In a recent online interview conducted by Punch newspapers with President Goodluck Jonathan’s Assistant on New Media, Reno Omokri.
Omokri admitted that the President has a presence on other New Media platforms apart from Facebook where he is seen as active, sighting Dr. Reuben Abati (Presidential Adviser on Media and Publicity) as the President’s voice on Twitter.
Omokri gives the Presidents reason for his absence on Twitter as follows “The President would not just do things because others are doing it. Don’t forget he has a PhD. He is a philosopher king and so he thinks before he acts.”
Does this mean that people who are on Twitter are just following the bandwagon? Or is Twitter a cyber-town hall?
Omokri confesses without knowing that the President is afraid of the competing voices, and sends in Dr Reuben Abati to take the hits and the shock on his behalf. It is true people can lose their sense of proportion in order to get instant notoriety on Twitter, but Goodluck Jonathan will get a good feel of what people think and might actually get suggestions when he makes out time to personally create a presence on Twitter. Presidents like Barack Obama have used this social media platform to win elections and get feedback personally,
Omokri downgrades Twitter to a popularity contest as an excuse for his boss to stare clear of the one place where he would get to hear some hard truths. Nigerians are not Americans, who he makes his comparison with “In many cases, the object is not to communicate, it is to be popular. And if you ever went to high school or college in the United States, you know that the personality of the popular kids is a facade that quickly falls apart when they graduate from high school or college and move on to the real world.” He says.
He points out Jonathan’s achievements forgetting that Twitter can actually give Jonathan a rough idea if his projects actually reach the populace.
President Jonathan has the highest followership on Facebook for an African president, but Omokri’s refusal to answer whether the president actually reads what has been written on his wall raises other questions as to if he is really involved in social media in the first place. “You do not do constructive criticism with insults. It is like trying to build a house with a bulldozer. You end up destroying instead of building.” Omokri protests about scathing comments made on social media. The truth is the leader will get it all-constructive criticism, insults and encouragement. That is the burden of leadership; don’t be afraid of Twitter Mr President.
