I think it's real sad that in this day and age,we can have a politician that can't speak well in public/orate. I watched the speeches GEJ,Atiku and the market woman gave during the primaries and i was very dissappointed. How come none of them are good public speakers? And they're politicians that want to represent the country? Even when GEJ gave his acceptance speech after the primaries,i couldn't help comparing him to Obama et al. Correct me if i'm wrong,but isn't a leader supposed to carry the people along with his words,to move them,to inspire them and give them hope? The only thing his speech moved me to do was to hit the sack.

It is a general decay. Even some professors and Phd holders are the worst offenders.

I was shocked when a certain SAN was requested to make a speech on one ocassion I attended. My brother, the kind of bullets that  came out of his mouth could make one recommend that all formal schools be closed indefinately because there was no need of them.   It's so sad.

It is very hard to find fluent speakers/orators these days in Naija. Maybe due to psychological disoder, too much stress in every aspects of our lives.

It is those basics they teach you in junior secondary school. Once you mess that foundation up, it's usually difficult to recover.

Most highly educated nigerians, incl. Gej, don't know when to use will or would; has or had etc.

For every 3 sentences by Gej, at least 2 are usually grammatically flawed. I guess the question is, does it matter ?

Being a good public speaker is of course a different kettle of fish.

What about Rochas Okorocha, Chris Okotie!

german007:

Patrick obahiagbon.

Yeah Rochas. He will make a good president.

@OP

Are you insinuating they are not wordsmiths? Or are you exasperated about their oratorical style?

Dede1:

@OP

Are you insinuating they are not wordsmiths? Or are you exasperated about their oratorical style?

A little bit of both. A leader is supposed to be able to inspire the public by his/her words. Our political leaders make me sleep when they speak.

The issue is most of this people are into politics for the money and not because they want to help our people to get a better life.

If you have passion for something, the words would naturally come out.  But they dont have passion to help the people of Nigeria.
Words comes from the well of your heart. and if your well is empty, your words would be empty. 

an empty well heart , is empty words.

Most Nigerians cannot speak well and they are not good communicators.

At least Balewa, Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Awolowo could speak well. Nigeria definitely has fallen.

Musiwa,:

The issue is most of this people are into politics for the money and not because they want to help our people to get a better life.

If you have passion for something, the words would naturally come out.  But they dont have passion to help the people of Nigeria.
Words comes from the well of your heart. and if your well is empty, your words would be empty. 

an empty well heart , is empty words.

what do you expect when you have illiterates in power ?

Atreides:

A little bit of both. A leader is supposed to be able to inspire the public by his/her words. Our political leaders make me sleep when they speak.

Have you insisted Nigerian politicians address the public in their mother tongue? Most leaders who could be termed as good orators usually address their audience in native language. Nigerian politicians of the 60s tried to emulate British colonialists and impress their people. However, things have changed as politicians of today are in politics to accumulate wealth.

.

tpia*:

arent they supposed to employ people who will help them improve their speech skills?

yes I can see Johnathan with his wife taking lessons from Chris Okotie, I think we need a nigerian version of the King's Speech

Atreides:

A little bit of both. A leader is supposed to be able to inspire the public by his/her words. Our political leaders make me sleep when they speak.

You should watch Madam Ebele Jonathan on TV, you'll need counselling afterwards

Dede1:


Have you insisted Nigerian politicians address the public in their mother tongue? Most leaders who could be termed as good orators usually address their audience in native language. Nigerian politicians of the 60s tried to emulate British colonialists and impress their people. However, things have changed as politicians of today are in politics to accumulate wealth.

Which mother tongue? Nigeria is too diverse for that idea to fly. There are too many indigenous languages/ethnic groups in the country for that idea to be practical. There is no common mother tongue. Say Atiku speaks in Hausa. I'm not Hausa,so i won't understand him,and i don't think he can speak in Bini. English is our common language. It's what unites us,despite the different cultures and tribes in Nigeria. We've been speaking English for the past 50 years. Is it too much to ask that we develop some proficiency in it?

@Dis Guy,did you hear Mrs. Jubril aka the Market Woman candidate speak? All i could think of was if by some miracle that woman won,is she the one who'll be repping Naija in the presence of Obama and co?

Unfortunately or should i say Fortunately i didn't listen to any of them, I caught a bit of the announcer/MC though- very irritating

Goodluck Jonathan has a PhD in Zoology - me sef dey laugh

Hehehe. . I wonder why universities offer that course. How many zoos are in Nigeria? And then to go get a Phd in zoology? Oh well. Nigeria is a jungle,full of mayn wild animals. I swear if you watched it ehn,you for provoke. Atiku was just going on and on about zoning,as if this country(by which i mean the masses,who,ideally are supposed to have a say in who gets elected)is the personal property of that cabal of thieves to be divided as they see fit. GEJ spoke for 5 minutes or thereabouts and used notes. He didn't even have a proper lecture pad or whatever-just some pieces of paper he held in his hand. And the highlight of the Mrs Jubril's speech was women empowerment,blah blah blah. At least she got one vote.

just goes to show they aren't leadership material

was anyone inspired by any of the speeches ?

oyb:

just goes to show they aren't leadership material

was anyone inspired by any of the speeches ?

We were inspired to turn off our t.v. .

Atreides:

Which mother tongue? Nigeria is too diverse for that idea to fly. There are too many indigenous languages/ethnic groups in the country for that idea to be practical. There is no common mother tongue. Say Atiku speaks in Hausa. I'm not Hausa,so i won't understand him,and i don't think he can speak in Bini. English is our common language. It's what unites us,despite the different cultures and tribes in Nigeria. We've been speaking English for the past 50 years. Is it too much to ask that we develop some proficiency in it?

Did you take into consideration that grammar (English Language) is not their mother tongue before you lampooned them on linguistic prowess or lack therefore in your previous post? We must appreciate the efforts of Nigerian politicians on the oratorical level because Nigeria is a disjointed entity. I guess Nigerians from northern region enjoy listening to the speeches of political operatives from the region. The same scenario applies to other region except for such purists such as you. As you posited that “English Language” is what unifies us in Nigeria, I hope it includes the grade spoken on the streets and in market squares.

@Dede,i do agree that not every Nigerian can speak/understand standard English. If you're saying that politicians should should speak in pidgin,then that's a different thing entirely. I personally think that pidgin is so widely used it should be made a national language. However,you didn't say 'pidgin';you said 'mother tongue',by which you mean indigenious languages. I still say that politicians speaking in their mother tongue is not feasible. Nigeria is waay too diverse for that. Speaking in a mother tongue would limit you to a certain group/tribe,while speaking in English would cut across tribal boundaries. And again,we have been speaking English for the past 50 years. It is not too much to expect that we develop some proficiency in it. English does unite us,not just as Nigerians but as humans. In an international forum,could our president speak Yoruba and be understood by people who are not Nigerian natives? If he spoke in English,everybody,both Nigerians and foreigners would stand a better chance of understanding him.

C

Ca

And i'm not a purist per se. I'm not saying our political leaders must speak like Obama. I'm saying that they should not put us to sleep with their BORING speeches. They should inspire and motivate us by their words. It's not about big grammar-it's about the ability to motivate and inspire people,and that is something they do not have. A political leader should be a good public speaker. That's not what our leaders are. And what is so difficult about English anyway? Yes it's not our mother tongue but were they not taught English in school? The fact that English is not our first language is no excuse for mediocre,lack-lustre,boring speeches.

Atreides can you help me understand Nuhu ribadu

It is because they are products of a system that does not support meritocracy; a system to which they are now part and parcel of. No one can do more than his ability; expecting an eloquent political speaker in Nigeria is akin to expecting a cat to swim through an ocean.

Kats

Fact is those who aren't good at public speaking are also not good politicians.

matemate , I speak better english than Jonathan and Nuhu ribadu, I live abroad. So  I think after listen to them. I would assume I am better. why did you ask.?

nigeria