₦airaland Forum

The sly pickpocket knows that in order to dis-posses a potential victim
you keep the person distracted on some issues, then you creep in and hit

Folks might be wondering why PDP is bothering itself with such a small matter
as a secondary school certificate which a number of us who are younger would have misplaced by now.
I'll tell you why, but understanding it might take a long process of story telling

The power of choice is in the availablity of information.
In the world of business management, we refer to this as information asymetry or symetry
In a democratic dispensation, the availability and manipulation of information is paramount

Buhari previously had a cult like following only in the core north.
The information that the street urchins who queued up behind him had
was of a religious ethnic zealot who would defend their faith and tribe.
He was also considered a big man who would stoop low to the level of the commoners.
Buhari, played his part in not defraying this perception. In fact he seems to have encouraged it.
These street urchins were not in anyway bothered with the anti-corruption narative of Buhari
they wouldn't have cared a hoot if he was the most corrupt man in the universe.

Goodluck's political machine zoomed in on this glaring religious projection of Buharis constituents
and further helped to accentuate it for him using all available media avenues.
It was thus easy to split Nigerians votes between core north poor muslims for Buhari,
and the rest of Nigeria for Jonathan. Jonathan's team only helped the rest of Nigeria see what
Buharis followers saw in him.

After Jonathan sat on the throne, a large swath of young Nigerians were begining to get frustrated with him
this stage marked the rise of Social media in Nigeria (which Jonathan brought to our country )
The social media space is a hard one to police, especially by an underdeveloped country
Now, you must understand something about media in general.
The only way that they can remain in business is to ensure that controversies and gossips are always available
The traditional print media for the first time in a long time were not being harrased
like a mad dog released from its leach to chase the intruder, which then turns against its owner when it sees no one else to chase
the print and social media which previously lashed out at powerful antiJonathan elements
they were very happy to run amoc with any and all stories about Jonathan (apart from his sex life) that tickled their fancies
You must have noticed that they were not quick to try this with the governors who are way more brutal than Jonathan in wielding their power

Tinubu the man many perceived as being more corrupt than Ibori but more tactical
began to gradually harness this noise. He was hailed as a hero. Wetin im achieve, me I never see yet
He had stood as almost a one man squad against the Obasanjo's PDP previously
and had also been spot-on in the one who he anointed as a governor for Lagos state

Tinubu and his ACN was now being gradually accepted by the vocal and savvy yoruba youths as the new Awolowo
They had not met Awolowo, but had heard about him. Here was their chance to crown a new Awolowo.
Gradually, opposition to PDP in general (whether because one did not get an appointment or for other reasons)
and Jonathan in particular began to coalesce around Tinubu.

Already firmly rooted in the Southwest, Tinubu's party tried to penetrate into the Midwest and middle belt
He soon scored a big one when he drew Buharis CPC in. With the defection of 5 PDP rebel governors to APC
Tinubu's party became a truely national party for the first time although with a strange religious leaning at that time


Media and IT savvy yoruba youths who were already besothed to their man Tinubu were more than happy to adopt
the man Buhari. I cringe when say that a large chunk of them would probably also have adopted Atiku
if Tinubu and supported him. they would simply have described it as "change"

But here came Buhari, who any one alive in Nigeria would easily describe as squeaky clean
He was thus a perfect choice.
Whereas the nothern urchins have kept their narrative about Buhari as a religion and ethnic protector
Buharis' team for the south have smartly used another strategy.
They have highlighted Buhari as an anti-corruption czar who would jail all the big men who snatch their girlfriends

I think I have deviated too much from the thrust of my story.

If you've read stuff about network theory, you'd understand the power of influencers
this is were most media platforms fall under
Folks may describe those of us who disperse info on print and social media as armchair critics
and in fact say that we do not vote........they miss the point.
The idea behind media is that if you generate enough positive buzz,
people start believing and buying into it
That's how mega churches rise
that's how Abiola's Concord supported coups too

So I read alot about the failings of Jonathan, and the beauty of Buhari the mesiah to come
I gradually start liking Buhari and saying he would win
I the non-voter tell my Driver (the voter) that Buhari is great.
His wife hears the same story from her madam.
They tell their neighbours, who have also heard this, and soon a myth becomes a reality

esere826:
The sly pickpocket knows that in order to dis-posses a potential victim
you keep the person distracted on some issues, then you creep in and hit

This has been long,

..but by now, I think you understand the gist.
There are some smart folks in Jonathans team (I believe Akin and FFK are part of the brains behind this)
who understand the way reinforced narratives work.

What they are trying to do is to slow down the viral spread of the sai Buhari crowd by redirecting the issues and narratives.
These prevents those of us that are on the fence to jump in and sheepishly join the ever increasing Buhari crowd
This slow in speed will also calm down the zeal of pro-Buhari electorates in the South who might charged up to vote, defend their vote, and protest if their vote is rigged or perceived rigged

They've got about 3 more weeks to go, and the media, typical dog like they are,
are happy to go chasing after the bones of certificate scandal stories


.......Unhmmmmmm, should I say Sai Buhari or sigh Buhari?

engrtee:
it is not only pdp that is zooming in.

the whole nigerians are interested.


btw,was it only APC that zoomed into stella odua certificate issue?