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© Kmla-Raj 2005 J. Soc. Sci., 11(1): 77-82 (2005) Participatory Democracy and Communication of Development: A Case Study of Political Campaign Advertisements in Nigeria’s 2003 Election Eno Akpabio Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria KEYWORDS Dividends; modernity; infrastructures; dominant; paradigm ABSTRACT The improvement in the quality of life of the people is the centrepiece of development and proponents of the dominant paradigm in development communication identify a participant lifestyle as a prerequisite for modernity. With this background in mind, the paper examines attempts by Nigerian politicians particularly those seeking a second term in office, to influence voting behaviour in the run off to the 2003 elections. Fully conscious that the active participation of the electorate would determine their electoral fortunes, they resorted to “democracy dividends/continuity” advertisements where they chronicled their attempts to add value to the lives of the people in specific and graphic ways. This paper critically examines these adverts and charts a road map towards making participatory democracy a more effective harbinger of development. INTRODUCTION served the more elevated purpose of enumerating the gains of democracy. No wonder in popular After being in office for four years the elected parlance these records of achievements are called politicians in Nigeria’s fourth republic were ready the “dividends of democracy” perhaps a sharp for the renewal of their mandate as guaranteed contrast and reminder of the long night of military by the constitution. And no better way to do rule. this than to flood the media especially via These attempts to use communication, speci- advertisements with their record of achievement fically political advertising, to show case develop- in every conceivable sector. This is of course a ment (democracy dividends) seems to be an far cry from the attitude of the military rulers who interesting footnote to the literature in the area only recently retraced their footsteps back to their of communication and development more so the barracks were they rightly belong. The military dominant paradigm. The founding fathers in the are accountable to no one more so the people field conceived of development as entailing social that they rule over. They do not need to show transformation and basic cultural change (Chu any record of achievement as their mandate flows 1994). How to go about this and the place of from the barrel of the gun rather than a genuine communication in the equation has been the expression of the people’s wishes. subject of much debate and soul searching. Back to the advertisements by incumbent The dominant paradigm of development office holders, one would naturally wonder why described by Uche (1999) as an “export model” advertise? After all the electorate, the recipients where the mass media was the hypodermic needle or beneficiaries of these achievements would be in the propagation of development agenda was aware since they apparently would be enjoying doomed to failure. He quoted Rogers (1976) who the facilities and services. Perhaps these adverts acknowledged the failings of this postulation were intended to send the correct signals to their based on the incorrect but unproved assumption political parties that they deserved a second about the power of the mass media. (ibid.). chance. It is also conceivable that these office The other school of thought felt that societal holders are fully acquainted with the public transformation would be ushered in through relations’ rule of thumb – if you do not blow breaking the bondage of dependency via a your trumpet no one will blow it for you. Marxist style revolution (Chu, 1994). This has I believe the primary concern of the advert also received a lot of knocks. And the collapse was to keep in the front burner the achievements of the leading light of the Marxist way of ordering of such office holders; a constant reminder to society – The Soviet Union – calls to question the electorate of the shape of better things to the soundness of the dependency school’s come if given another chance. The adverts also approach. 78 ENO AKPABIO To see the place that the footnote – political electing or rejecting leaders at the polls has some advertisement – occupies, it is best to examine in similarity with the postulation of the dominant some detail the concept of development itself. paradigm that sees “modernity as a participant life style; a modern society is a participant DEVELOPMENT society” (Oso, 2002) The concept of development is subject to Even though we do not entirely see develop- varying interpretation depending on one’s call- ment as the ushering in of the western model we ing, research interest and even background. believe that citizen participation which the Walter Rodney (1976) sees development as proponents of the modern paradigm equate with involving improvement in the quality of life result- development is an important footnote that is ing in less hazard and uncertainties with the worth further exploration. This is because if people having a greater say over their destinies. citizen participation were fully in place as in The accelerating rate of improvements in the outcome of elections reflecting the true wishes quality of life in and achievements in the west of the people then an important landmark would has resulted in the concept being equated with have been reached in the improvement of the life growth, industrialization, modernization, change of the people. Those who work at variance with and democracy from the purview of western this would be voted out while those with the experience of historical change (Oso, 2002). welfare of the people at heart would hold sway. Other scholars such as Uche (1999) and This way a country like Nigeria would then live Casmir (1991) see development as located within out the word and spirit of the constitutional a cultural and situational context. In other words, provision to wit that “the security and welfare it is not enough to simply ape the western model, (emphasis mine) of the people shall be the primary the expectations and world view of the people – purpose of government”. who will be the recipients of development – has Interestingly this desire to show the people to be factored in. No wonder Casmir (1991) notes how their welfare has moved some notch formed that “the significant question … is not whether the basis of the political advertisements under development is desirable but what kind of study. But first the methodology employed in development should be sought. (Uche, 1999). the study. Development in a developing country like Nigeria based on this viewpoint would mean METHODOLOGY paying much needed attention to infrastructural Conscious of the fact that their fortunes at development. To elaborate, in the specific case the polls would to some extent depend on their of Nigeria, the poor road network and inefficient achievements, elected office holders during the rail system in the country has been an impediment run up to the 2003 elections bought space in to economic growth. Electricity supply has conti- newspapers and magazines to showcase their nued to be epileptic in spite of massive injection achievements during their first term 1999 – 2003. of funds and added tremendously to the cost of This paper examines the “democracy dividends” manufactured items quite apart from discouraging contained in these adverts. The study period new entrants into the manufacturing sector. covered January to April 2003 and two news- Public water supply is very poor and is like a papers – The Punch and The Guardian were drop in the ocean. Other areas needing attention deliberately chosen. The Punch was chosen be- would embrace provision of qualitative educa- cause it appeals to a mass audience; politics tion, affordable health care, employment genera- being a game of numbers. The Guardian on the tion, adequate food supply at affordable rates other hand recommends itself being an elite and so on. newspaper whose content would appeal to Development from the purview of improving opinion leaders who would in turn influence the the life and well being of the people is enabled voting behaviour of persons under their sphere by citizen participation in governance. It stands of influence. to reason that if citizens approve or reject candi- dates at the polls based on their performance in “DEMOCRACY DIVIDENDS” POLITICAL the index of improving the welfare of the people, ADVERTS office holders would make this the fulcrum of their activity. This involvement of the people in The incumbent president, governors and PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY AND COMMUNICATION OF DEVELOPMENT 79 other office holders resorted to the “democracy credit for Obi-Keana Road8 in Nasarrawa dividends” political adverts to show the electo- State. rate that they were deserving of a second term in c. Water: Provision of potable water was also office. This effort involved communicating in the front burner in the calculation of these developments – showing how they have posi- office seekers in their attempt to woo the tively impacted the life and welfare of the people. electorate. Governor Nnamani of Enugu State There were 98 advertisements in all. The Punch claimed credit for the N1.2 billion federal newspapers had 65 and The Guardian 33. These government funded Enugu water scheme at adverts also fit neatly into the following cate- Oji River9. Governor James Ibori graphically gories; investment, roads, water, infrastructure, captured his achievements in this area. The education, energy, health, and appeal to be body copy of the advert makes interesting allowed to continue the task started during the reading: first term in office which we shall label “conti- Then: nuity” Before Ibori, there was water, water a. Investment: One governor that harped on everywhere but none to drink. Water-borne this a lot is Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu disease kill[sic] people with ease State.

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