By AZUH AMATUS
Senior journalist and the immediate past managing director and editor-in-chief of The Sun newspapers, Mr. Femi Adesina has finally opened up on why he accepted to work with President Muhammadu Buhari as his Special Adviser on media and publicity.
Amiable, unassuming and cerebral Adesina, who is an ordained pastor with Foursquare Church, squeezed out time from his very busy schedule to speak with the publisher and editor-in-chief of leading online newspaper, Daylight.ng, Azuh Amatus, during a recent, but brief visit to Lagos.
While the exclusive and engaging chat lasted, Adesina was practically on his phones and intermittently answering important calls, probably from Aso Rock and exchanging pleasantries with the army of visitors waiting to see him.
Despite his choked programme, the Osun State-born father of two and current national president of the revered Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), still spoke with Daylight.ng on a wide range of issues affecting our nation, President Buhari, his new job and much more, in this 12-minute interview.
Enjoy the encounter.
Daylight.ng: Congrats on your recent appointment as the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to President Muhammadu Buhari
Thank you.
Daylight.ng: How does it feel being the Presidential Spokesman and voice of our dear nation?
Well, it a call to duty, a call to national service. And if one has been singled out of hundreds of millions of qualified people, then one must naturally feel good.
Daylight.ng: Since assuming office, how would you rate your performance?
(Laughs) I would rather you judge me than me judge myself. If I judge myself it is going to be subjective, it is going to be partial, but if you judge me as an impartial person, then it is better. (You are doing great-Daylight.ng).
Daylight.ng: we know you detest politics a lot, why did you accept to work for President Buhari?
Well, detesting politics will not be the right word, that I’m not a politician could be correct, in terms of partisan politics. I’m a political watcher and like they say, every human being is a political animal. But talking specifically about why I decided to work for President Buhari, he is a man I have admired for a long time. And I have always supported him. When he won the election I felt quite glad. And when the opportunity to work with him came I accepted it because he is a man I believe in. I would not have done it for any other person; I would not have done it casually. I would not have done it for any other reason; I’m doing it because it is President Buhari.
Daylight.ng: A lot of Nigerians are worried that as a born again Christian and pastor in Foursquare church that your new national assignment might clash with your religious background, will they ever clash?
No, it can never clash. What does Christianity really stand for? It stands for the truth. And what will I be saying on this job? I will be saying the truth. I will be telling Nigerians the truth about our government. There will be no spin, there will be no colouring, there will be no propaganda and there will be no lies. We will be telling the truth all the time. It is not incompatible with politics; rather it is even going to reinforce my Christian conviction.
Daylight.ng: Factual, balanced and objective dissemination of information between government spokesmen and their colleagues in the media has always been a very big challenge. What efforts are you making to ensure accurate and factual flow of information between your office and your colleagues in the media?
The simple thing is that you present the truth to them always. It is the effort to colour or spin things that those incompatibilities come, but when you have resolved to tell the truth at all times and when your principal wants you to always tell the truth at all times, I believe there will be no conflict.
Daylight.ng: Many Nigerians are worried that President Buhari is yet to appoint ministers and key officers in his cabinet almost two months into office. As an insider, we would like you to tell us what is responsible for this delay?
Naturally, it should take time for us to get the brightest and best that the nation can boast of. It is better we take our time to assemble the best that we can boast of than to rush and then come up with all sorts. So, let us not forget that we trusted Buhari with our votes and that trust we should maintain and believe that he is taking his time to give us the very best.
Daylight.ng: You have always been a staunch supporter of President Buhari, you solidly stood by him when he was contesting and losing elections over the years, why are you so passionate about Mr. President?
It is because I admire openness, I admire integrity, I admire transparency, I admire dogged commitment, in fact, all the things I admire, I see in President Buhari and that is why I’m a Buhari person.
Daylight.ng: Don’t you think a lot of these qualities you admire in him might change negatively in this second coming, considering his age and pressure from those surrounding him currently?
At 72? If he ruled at 40 and he had all those virtues, why should he change at 72? He will only change for the better, if he is changing at all.
Daylight.ng: Do you think President Buhari truly have what it takes to rescue Nigeria from her many problems and daily increasing challenges, especially insecurity, mostly caused by Boko Haram and troubled economy?
Absolutely, no doubt, if I had any doubt that he would not do the job, then why have I gone to serve him. I have no doubt at all, he
will deliver and deliver brilliantly.
Daylight.ng: Is Buhari, the messiah Nigerians have been waiting for all these years?
I wouldn’t use that word because no human being is a messiah. But in terms of capacity and ability to bring change, yes, President Buhari will do it.
Daylight.ng: Can anything make you quit your new job in Buhari’s government?
If he doesn’t stick to the things I have always admired in him, what then would I be waiting for? But I know him, at 72, he can only change for the better. Like I have written in the past, if he didn’t steal our money at 40, is it at 72 he will steal it, no. I believe that all he stood for, fairness, integrity, prudence, openness, transparency, patriotism and commitment, he will stand by all these things, so I will continue to serve him.
Daylight.ng: A lot of Nigerians, mostly political observers feel that President Buhari has not done enough to resolve the crisis tearing his party-the APC apart, why is Mr. President as the leader of the party not stamping his authority in resolving the crisis?
I’m glad you said a lot of people feel, but feeling is not reality. And I can tell you, the reality is that the President is doing a lot to resolve the issues in the party, he is doing a lot, that I can tell you, a lot.
Daylight.ng: Since you came on board, have your colleagues in the media been supportive in the daily discharge of your duties?
Yes, they have and I believe they will continue to be supportive.
Daylight.ng: Since leaving The Sun, do you still miss the newsroom?
(Laughs heartily) Yes. I spent 29 years of my life doing that job, you know that the job became part of me and I will continue to love it. What I’m doing now still have some bits of journalism – this now is image making but with some element of journalism in it.
Daylight.ng: At the end of your tenure as the voice of our nation and presidential spokesman, how do you want to be remembered?
He came, he saw, he conquered. I want it to be on record that I did the job to the best of my ability and that people will say, yes, a great image maker for our president, a great spokesman.
Daylight.ng: Are you under any kind of pressure to deliver on your job?
No. Not all. Because I know that my principal will deliver, mine will just be to communicate whatever he has done, amplify it and defend him when necessary, so I’m not under pressure.
Daylight.ng: We would like to know the major challenges you encounter in your new job?
Well, they are the challenges anybody can face on any job, but I have not seen any that is insurmountable. If any challenge comes, we find a way to surmount it.
No comments:
Post a Comment