President Yar’Adua’s Health And Information Management

The health of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of any Nation-State is usually treated with the highest level of maturity, tact and seriousness, the world over. That is so, not because National Leaders are supposed to be immortal but due largely to the chain effects and the magnitude of the consequence such unanticipated displacement of the status quo might occasion.

That same consideration naturally accounted for the avoidable confusion, damaging and even destructive insinuations that trailed belated information concerning the ill-health of Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a forthnight ago.

On Friday, Nov. 20, this year, upon return from the Abuja Central Mosque, where, he performed the Juma’at prayers, President Yar’Adua had complained of left-sided severe chest pain, which after preliminary diagnosis suggested acute pericarditis, a medical condition that involves inflammation of the coverings of the heart.

It was for the confirmatory checks that it became expedient for the President to undertake a medical visit to the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jedah, Saudi Arabia, the same facility, where, he had his check-up in August, this year.

Quite frankly, the management of the information concerning the President’s health condition before and after his election has been everything but transparent. For instance, it took a violent, even destructive insinuation from the rumour mill that the ailing President had died, before Aides and Medical experts charged with his health needs informed the public of the true situation, albeit belatedly.

So disturbing, President Yar’Adua had to personally express worries over rumours of his death, before a detailed account of the President’s health condition was obliged an agitated public.

Even more worrisome was a suggestion in some newspapers that Vice President Goodluck Jonathan was under mounting pressure from a political cabal to sign an undated resignation from his own office, in the event of his boss’s inability to return to the presidential seat.

For that, many, particularly the umbrella body of militants immediately issued a threat that in the event of such forced resignation, Ijaws would in reprisal, resort to actions that may usher in anarchy and possible secession from Nigeria. The Body, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte said, “On behalf of the Joint Revolutionary Council comprising the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, the Reformed Niger Delta Volunteer Force and The Martyrs Brigade, we wish to warn the Vice President of the Nigerian State…(against) resigning from the position, in response to pressures being mounted on him.”

Infact, it took hurried denials from both the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and even the Vice President to calm the heated political nerves of a nation, pushed into avoidable confusion by the familiar hoarding of vital information that the public is rightly entitled to.

The Tide is disturbed by the near frequent rumours concerning the President’s health and finds it most instructive to caution against any further repeat. While we join a thoroughly worried nation to pray for the early recovery of President Yar’Adua, and for his return to the presidential seat, we must warn against any repeat of the “Ngige example” in Anambra, where a serving governor was detained and forced by a political benefactor to resign from office.

The way to avoid any repeat of the confusion, which is mainly responsible for the damaging rumours, is for information managers to be responsive and responsible in the handling of accounts of the President’s progammes, worries and medical concerns. We say so because a situation whereby those charged with the responsibility of updating the nation with these details create a communication gap, is capable of creating the kind of damaging  rumours that shook the nation.

For the avoidance of doubt, the conditions for the replacement of the President and or his Vice in office are clear and made even more explicit in Articles 143, 144, 145 and 146 of the 1999 constitution and should naturally not be used to heat-up the political system, even as we pray fervently for the President’s safe recovery from this worrisome health condition.

Enough of these rumours.