Role of strategic communications in nation building and national development (2)

Nigeria cannot afford to remain in the shadows and keep letting circumstances define us. We must take deliberate and sustained efforts to envision and build the Nigeria we desire, rather than reacting to situations as they arise, or continue to blame our colonial past. As a seasoned practitioner in the field of marketing communication and brand building, I am a firm believer in the power of strategic communication in building a united nation and creating a positive identity that inspires hope, confidence and pride.

For the purpose of the subject matter under discussion, I will attempt to define Strategic Communication as: a systematic choice and act of defining, designing and implementing tailored communication ideas and initiatives about the programmes and activities of a product, an individual or institution to select publics in order to elicit a desired response; and it is a series of coordinated communication initiatives designed and tailored to influence the attitudes, behaviours and perception of an organised group in favour of a common cause.

The basic roles of strategic communication include: to define and create, to inform and engage, to position and differentiate, to persuade and influence, to remind and sustain, and to stimulate action. Strategic communications is a potent force in social, economic, and political progress. Wilbur Schramm-“Father of Communication Studies”- buttressed this fact when he pointed out that: “By making one part of a country aware of other parts, their people, arts, customs, and politics; to the leaders and to each other; by making possible a nation-wide dialogue on national policy; by keeping the national goals and national accomplishments always before the public, modern communication, widely used, can help weld together isolated communities, disparate subcultures, self-centred individuals and groups, and separate developments into a truly national development.”

The human factor is the first and most important element in national development. The future shape of any development process, its pace, sustainability and ultimate direction will be determined by people – the level of their awareness, participation and skills.

Until the citizens are mobilized and converted to become the driving force of their own development, no amount of investment in infrastructure or provision of technology will bring about any lasting improvement in their living standards.

It is mainly through consistent, focused communication and strategic engagements that Nigerians can be converted to become advocates and active participants in the success of such programmes. Once the citizenry are so sensitised and buy-in is secured, they take ownership of the process and become the driving force. Leadership will then have no option than to maintain the momentum or be consumed by the “movement”. Effective strategic communications will give people the platform to adapt their views and acquire new knowledge and skills.

To help us appreciate the contributions of strategic communications, we need to have the following KEY CONSIDERATIONS at the back of our minds: First, we must recognize that government is a business and a big business at that. The country is a brand that must be managed for growth and profitability – all key government functionaries are managers and custodians of the brand whose actions or inactions could have a positive or negative impact on the brand.  Second, we are operating in a fast changing national and a highly competitive global market space. We must struggle to create and maintain our own space in the comity of nations and earn the respect that we desire and deserve. Third, the government must be clearly positioned to stand for values, principles and interests that reflect the goals and aspirations of the majority of its citizens.  Fourth, the government, like every serious business undertaking, must take deliberate steps to build and sustain emotional relationships with all critical stakeholders in a manner that will inspire support, respect and love for the government and the country. Fifth, government policies, initiatives and programmes are products. They must be thoughtfully packaged and strategically sold to the people for their acceptance, support and participation. In the real business world, products are sold, not bought. Government business cannot be different.

The president is the chief marketing officer of the nation. He defines, consistently communicates, and markets the strategic agenda and the BIG IDEA for the brand and also mobilizes the support and participation of his team and citizens. His actions and speeches must consistently inspire hope, belief and confidence in the brand in both local and international fora. His body language, silence, speech, actions and inactions have implications for the brand, either positively or negatively.

Essential roles of strategic communication in nation building and national development include: creating a clear image and strong positioning; agenda setting and vision sharing; building support for government actions, policies and programmes; and creating and building credible profiles, images and personas for public offices and office holders.

We need to strategically design and use selected communication platforms to project the positive qualities, image and behaviours expected of key public offices and office holders in a manner that will build respect and admiration for such offices: the President / Vice President; Senate President / Senators / Ministers; and Heads of the various arms of the military.

In all Hollywood Movies, the office of the American President is always revered and projected as the most powerful office in the world. The president is always projected as a hero and shown to be in control at all times, even in the face of danger or being held hostage by terrorists. Their military is seen and projected as invincible, always rising from any setback to achieve victory. Is it therefore any accident that citizens of the United States despite the complexity and diversity of its racial structure are the most proud citizens of any country?

Nigeria has the biggest and most vibrant movie industry in Africa, but how are we using this platform to shape views and opinions about our key public office holders? How is Government actively collaborating with Nollywood to encourage scripts that change the Nigerian narrative positively?

Communication is a bond that brings a nation together, yet respects the multiplicity of perspectives that is essential to the search for truth and meaning. A nation consists of individuals with diverse needs but bound together by a common dream. It fosters meaningful dialogue among different sectors of society; it nurtures a shared vision for the country’s future; and helps harness non-material and material resources to realize the national shared vision that will allow us to find the driving force for development.

Every citizen is an actor and object of development. Everyone contributes to nation building or sadly serves as a drag, generating friction and causing a huge waste of scarce resources and energy. Perhaps, only when citizens of a country have nurtured a true-shared vision, transcending personal agendas, can the process of national development reach the tipping point for accelerated growth. According to Benjamin V. Lozare, “a country may develop only when its leaders realize the wisdom in the principle – power shared is power multiplied, not power diminished”.

Udeme Ufot

Ufot is Group Managing Director, SO&U