Opinion
On Professional Apologists
Damage-control mechanism in modern statecraft employs the services of professional apologists, whose task is to put embittered public and “doubting Thomases” in good humour. Even if the strategy is meant to achieve a momentary reprieve, the idea is to gain some understanding and time to be able to come up with more lasting strategies. Professional apologists are not ordinary public relations experts; rather, they are establishments’ spin-doctors who are capable of lying like truth. Smooth operators!
Usually drawn from the ranks of senior security and intelligence operatives, professional apologists are tutored in statecraft as additional skill. Their roles are not only to explain away establishments’ follies and failures, but more to build public confidence and revamp drooping morale of a long-bamboozled public. The more adept among professional apologists add the toga of priesthood or ecclesia, as a part of their working accoutrements. Cosmetic geniality!
Rather than the old-fashioned strategy of bullying and bluffing or bashing of heads in military and macho style, modern damage-control measures now bear some human face. Rather than “do this and that, with immediate effect and alacrity”, the new trend would be as follows: “Please try to understand the position of government and the state of the country”; “other nations have worse challenges than ours; by God’s grace we will overcome our challenges; just play your own part and cooperate with the government …”
For a long time in Nigeria, snakes and rodents had been in the ready services of professional and freelance apologists. Yes, electricity supply in the country was a failure because of the mischief of giant snakes that made Kainji Dam their place of abode. Kainji Dam, a hydro-electric power station, was responsible for power-generation but snakes sabotaged the efforts of expert electrical engineers, resulting in power outage. Some consultants suggested the use of snake-charmers to resolve the jinx! Voodoo Politics!
As for snakes swallowing huge sums of money from establishments’ strongrooms, that strategy became a failed apology. Similarly, that the office of a president could be assailed by audacious rodents and gnats, also became an old-fashioned apologia. Neither is it still fashionable to use “brown envelopes” and big sticks to make audacious journalists report that white is black, or black is white, as ordered. The evidence is clearer that Nigerians are becoming increasingly better informed and also restive.
Damage-control stunts are legitimate strategies of healing wounds and applying first aid as palliative measures of appeasement. But some smart fellows soon found ways of undermining the use of plaster and sedative in damage-control business. The idea was to bloat and exaggerate existing damage for the purpose of increases and more rapid flow of security vote. They succeed and then smile to the banks, while the nation bleeds economically. How come there are “false IDP camps” and other financial black-holes!
There are various gossips that the Boko Haram insurgency is a money-spinning, even though risky, business. From foreign consultants and negotiators, to local collaborators and suppliers of weapons and food, the Boko Haram national damage now has damage-control consultants and apologists. There are those telling Nigerians that Boko Haram insurgents are not terrorists but estranged citizens who are embittered because of the attitude taken towards them. They demand reintegration and rehabilitation, coupled with Presidential Amnesty Programme, to forgive and empower them.
Another brand or species of professional apologists are some faceless groups of persons and interest groups who play advocacy roles for the establishment. There are apologists who defend the right of cattle to eat grass wherever grass grows, even in farmlands. Other apologists specialise in prevarication and equivocation, defending obviously indefensible situations, actions and utterances of some people in power. An example is the suggestion about recruiting millions of Nigerians into the Army, which an apologist quickly came up to apply some balm upon. Careless talk?
With reference to the President of Nigeria, Buhari, travelling to Britain for whatever reason, Nigerians have been entertained with different kinds of apologia, pointing towards the justification of not handing over power officially to the Vice President, even temporarily as provided by the constitution. We are told that a President could operate from anywhere, as if governance is not guided by definite rules!
Purposes of damage-control activities especially in governance include correcting erroneous statements emanating from official angle, or correcting wrong impressions which such statement would have created. Sincere damage-control palliatives go with the application of the balm of Gilead to heal the ills of an ailing nation, but rustic apologists often add some hidden agenda. It is the value-added tax in damage-control stunts which falls in the domain of professional apologists. The diet is easy to ingest but hard to digest.
An eternal code of conduct in damage control business is as follows: “even though the news be sad, yet, tell it merrily”. Medical personnel know this professional code so well that they apply it by way of reassuring and giving courage and confidence even to a dying patient, that all is well. It works! In academic research circle this damage-control strategy is known as placebo effect, whereby drooping faith and confidence are boosted by means of psychological conditioning and pep-talks. Sports team managers are usually experts in this strategy of morale-boosting.
On the other hand, fear which can arise from threat or sight of horrow, can reduce and undermine the confidence or faith which an individual has. Diabolical practice of witchcraft use fear to undermine personal immunity, but positive practice of damage-control work on human morale and volition as strategic weapons of victory in situations hard to deal with. The strategy has a tonic effect on individuals and governments.
Dr. Amirize is a retired lecturer from the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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