As the campaigns for the 2023 Presidential elections draws to a close, we are all geared up to go to the polls. My young adults who have never voted are fully inspired to vote for the first time and the race for PVC’s has never been fiercer.
The electoral body INEC, non-governmental organisations, government agencies with jurisdiction, political parties, youth organisations, families and schools have urged all in the last year or so to collect our PVCs and perform our constitutional duty so we are not disenfranchised.
In the meantime, the polity has exploded into name-calling groups, threatening groups, sit-at-home groups and exuberant followers.
In fact, I have run into compatriots who insist that I should vote for their candidate without a care in the world about my agency to take that personal decision. Strange people, whose conversations always start with who are you voting for? Interesting how this is happening more with the 2023 elections where the lines between candidates are as fierce as ever.
In addition, I have sadly observed that the entertainment value of the election cycle seems to be missing this year. As a Broadcaster and Creative, I live for the posters, the jingles, and the creative appeal to the electorate. In the past, we have enjoyed sing-along campaign songs and images that stay with us forever.
MKO na our man oh…. became the definitive jingle that changed the media landscape for political jingles. We sang along even if our hearts were elsewhere, we waited for it mid-news. The pictures were palpable, unforgettable.
Then there was the Sai Baba Jingle for President Buhari and we saw the President wearing a suit for the first time on billboards across the nation. President Jonathan was himself well packaged with TAN a sponsor of the media promotion of Jonathan pushing out jingle after Jingle on Radio and Television.
These jingles kept us entertained across board. Agencies made a kill, songwriters were busy and Printers smiled all the way to the bank. But in this election, I am searching for the jingles in vain. In the end, what I see is not comparable to previous elections.
As a media person, I am concerned that this might mean that the media teams did not think it was important or the candidates and their teams have decided that we do not need to be persuaded. Because jingles are part of the persuasion strategy to convince us that they are the ones and to show us that we matter.
Be that as it may, we now stand on the cusp of history to go to the polls and make a difference. Often times media consultants are invited to train media, encourage women politicians, speak to political party spokespersons to put a cleft on their tongues, so they do not heat up the polity.
In addition, jingles sponsored by different bodies, with influencers like musicians and traditional rulers begin to surface and television and radio stations outdo each other for who has the best political jingles encouraging us all to do our voting duty.
Usually, it would be the broadcast institutions’ contribution to a positive outlook for the elections. Various anti-violence campaigners would be everywhere. This year has been unusually quiet. The excitement is slightly muted, and many activities sized down.
Add that to the currency redesign whose crisis is barely a month old. So before then, we should have had some excitement. Well, in spite of the gaps, this is our moment to stand up and be counted. Take the bull by the horn and show up at our polling booths and do the needful.
Find your PVC today, don’t wait until tomorrow to know where you kept it. Keep it at ready. And vote your conscience for the person in all the elections who has the qualities to lead better. Make your choice not based on rice or a few coins that would last one hour while you may have voted the wrong man or woman for four years. You then do not have the locus to complain if you were induced to vote or if you choose not to vote.
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Vote your choice and I will vote mine. Let’s see where that takes us. And in between let us eschew violence in whatever we do. Be mindful that there would be troublemakers who would hope that if they start rabble rousing then the rest of us would pick up the gauntlet and everything will scatter.
Dont be drawn into it. I was an Election Monitor in 2015 and I met such people milling around polling booths to foment trouble. Call the attention of security men if you suspect foul play. Be calm at polling booths but more importantly, go out and vote.
As for our youngsters voting for the first time, get your PVC ready, arrive early, and take your polling booth kit; water, sunglasses, maybe a mat, some snacks, something to drink, a magazine, some sweets and mint. We do not anticipate a long wait but it might happen.
And if you want to stay back and watch the figures, conduct yourself as you wait. Most people are encouraged to leave because divergent views can lead to fracas. Whatever you do, be exemplary.
We miss the jingles, we miss the songs but we shall, in spite of this, turn up at our polling booths and vote our choice to lead us for the next four years. Do your bit!
