Effective governance practices ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making, which are essential for sustainable growth and success in both public and private sectors.

In the corporate world, adhering to sound principles of corporate governance helps in fostering investor confidence, mitigating risks, and enhancing overall performance.

By upholding the principles of good governance, organizations can build trust with stakeholders, maintain a competitive edge, and contribute to long-term success and sustainability.

The call for good governance has been put on the front burner in Nigeria with the hunger protest by citizens tagged #EndBadGovernance.

#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Protests: President Tinubu’s Speech vs Reality of Nigerians

Although the protest turned bloody in some parts of the country, resulting in the looting of supermarkets and shops and vandal of public facilities, it has shown the disconnection between the government and the citizens.

The violent turn of events highlights the deep-seated frustrations and grievances of the people towards the authorities. It serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and responsiveness from the government to address the issues that have led to such drastic actions by the populace.

The unrest underscores the critical importance of heeding the calls for reform and ensuring that the concerns of the citizens are heard and addressed to prevent further escalation of tensions.

Sadly, the situation has further dirtied the reputation of the country among the League of Nations.

However, after several calls by citizens, President Bola Tinubu had to address the nation calling for calm and understanding and urging citizens to end the protest.

In his address, he reeled out some of the initiatives his administration is doing to stabilize the economy and reduce hunger, poverty, and others.

As commendable as this is, it shows how the government has not been proactive and not even deliberate about strategically communicating with the citizens and stakeholders.

Successive governments have also followed this path; they wait until there is an outburst from the citizens before they address the nation. Then they start reeling out the interventions they are doing and how citizens can access them.

This is not just peculiar to the federal government and its agencies, states, and local government; the other organs of government are not left out.

They claim to disburse huge amounts of funds for citizens, but the expected beneficiaries are not aware of it. The effort is like ‘winking in the dark’ and it has always been counterproductive for the country.

Citizens don’t trust the government and the government doesn’t engage citizens appropriately. Town hall meetings met to boost the government-citizen relationship have become a gathering of politicians.

Government spokespersons are commonly seen as the mouthpieces of the political party in power who mostly blame the opposition for campaign promises not yet filled instead of clearly communicating their policies and programmes.

This present government won on the mantra of ‘Renewed Hope’ but after the election, it has failed to deliberately leverage strategic communications to engage citizens and stakeholders to reposition the country.

Why is strategic communications important for Nigeria?

Strategic communications is about communicating the best message, through the correct channels, to the right people, at the right time and using feedback from this process to stay focused on set goals.

Conflict, insecurity, and other challenges facing the country will reduce when the government becomes more transparent and deliberate about communicating to the citizens and not just political party members.

The government also needs to understand that if they don’t listen to citizens and communicate on time, false news or negative perceptions may dominate the public agenda.

Listening and responding on time help build trust. This is similar to how corporate organizations operate; if they don’t treat the feedback, they get from their customers timely and appropriately it will have a negative impact on their reputation and sales.

In essence, good communication is essential for good governance to be attained. The World Bank in a blog post once said,

“When trust in governments around the world is at a historic low, and a myriad of challenges continue to overwhelm leaders, it’s imperative for government agencies to revamp their strategic communications approach.”

It is important to state how a country projects or positions itself will give hope to the people and attract potential investors.

Reputation is very important and most developed economies have strategically protected their reputation and positioned their country as a tourist destination or manufacturing hub.

An example of this is Dubai which is generating massive revenue and investment from tourism and China which is making a huge impact in manufacturing.

Citizens expect the government to fulfill its promises, show care and concern, listen to their needs, and communicate effectively with them. In return, citizens are willing to support government initiatives and policies, which ultimately contribute to securing the future of the country.

This symbiotic relationship between citizens and the government is essential for a thriving and stable society where both parties work together towards common goals and shared prosperity.

By fostering trust, understanding, and collaboration, governments can better address the needs of their citizens, leading to a more harmonious and successful nation.

In essence, for an effective government, it is crucial to stay informed about the news and public sentiment, actively listen to the concerns of citizens, develop well-informed policies and strategies, maintain transparency, accountability, fairness, and responsibility in decision-making processes, and take a proactive approach in engaging with citizens and key stakeholders through strategic communication.

This ensures that the government remains connected, responsive, and aligned with the needs and expectations of the public, fostering a relationship of trust and collaboration that is essential for good governance and effective policymaking.

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Dr. Omolaraeni Olaosebikan is a strategic communications expert and the CEO of McEnies Global Communications, a leading strategic integrated marketing communications agency in Nigeria.

According to this integrated marketing expert, machine learning algorithms now have the foolproof ability to predict potential risks based on historical data and past occurrences.

She maintained that this feat allows organizations to proactively address risks before they escalate and communicate with relevant stakeholders in a more informed manner and in the nick of time.

Recall that Omolaraeni Olaosebikan last year won a contract with The Meteorological Office UK (Met Office) to develop improved communications practices on flood crisis information and work out meaningful risk communication strategies to mitigate perennial flooding in Nigeria.

The project is being sponsored by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and it is expected to bring together several relevant government agencies, like NIMET, NASRDA, NIHSA, NEMA, etc while also engaging in some desk-based research and consultations.

She said: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized risk communication by enabling organizations to analyze data, predict risks, and communicate with stakeholders more effectively with precision to solutions.

“In recent times, I have been involved in flood management, and natural disaster studies with the MET Office and FCDO which you are aware of and I desire I go steps further to be more involved in ways to help the vulnerable people amongst us. Those who day-to-day live in abject poverty and deprivation because of what natural disasters, pandemics, and other related crises have done to them and the government possibly not even looking to help their needs and preferences.”

The very engaging session took a better part of the female CEO’s time on Thursday even as she professionally responded to how to mitigate social vulnerability through AI-assisted risk communication strategies.

Her words,

“Risk communication essentially relies heavily on data analysis to identify potential threats, trends, and patterns. As I’ve said previously, AI-powered tools can process vast amounts of structured and unstructured data from various sources, including social media, news articles, and reports, to uncover valuable insights. By analyzing this data, organizations can gain a better understanding of emerging risks and tailor their communication strategies accordingly.

“AI’s predictive capabilities are invaluable for risk communication. Machine learning algorithms can predict potential risks based on historical data and past occurrences. This foresight allows organizations to proactively address risks before they escalate and communicate with stakeholders in a more informed manner.”

Fielding questions on empowering vulnerable communities with risk communication and AI technology strategies for resilience and safety, the McEnies Global Communications CEO reacted and said:

“AI can seamlessly help to mitigate the risks identified by providing recommendations, actions, and solutions. It can equally use data-driven awareness to suggest the best ways to reduce or eliminate the risk and create safety nets for the target or vulnerable segments of society. The aggregates of insights drawn from this can ultimately help to either enforce policies through government agencies or legislation from the Parliament, or run advocacy programmes to deepen the right message and techniques for the target groups and relevant stakeholders especially during, before, or after emergency situations.”

While stressing on risk communication and AI technology strategies and dose for saving social vulnerability, Omolaraeni gave this submission to the media:

“I’m not here to stir any scare, but the reality is that the fourth industrial revolution is in full swing, bringing with it a wave of technological advancements that have the potential to reshape every aspect of human life across the globe. Artificial Intelligence is at the forefront of this revolution, promising to transform various sectors and drive inclusive growth. In Africa, could the adoption of AI and related technologies accelerate the continent’s development and help to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? The answer is: Yes!”

“Natural disasters are inherently unpredictable, but their consequences can be mitigated through early intervention and effective preparedness. These events can have devastating economic, social, and environmental impacts. Preventing natural disasters or minimizing their damage is a global imperative. AI, with its ability to process vast amounts of data, analyze patterns, and make real-time predictions, will definitely revolutionize our approach to disaster prevention.

“Before delving into the ways AI can assist in disaster prevention, it’s crucial to understand the nature of these events. Natural disasters are broadly categorized into geological, meteorological, hydrological, and climatological phenomena. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis fall under geological disasters, while meteorological disasters include hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards. Hydrological disasters involve floods and landslides, and climatological disasters encompass droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires.

“One of the most crucial aspects of disaster prevention is providing early warnings to vulnerable populations. AI-powered systems can process data from various sources, including weather sensors, satellites, and social media, to detect early signs of impending disasters. For example, in the case of hurricanes, AI algorithms can analyze atmospheric data to predict their path and intensity accurately. These predictions enable authorities to issue timely warnings and evacuate individuals at risk-prone areas and saving countless lives”

In the aspect of enhancing social vulnerability with AI Technology and risk communication, she noted; “Data-driven artificial intelligence technologies are progressively transforming the humanitarian field, the use of digital technologies in humanitarian action again should not be seen as a new phenomenon. Yet, contemporary advances in computational power, coupled with the availability of vast amounts of data, have allowed for more widespread use of digital technologies in the humanitarian context.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the trend of using digital technologies to help maintain humanitarian operations. AI is broadly understood as a collection of technologies that combine data, algorithms, and computing power. These technologies based on my understanding consist of software and possibly also hardware systems designed by humans that, given a complex goal, act in the physical or digital dimension by perceiving their environment through data acquisition, interpreting the collected structured or unstructured data, reasoning on the knowledge, or processing the information, derived from this data and deciding the best action to take to achieve the given goal and mitigate against disaster.”

On the need to bridge the gap and explore the intersection of AI technology and risk communication, she said;

“Globally, modern workplaces are undergoing a profound digital transformation, and of course here in Nigeria, we shouldn’t be caught napping. In line with this global shift, we must start to recognize and utilize the unparalleled value of AI’s capabilities.

These capabilities bring enhanced operational procedures, heightened productivity upscale success stories, and a growing range of innovative service offerings.

As AI systems become increasingly integrated, we must learn to follow the trend, reshaping the foundation of communication in risk and disaster management, know how to predict right, and cater to diverse needs and preferences.

This transformation weakens the traditional ties within incumbent financial institutions and paves the way for entirely new operational models.

“AI is reshaping the landscape of risk communication, empowering organizations to analyze data, engage with stakeholders, and respond to crises more effectively. By harnessing the potential of AI and upholding ethical standards, organizations can enhance their risk communication strategies and build stronger relationships with stakeholders in today’s rapidly changing world. As technology continues to evolve, AI’s role in risk communication will become more significant, making it an indispensable tool for modern risk managers and communication professionals. And for us at McEnies Global Communications we’re moving at the speed of light to meet up with contemporary standards in tandem with global best practices,” Omolaraeni Olaosebikan stated.

The event which took place in Maryland, Lagos had 25 inductees into ARCON altogether, 22 for Associate membership and 3 for Fellow.

ARCON, which is seen to be expanding its membership is the apex advertising, advertisement, and marketing communications’ regulatory agency of the Federal Government, and in accordance with its statutory mandates, responsibilities, and powers as conveyed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022.

Omolaraeni Olaosebikan who is the Chief Executive Officer of McEnies Global Communications with this latest certification now has the full legal rights to establish a full-fledged advertising agency and explore opportunities in outdoor advertising and other independent media space.

In a chat with the pressmen, Omolaraeni one of the inductees expressed appreciation for the honour done to her by ARCON which according to her will serve as a boost to her advertising and PR practices.

She also praised the council, describing it as very professional, thorough, disciplined, and dynamic in its conducts as well as policy thrust.

The Ekiti-born marketing communication guru encouraged young and upcoming advertising practitioners to work hard and always put God first in their dealings while also embracing the ethics of advertising.

Omolaraeni Olaosebikan, who had handled many blue-chip accounts for over a decade enjoined young practitioners to continue to develop their abilities in serving and satisfying their clients.

The elated Omolaraeni added that with the certification, she was ready to explore more opportunities in the sector; thanked ARCON leadership especially the DG, for the honour done to her and several other esteemed Nigerians on Wednesday and prayed for continued success of council.

“You can’t set up agency without getting approval from ARCON and for us stakeholders we are pleased to see this critical sector to be regulated by this reputable council. I am also happy to see this platform creating understanding on how to deal with clients and agency across the entire value chain. One thing I have also learned is that wherever you find your feet, do good and God will bless your works. ARCON is a prestigious professional body, and it must be respected so and I am proud to be part of it.” Omolaraeni said

On his own part, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, the Director-General of the ARCON after administering oath on the inductees emphasized on the four areas where inductees can use their certificates in both indoor and outdoor advertising, he also talked about the new ARCON’s Act which puts the regulatory body in good stead to carry out its duties, since it takes care of gaps in the former APCON Act. One of such gaps, he said, is the control of new media and online advertisement, which he believed was not taken care of in the APCON Act.

According to Dr. Fadolapo the council is now empowered under law to effectively regulate and enhance inclusive growth. He assured stakeholders that ARCON is not regulating to strangulate, adding that, all it plans to achieve with these new regulatory powers is to ensure good corporate governance and inclusive growth in the sector.