see full details here: https://m.marketingprofs.com/articles/2017/32812/how-to-find-anyones-business-email-address

15 Practical Email Marketing Tips for marketers with real-life examples


https://mediaaccent..com.ng/2017/09/15-practical-email-marketing-tips-for.html?m=1

FIND IT HERE:
https://mediaaccent..co.ke/2017/09/content-writer-vs-copywriter-whats.html?m=1

see more at:
https://mediaaccent..com.ng/2017/09/

Contrary to false news narratives by Western Media, which depicts North Korea as an incurably underdeveloped and poverty-stricken state, North Korea is indeed developed and boasts one of the world's highest literacy rates at 99 percent - as opposed the America's uninspiring 85 percent literacy rate.

North Korea's capital (Pyongyang) - also boasts an impressive skyline - which could leave some Western nations - rather envious.

105-storey Ryugyung Hotel dwarfs other buildings in second picture.

C.c lalasticlala

ayindejimmy:


Cant stop to ask why everyone is blaming him in the first?

Ogbeni no one is blaming Jonathan, read the story well before jumping into conclusions. People acting on Jonathan's behalf (His Agents)... were fingered

mayorchelsea:
Did the guy from the extract of his book accuse GEJ of any assassination attempt on his life?He said they mentioned him in their meetings and these wailers want to kill themselves.He was only scared of his life on hearing such news about him being discussed and didn't even say they made any attempt on his life.Comprehension skills is truly rare.People just read the title of a thread which is meant to attract people and begin to develop HBP.

VERY BRILLIANT ANALYSIS...SUCH A PITY OUR PEOPLE HARDLY USE THEIR BRAINS ...BEFORE FORMING NONSENSICAL OPINIONS

Abalado:
Let this people jonathan alone nau,haba,for almost 2years,oga o..if buhari is sick,na jonathan,if anytn hapen na jonathan,kilode..make we hear wod jere

The chapter was not about Jonathan per se, but it was about his agents OPC the police and co

megareal:


How does threaten translate to ELIMINATION? He was warned to leave all political billboards if he didnt want trouble. Where in all that writeup did he say he was shot at, beaten or pursued in any way?

Even the OPC that staged a protest simply stood outside their locked gates until they were bored, then left. Will people bent on eliminating him have waited outside locked gates until they were bored? Wouldn't they have stormed the premises if they were hell bent on destruction or waited on the way for him to kill him when he leaves?

People just make noise to get attention. At least mention Jonathan and it becomes true.

If he didn't take those measures he probably would have been shot at

Asek1:
I will be surprised if this is still news. I honestly do not understand why stories like this always come up when the value might have diminished
That is if the story is true in the first place

it's making news now, because, the details have been chronicled in a new book released weeks ago. The book takes a critical look at at "Lagos Poster war" during that period.

megareal:
From what I have read , no direct attempt was made on his life. A friend simply called and warned him and he became paranoid.

If they were serious about eliminating him, they may have succeeded.

Folks always bandying Jonathan's name around just to rubbish the man.

Didn't u read the part where a GOC called him and threatened him.

2015 Elections: How Goodluck Jonathan’s Agents Tried To Eliminate Me, As Told By, EX LASAA MD George Noah

The immediate past Managing Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), Mr. George Noah, has detailed how agents of Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, tried to eliminate him – in the build-up to Nigeria’s historic 2015 Elections. Noah, shed light on his ordeal, in a chapter of his riveting new book, titled: 2015 Elections: The Politics of Outdoor Advertising in Lagos State.



His words, taken from Chapter 11, titled: Enemy Combatant: “The more the opposition partyin the state parroted platitudes bordering on alleged bias on the part of LASAA, the more I became a target, as the head of the agency supposedly responsible for their invented misfortunes in securing outdoor sites in Lagos. But what at first seemed like harmless banter and standard criticism soon took a more sinister form. It soon dawned on me that I had become a subject of discussion among some politicians in the then ruling party in Abuja, and they had reportedly decided to solve the problem by any means necessary, including intimidation and threats.
“The grapevine gave indications of this worrying development. An old acquaintance from when I was domiciled in the UK, called me in confidence on the issue. A member of the PDP, he had attended a crucial caucus meeting at which I was identified as the person constituting an obstacle in the way of the party’s ambitions in the outdoor political campaign in Lagos State.
“Be careful. Your name was mentioned in our caucus meeting in connection with the PDP’s inability in securing billboards in Lagos. You have to be careful,” he warned. We had barely kept in touch in seven years and I was surprised he got in touch. When you are advised by a politician to be careful during electioneering, you are bound to sit up.
“You were accused of singling out the PDP’s campaign materials in Lagos for destruction, using LASAA’s apparatus, in an orchestrated bid to frustrate the PDP’s campaign,” he said. According to him, they were devising plans to put me in “check”, using every means of containment at their disposal.
“A few days later, I got a call from the then General Officer Commanding (GOC) at Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos, about the controversy surrounding the outdoor campaign of the PDP in Lagos. He warned me not to invite trouble I may not be able to contain. I got the message. Exactly two weeks after the Lagos State police boss read the riot act to LASAA. He warned that no posters or outdoor structures should be removed in Lagos State whether legally or illegally deployed. This was a wake-up call for me. It was becoming apparent at this point that I had to take security matters more seriously. More puzzling questions raced through my mind, as I wondered if it would be foolhardy to seek protection from a police force with unapologetic leanings to the then ruling party.
“I thought to myself: ‘I could hold out a little longer. All I have to do is be a bit more circumspect and extra vigilant.’ But for how much longer would I have to put up a defence? The same question was always playing on my mind as I became increasingly suspicious of my surroundings whenever I was outdoors. A sense of paranoia kicked in. Suddenly, an innocent gaze from an unfamiliar person didn’t seem so benign anymore. Every motorcycle that rode close to my vehicle on the road became suspect – just as every vehicle that kept showing up in the rear-view mirror seemed to be on a sinister mission. In the same vein, every street hawker that sidled up to my vehicle in the notorious Lagos traffic jams, appeared to have malicious intent.
“My sense of alarm was further compounded with heightened security alerts about my safety. Credible sources advised that I temporarily relocate from my place of abode and change my vehicle, so as to give any persons on my trail the slip. I complied. I had by this time come under immense pressure from friends, family members and state government colleagues to sign up for round-the-clock police protection.
“Their fear was not unfounded. The atmosphere had become very tense; I and other LASAA staff had been running the gauntlet for some time. For example, March, 16, 2015, the OoduaPeoples Congress (OPC) had, in an openly confrontational show of strength and support for the PDP, staged an infamous march in Lagos. In an apparent move to intimidate staff, some of the militiamen congregated in front of LASAA’s head office in Ikeja, brandishing guns and other dangerous weapons as well as charms. We shut our gates and remained indoors until the ethnic militia got bored and moved on to the next target. No doubt they regarded LASAA and myself as enemy combatants. It was a dark period at the agency. In one incident, members of our staff were assaulted, some were injured, others arrested. One of our ad hoc staff almost had his leg amputated as a result of injury, and eventually lost a toe. The agency’s vehicle they were in was severely damaged.
“I remember telling a colleague, around this time, about my misgivings about seeking personal police protection ‘I would rather you bite the bullet, by putting your inhibitions aside – as opposed to biting the dust,’ he told me unequivocally. At that moment I remembered a famous quote by the renowned Brazilian novelist, Paulo Coelho that made an impression on me. In his book, ‘The Devil and Miss Prym’, he wrote: ‘There are two kinds of idiots – those who don’t take action because they have received a threat, and those who think they are taking action because they have issued a threat.’
‘This marked that defining moment. I was assigned two mobile policemen – or gentlemen, as I often referred to them. And they truly were gentlemen in all respects, officers who discharged their duties with the utmost sense of professionalism and dedication. If only we had more of these exemplary characters in the force – perhaps the general perception of the police would be more patriotic and less negative. For sure, I found it somewhat difficult to reconcile these gentlemen’s dedication to duty with the unashamed partisan leanings exhibited by the then police boss of the state.
‘Moving about with the two fully armed men was a bit unsettling at first. But I got used to it soon enough. It may also have been the case that their obvious dedication to duty had a soothing effect on me. They had become my good friends. Suddenly, my journeys to and fro had become less boring and predictable. The two officers had become towers of support and offered a haven from the tensions of the time – tension that were par for the course at the office and at various engagements. The gentlemen and I had light-hearted discussions on various national and mundane issues – subjects ranged from politics to sports, Nollywood and the latest Nigerian music hits – you name it. Being in company of the gentlemen did ease my concern about personal safety. Much to my surprise, I felt less vulnerable. Perhaps it was a placebo effect. However, in all honesty, I entrusted my care and that of the gentlemen to God. No one could have offered better protection than God.”
Comprising 22 chapters, 2015 Elections: The Politics of Outdoor Advertising in Lagos State,chronicles the sordid intrigues and high stakes politicking that characterized events that played out in Lagos State’s outdoor advertising sector, in the build-up to Nigeria’s historic 2015 General Elections. It also looks into challenges faced by outdoor regulatory agencies during the period of electioneering, as well as the potential personal risks faced by personnel of these agencies. The book also seeks to prevent a repeat of the controversial events that engulfed the outdoor industry in the course of election campaigning – while highlighting the positive and defining narratives that unfolded.
A technocrat, and political activist, Noah was a founding member of Radio Kudirat and has over 35 years experience in virtually all aspects of the media. A pioneer member of Made In Nigeria (MAIN) Festival Group, Noah is also Publisher of Island News and Chief Executive Officer that midwifed TV Continental (TVC) and Radio Continental in Lagos.
Noah previously worked for Insight Communications Limited in Nigeria, the Greater London Council (GLC) and British Telecom International (BTI) in the UK and Media Empowerment for Africa (MEFA) in Norway. Whilst domiciled in London, Noah was appointed Chairman of the London Borough of Southwark Co-operative Development Agency (SCDA) in 1992. In June 2014, whilst at LASAA, Noah was awarded the honorary title Lagos State Man Of The Year.

http://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2017/01/2015-elections-how-goodluck-jonathans.html?m=1

This and other acts of squandering must be partly responsible for current recesst

quote author=three post=52399039]Hmmm[/quote]

N5B Spent on Lagos Outdoor Advertisement by Politicians in 2015 Election, Says George Noah, ex-LASAA Boss

By Dominic Nwelih

The immediate past Managing Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), Mr. George Noah, has revealed about 5 billion naira was expended on outdoor advertising in Lagos State – by the PDP and APC – during the 2015 General Elections. Noah disclosed this in his new book titled, 2015 Elections: The Politics of Outdoor Advertising in Lagos State.
Giving a breakdown of how the sum was spent, the author stated it was distributed across different components of the outdoor advertising industry. This comprised: printers, installers, fabricators, graphic designers, outdoor vendors, media buying agencies, security, billboard owners and branding/communications companies and party agents amongst others. It also generated employment for thousands of ad hoc staff recruited by contractors to keep up with the growing demands at that time.

The former, LASAA boss noted vandalism and extension of election dates inflated costs. Giving his analysis, Noah stated: “About N2.5 billion was spent on wall drapes and billboards – these included: 300 static and 40 electronic boards.” The book further revealed an estimated 40,000 street lampoles deployed, gulped N1 billion; while 5,000 A-frame boards cost N350 million. About 5,000 stick-in-ground frames were deployed at the cost of N50 million.

Three million posters and 500,000 T-shirts – were printed costing about N300 million and N400 million, respectively. An estimated 400 busses were branded costing N80 million. 200 branded vans and 250 branded cars were deployed gulping N45 million. “About 100 units of bus shelters were used costing N10 million. Other outdoor deployments including experiential activities, banners, hatboxes and indoor LEDs accounted for about N200 million,” Noah concluded.

Giving further details about how both parties fared in their outdoor campaigns, the author elucidated: “The APC appeared to be more prepared and organized, sprinting off the blocks a year before the elections. Officials and individual party members hoping to stand for election approached LASAA seeking advice on enabling rules, costs and key players in the outdoor sector.”

He added: “The agency obliged. In contrast, the PDP nor their agents, never made any overtures to LASAA before or during the electioneering period. It is not surprising therefore that the APC succeeded in negotiating and securing strategic outdoor sites ahead of the election, while the PDP was literarily asleep. When it finally dawned on the PDP that better planning by their opponents had left them in a relatively disadvantaged position, they, in the their desperation, resorted to wholesale impunity including the illegal usurpation of sites already paid for by the APC and multinational companies. They succeeded in doing so with the support of security agents.’

George Noah stressed the PDP had deep pockets, “emboldened by such financial machismo, the party and its agents attempted to takeover billboards already secured by the APC by offering the outdoor agencies, (the owners of the billboards), about five times the amount previously paid for by the APC. Surprisingly, the outdoor agencies rebuffed such overtures arguing that such a move would be unethical and tantamount to breach of contract.
This, Noah noted, explained why the PDP deployed giant A Frames as a substitute to billboards. Indeed some of the A Frames deployed on street and bridge medians, were as big as a 48 sheet – the smallest traditional billboard.

Sadly, there was an inverse relationship between the sums expended on outdoor advertising for the campaigns and monetary gains accruable to outdoor advertising agencies based in Lagos. This paradox was predominantly due to the usurpation of structures operated by the outdoor firms – by agents of the PDP, without paying for the value of services rendered. What’s more, contract sums for outdoor advertising deployment, were cornered by middlemen with political leanings – as opposed to engaging outdoor advertising professionals directly. This anomaly culminated in the shoddy deployment of outdoor campaign materials which wore off very quickly as soon as they were deployed. This took its toll on outdoor advertising spend, as worn off campaign materials had to be redeployed – thus resulting in throwing good money after bad.

A good instance of such campaign materials were those of Jonathan, deployed by TAN on streetlamp poles which in many cases dangled precariously – thus causing visual blights and severely diminishing the purpose it was intended to serve. “Some of the contractors engaged were opportunists who were favoured as a result of their political leanings. They knew very little about the workings of the outdoor advertising industry and exposed their naiveté and unprofessionalism in the shoddy manner in which they deployed outdoor campaign materials spuriously – offering very little value for the huge sums of money spent,” one outdoor practitioner posited.
Comprising 22 chapters, the book chronicles the sordid intrigues and high stakes politicking that characterized events that played out in Lagos State’s outdoor advertising sector, in the build-up to Nigeria’s historic 2015 General Elections.

The book also looks into challenges faced by outdoor regulatory agencies during the period of electioneering, as well as the potential personal risks faced by personnel of these agencies. George Noah also recounted his ordeal in the hands of the opposition – which culminated in threats to his life. The former LASAA boss said he was targeted by agents of the PDP since he was accused of being responsible for denying it and its agents outdoor sites in Lagos – ahead of the elections.

A technocrat, and political activist, Noah was a founding member of Radio Kudirat and has over 35 years experience in virtually all aspects of the media. A pioneer member of Made In Nigeria (MAIN) Festival Group, Noah is also Publisher of Island News and Chief Executive Officer that midwifed TV Continental (TVC) and Radio Continental in Lagos.

Noah previously worked for Insight Communications Limited in Nigeria, the Greater London Council (GLC) and British Telecom International (BTI) in the UK and Media Empowerment for Africa (MEFA) in Norway. Whilst domiciled in London, Noah was appointed Chairman of the London Borough of Southwark Co-operative Development Agency (SCDA) in 1992. In June 2014, whilst at LASAA, Noah was awarded the honorary title Lagos State Man Of The Year.


http://789marketing.com.ng/n5b-spent-lagos-outdoor-advertisement-politicians-2015-election-says-george-noah-ex-lasaa-boss/

2015 Elections: Former LASAA BOSS, George Noah Recounts Ordeal in New Book

By Daily Post Staff on December 17, 2016@dailypostngr

While the 2015 General Elections might have come and gone, psychological scars occasioned by some intimidating events that played out in its build-up, still haunt many. This subject as it relates to the personal experiences of Mr. George Noah, the immediate past Managing Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) – have been enumerated in his new book , titled ‘2015 Elections: The Politics of Outdoor Advertising in Lagos State.’

Titled: Enemy Combatant, the chapter gives a poignant account of his ordeal at the hands of an ad hoc para-military organisation christened Federal Task Force Of The Subsidy Reinvestment And Empowerment Programme (Sure-P), ethnic militias Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) , Goodluck Lagos Grassroots Project (GLGP), agents of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – in collusion with federal government security apparatus . This, it will be recalled, culminated in threats to his life and officials of the agency – leading to destruction of the agency’s equipment and injuries to staff.

Noah said he was targeted since he was accused of being responsible for denying the PDP and its agents outdoor advertising sites in Lagos State- ahead of the elections. Excerpts from the chapter read: “The more the opposition party in the state parroted platitudes bordering on alleged bias on the part of LASAA, the more I became a target, as the head of the agency supposedly responsible for their invented misfortunes in securing outdoor sites in Lagos.”



He added: “But what at first seemed like harmless banter and standard criticism soon took a more sinister form. It soon dawned on me that I had become a subject of discussion among some politicians in the then ruling party in Abuja, and they had decided to solve the problem by any means necessary, including intimidation and threats.”

He continued: “The grapevine gave indications of this worrying development. An old acquaintance from when I was domiciled in the UK, called me in confidence on the issue. A member of the PDP, he had attended a crucial caucus meeting at which I was identified as the person constituting an obstacle in the way of the party’s ambitions in the outdoor political campaign in Lagos State. Be careful. Your name was mentioned in our caucus meeting in connection with the PDP’s inability in securing billboards in Lagos. You have to be careful,” the acquaintance warned.

”We had barely kept in touch in seven years and I was surprised he got in touch. When you are advised by a politician to be careful during electioneering, you are bound to sit up, Noah emphasized. He quoted his informant as saying: “You were accused of singling out the PDP’s campaign materials in Lagos for destruction, using LASAA’s apparatus, in an orchestrated bid to frustrate the PDP’s campaign.”

Noah added that he was further tipped off about plans to put him in “check”, using every means of containment at their disposal. Noah wrote: “A few days later, I got a call from the then General Officer Commanding (GOC) at Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos, about the controversy surrounding the outdoor campaign of the PDP in Lagos. He warned me not to invite trouble I may not be able to contain. I got the message.”


Exactly two weeks after that call, the then Lagos State police boss read the riot act to LASAA. He warned that no posters or outdoor structures should be removed in Lagos State whether legally or illegally deployed. This was a wake-up call for the author.

According to Noah, “It was becoming apparent at this point that I had to take security matters more seriously. More puzzling questions raced through my mind, as I wondered if it would be foolhardy to seek protection from a police force with unapologetic leanings to the then ruling party. I thought to myself: ‘I could hold out a little longer. All I have to do is be a bit more circumspect and extra vigilant.’ But for how much longer would I have to put up a defence?,” Noah wondered.

“Suddenly, an innocent gaze from an unfamiliar person didn’t seem so benign anymore. Every motorcycle that rode close to my vehicle on the road became suspect – just as every vehicle that kept showing up in the rear-view mirror seemed to be on a sinister mission. In the same vein, every street hawker that sidled up to my vehicle in the notorious Lagos traffic jams, appeared to have malicious intent,” the former LASAA boss explained.

Noah’s sense of alarm was further compounded with heightened security alerts about his safety. He stated: “Their fear was not unfounded. The atmosphere had become very tense; I and other LASAA staff had been running the gauntlet for some time. For example, March, 16, 2015, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) had, in an openly confrontational show of strength and support for the PDP, staged an infamous march in Lagos. In an apparent move to intimidate staff, some of the militiamen congregated in front of LASAA’s head office in Ikeja, brandishing guns and other dangerous weapons as well as charms.”

He added: “In one incident, members of our staff were assaulted, some were injured, others arrested. One of our ad hoc staff almost had his leg amputated as a result of injury, and eventually lost a toe. The agency’s vehicle they were in was severely damaged.”

Bowing to pressure, Noah, explained he later signed up for police protection and was assigned two armed mobile policemen – which he initially found a bit unsettling.

Covering a broad array of subjects and themes, which expounds the issues that transpired – Noah sifts through the labyrinth of complexities – distilling facts from fiction. In so doing, he sets the record straight and offers a refreshingly unique and insightful perspective of the narratives – applying his upfront yet inventive style of writing.

Noah gives an overview of the outdoor advertising sector in Lagos State. He further sheds light on LASAA’s guidelines geared towards ensuring decorous outdoor campaign during the period; the fault lines that exposed initial cracks in enforcing the guidelines; and complicity by law enforcement agents in the spate of impunity that marred outdoor political campaigns.

The author dwelt on measures that may be taken to guard against a partisan stance by law enforcement agents in future elections; the role played by groups such as the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and the Goodluck Lagos Grassroots Project (GLGP) in escalating the crisis. He also addressed issues related to the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Jimi Agbaje’s open letter to LASAA. The roughshod approach adopted by the PDP-led Federal Government – which culminated in the termination of all forms of outdoor advertising along major federal government roads in Lagos State, is perspicaciously detailed in the book. Noah also beamed the spotlight on protests that occasioned the federal government’s actions.

It was a period of great intimidation, and the threats made against the author and how he addressed them, are elucidated in the book. The author gives an analysis of the cost of the outdoor campaigns in Lagos State including billboards, wall drapes, bus shelters, street lampoles, hat boxes, branded buses and cars, branded T-shirts, posters, banners, experiential activities and stick-in-the-ground. The book also sheds light on tit-for-tat battles that inevitably occasioned some unpleasant incidents in the course of the outdoor campaign and as well focuses on media coverage, with narratives from print and online publications and outlets that reported on the standoff.

Noah gave details of LASAA’s determination to restore sanity following conclusion of the elections – with the implementation of an Aegean task – to rid Lagos of the visual blight caused by unrestrained use of posters and other political campaign materials.

The recycling initiatives undertaken by LASAA to dispose of over a million campaign posters deployed, with support from the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and stimulus packages introduced thereafter – in a bid to rekindle investment in the outdoor sector – also form topics of discourse.

The popularity of A-Frames during the campaign period and airborne mediums that were overlooked, also form the backdrop of discourse. It wasn’t all doom and gloom. The 2015 political campaign period was also a time for thinking big in the outdoor industry, with innovative and ambitious structures that broke the mould, some of which had never been displayed before in Nigeria. This is also worth remembering and is summarized in the chapters. There is of course a need for reflection and forward thinking, now, even as the electioneering wounds inflicted on the out-of-home advertising industry are yet to heal. It is in view of this that the concluding chapter underscores the need for proactive steps to be taken to foreclose a reoccurrence.

The book also looks into challenges faced by outdoor regulatory agencies during the period of electioneering, as well as the potential personal risks faced by personnel of these agencies. In addition, it seeks to prevent a repeat of the controversial events that engulfed the outdoor industry in the course of campaigning for the 2015 general elections in Lagos State – while highlighting the positive and defining narratives that unfolded.

A technocrat, and political activist, Noah was a founding member of Radio Kudirat and has over 35 years experience in virtually all aspects of the media. A pioneer member of Made In Nigeria (MAIN) Festival Group, Noah is also Publisher of Island News and Chief Executive Officer that midwifed TV Continental (TVC) and Radio Continental in Lagos.

Noah previously worked for Insight Communications Limited in Nigeria, the Greater London Council (GLC) and British Telecom International (BTI) in the UK and Media Empowerment for Africa (MEFA) in Norway. Whilst domiciled in London, Noah was appointed Chairman of the London Borough of Southwark Co-operative Development Agency (SCDA) in 1992. In June 2014, whilst at LASAA, Noah was awarded the honorary title Lagos State Man Of The Year.


http://dailypost.ng/2016/12/17/2015-elections-former-lasaa-boss-george-noah-recounts-ordeal-new-book/

infohenry:
you did get joke, that is what jonathan supporters want us to believed. He is democrat but all the millitarization of ekiti, shooting at apc campaign in okirika,using soldiers to hold Rochas hostage in ideato during presidential election or the almight Mbu-Amechi fiasco in river state just to mention but a few. Today he is democrat and Buhari a tyrant.

Lol, now know get it...no mind dem jare

LOL...now I get it jare. No mind dem.

Atiku2019:
Atiku

What do u mean Atiku

My brother u very wrong, there was intimidation and state apparatus was deployed and used to foster impunity... with regards to outdoor advertising and campaigns.

infohenry:
This can be true, GEJ is a Democrat and never intimidate or harass his opponents. This politicians know that Nigerians easily forget so they tell anything they play on our emotions. Pdp used federal might and APC is using it today so stop defending anybody.

My brother u very wrong, there was intimidation and state apparatus was deployed and used to foster impunity... with regards to outdoor advertising and campaigns.

2015 Elections: Former LASAA boss, George Noah recounts ordeal in new book

While the 2015 General Elections might have come and gone, psychological scars occasioned by some intimidating events that played out in its build-up, still haunt many. This subject as it relates to the personal experiences of Mr. George Noah, the immediate past Managing Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) – have been enumerated in his new book , titled ‘2015 Elections: The Politics of Outdoor Advertising in Lagos State.’

Titled: Enemy Combatant, the chapter gives a poignant account of his ordeal at the hands of an ad hoc para-military organisation christened Federal Task Force Of The Subsidy Reinvestment And Empowerment Programme (Sure-P), ethnic militias Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) , Goodluck Lagos Grassroots Project (GLGP), agents of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – in collusion with federal government security apparatus . This, it will be recalled, culminated in threats to his life and officials of the agency – leading to destruction of the agency’s equipment and injuries to staff.

Noah said he was targeted since he was accused of being responsible for denying the PDP and its agents outdoor advertising sites in Lagos State- ahead of the elections. Excerpts from the chapter read: “The more the opposition party in the state parroted platitudes bordering on alleged bias on the part of LASAA, the more I became a target, as the head of the agency supposedly responsible for their invented misfortunes in securing outdoor sites in Lagos.”



He added: “But what at first seemed like harmless banter and standard criticism soon took a more sinister form. It soon dawned on me that I had become a subject of discussion among some politicians in the then ruling party in Abuja, and they had decided to solve the problem by any means necessary, including intimidation and threats.”

He continued: “The grapevine gave indications of this worrying development. An old acquaintance from when I was domiciled in the UK, called me in confidence on the issue. A member of the PDP, he had attended a crucial caucus meeting at which I was identified as the person constituting an obstacle in the way of the party’s ambitions in the outdoor political campaign in Lagos State. Be careful. Your name was mentioned in our caucus meeting in connection with the PDP’s inability in securing billboards in Lagos. You have to be careful,” the acquaintance warned.

”We had barely kept in touch in seven years and I was surprised he got in touch. When you are advised by a politician to be careful during electioneering, you are bound to sit up, Noah emphasized. He quoted his informant as saying: “You were accused of singling out the PDP’s campaign materials in Lagos for destruction, using LASAA’s apparatus, in an orchestrated bid to frustrate the PDP’s campaign.”

Noah added that he was further tipped off about plans to put him in “check”, using every means of containment at their disposal. Noah wrote: “A few days later, I got a call from the then General Officer Commanding (GOC) at Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos, about the controversy surrounding the outdoor campaign of the PDP in Lagos. He warned me not to invite trouble I may not be able to contain. I got the message.”


Exactly two weeks after that call, the then Lagos State police boss read the riot act to LASAA. He warned that no posters or outdoor structures should be removed in Lagos State whether legally or illegally deployed. This was a wake-up call for the author.

According to Noah, “It was becoming apparent at this point that I had to take security matters more seriously. More puzzling questions raced through my mind, as I wondered if it would be foolhardy to seek protection from a police force with unapologetic leanings to the then ruling party. I thought to myself: ‘I could hold out a little longer. All I have to do is be a bit more circumspect and extra vigilant.’ But for how much longer would I have to put up a defence?,” Noah wondered.

“Suddenly, an innocent gaze from an unfamiliar person didn’t seem so benign anymore. Every motorcycle that rode close to my vehicle on the road became suspect – just as every vehicle that kept showing up in the rear-view mirror seemed to be on a sinister mission. In the same vein, every street hawker that sidled up to my vehicle in the notorious Lagos traffic jams, appeared to have malicious intent,” the former LASAA boss explained.

Noah’s sense of alarm was further compounded with heightened security alerts about his safety. He stated: “Their fear was not unfounded. The atmosphere had become very tense; I and other LASAA staff had been running the gauntlet for some time. For example, March, 16, 2015, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) had, in an openly confrontational show of strength and support for the PDP, staged an infamous march in Lagos. In an apparent move to intimidate staff, some of the militiamen congregated in front of LASAA’s head office in Ikeja, brandishing guns and other dangerous weapons as well as charms.”

He added: “In one incident, members of our staff were assaulted, some were injured, others arrested. One of our ad hoc staff almost had his leg amputated as a result of injury, and eventually lost a toe. The agency’s vehicle they were in was severely damaged.”

Bowing to pressure, Noah, explained he later signed up for police protection and was assigned two armed mobile policemen – which he initially found a bit unsettling.

Covering a broad array of subjects and themes, which expounds the issues that transpired – Noah sifts through the labyrinth of complexities – distilling facts from fiction. In so doing, he sets the record straight and offers a refreshingly unique and insightful perspective of the narratives – applying his upfront yet inventive style of writing.

Noah gives an overview of the outdoor advertising sector in Lagos State. He further sheds light on LASAA’s guidelines geared towards ensuring decorous outdoor campaign during the period; the fault lines that exposed initial cracks in enforcing the guidelines; and complicity by law enforcement agents in the spate of impunity that marred outdoor political campaigns.

The author dwelt on measures that may be taken to guard against a partisan stance by law enforcement agents in future elections; the role played by groups such as the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and the Goodluck Lagos Grassroots Project (GLGP) in escalating the crisis. He also addressed issues related to the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Jimi Agbaje’s open letter to LASAA. The roughshod approach adopted by the PDP-led Federal Government – which culminated in the termination of all forms of outdoor advertising along major federal government roads in Lagos State, is perspicaciously detailed in the book. Noah also beamed the spotlight on protests that occasioned the federal government’s actions.

It was a period of great intimidation, and the threats made against the author and how he addressed them, are elucidated in the book. The author gives an analysis of the cost of the outdoor campaigns in Lagos State including billboards, wall drapes, bus shelters, street lampoles, hat boxes, branded buses and cars, branded T-shirts, posters, banners, experiential activities and stick-in-the-ground. The book also sheds light on tit-for-tat battles that inevitably occasioned some unpleasant incidents in the course of the outdoor campaign and as well focuses on media coverage, with narratives from print and online publications and outlets that reported on the standoff.

Noah gave details of LASAA’s determination to restore sanity following conclusion of the elections – with the implementation of an Aegean task – to rid Lagos of the visual blight caused by unrestrained use of posters and other political campaign materials.

The recycling initiatives undertaken by LASAA to dispose of over a million campaign posters deployed, with support from the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and stimulus packages introduced thereafter – in a bid to rekindle investment in the outdoor sector – also form topics of discourse.

The popularity of A-Frames during the campaign period and airborne mediums that were overlooked, also form the backdrop of discourse. It wasn’t all doom and gloom. The 2015 political campaign period was also a time for thinking big in the outdoor industry, with innovative and ambitious structures that broke the mould, some of which had never been displayed before in Nigeria. This is also worth remembering and is summarized in the chapters. There is of course a need for reflection and forward thinking, now, even as the electioneering wounds inflicted on the out-of-home advertising industry are yet to heal. It is in view of this that the concluding chapter underscores the need for proactive steps to be taken to foreclose a reoccurrence.

The book also looks into challenges faced by outdoor regulatory agencies during the period of electioneering, as well as the potential personal risks faced by personnel of these agencies. In addition, it seeks to prevent a repeat of the controversial events that engulfed the outdoor industry in the course of campaigning for the 2015 general elections in Lagos State – while highlighting the positive and defining narratives that unfolded.

A technocrat, and political activist, Noah was a founding member of Radio Kudirat and has over 35 years experience in virtually all aspects of the media. A pioneer member of Made In Nigeria (MAIN) Festival Group, Noah is also Publisher of Island News and Chief Executive Officer that midwifed TV Continental (TVC) and Radio Continental in Lagos.

Noah previously worked for Insight Communications Limited in Nigeria, the Greater London Council (GLC) and British Telecom International (BTI) in the UK and Media Empowerment for Africa (MEFA) in Norway. Whilst domiciled in London, Noah was appointed Chairman of the London Borough of Southwark Co-operative Development Agency (SCDA) in 1992. In June 2014, whilst at LASAA, Noah was awarded the honorary title Lagos State Man Of The Year.