skills lecturer at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Katsina, from 1989 to 1994. His footprints in the field of public relations, as shown by many appointments, have earned him laurels in advancing PR practice in Nigeria, including ownership of Blueprint newspapers, one of the publications he founded 14 years ago to mark his 45th birthday on 2nd May, 2011.
That the ‘Kakakin Nupe’ has remained unflustered in the wake of ‘fake news’ linked to some of his media responses reveals him as a unique minister who is more concerned with doing his job than making enemies for the government he is arduously serving. His dignified silence over a response he issued on a matter relating to insecurity that was sensationalized by an inconsequential stands him out as an excellent PR expert. As an expert, he has since imbibed the time-honoured maxim that not every matter deserves a response.
As he celebrates his 59th birthday anniversary, this is wishing the ‘Kakakin Nupe’ resounding good health in the service of his Fatherland and humanity.
- Reef, a media practitioner, writes from Abuja and can be reached via simonreef927@gmail.com.