Protest: Of Peace in N'Delta, Akpabio and Tales By Fifth-Columnists

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio 

By Inyali Peter 

A blatant falsehood has taken root in the public discourse, despite irrefutable video evidence to the contrary. Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been misrepresented in the media as taunting protesters to "protest while they eat", a claim that has been thoroughly debunked by video evidence of his speech. Yet, some individuals persist in believing and spreading this misinformation on social media and in certain sections of the press, perpetuating a narrative that is not only false but also potentially destructive.

The latest salvo in this campaign of misinformation came yesterday, when a faceless group, Coalition for Parliamentary Democracy, accused Sen. Akpabio of fueling the ongoing insurrection in the country with the very words he never spoke. This desperate attempt to link a fabricated and misconstrued quote to the current unrest demonstrates the lengths to which these individuals will go to peddle their lies. However, no matter how rapidly falsehoods spread, they ultimately lack the power to supplant truth.

A closer examination of the facts reveals that the Senate President's address at the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Conference in Port Harcourt was deliberately distorted to fit a sinister agenda. In reality, he was simply echoing the sentiments of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku who had urged the region to throw its weight behind President Bola Tinubu's administration in order to reap the benefits of loyalty, rather than taking to the streets in protest. This nuanced message was willfully misconstrued to fuel the false narrative that has been so readily embraced by some.

The art of communication is intricately tied to context and audience, and it is here that the malicious narrative against the Senate President falls apart. As the Context of Communication Theory highlights, physical, temporal, social-psychological, and cultural contexts all significantly impact how messages are received and interpreted. In this instance, the NDDC MD, demonstrated a keen understanding of his audience and skillfully crafted the message to resonate with them. Akpabio only re-echoed his sentiments.

Besides, considering the unique dynamics of their context, one can hardly argue that they did not effectively conveyed a message that was both meaningful and relevant to their listeners. In fact, the ultimate goal of the meeting was to maintain peace in the Niger Delta region, and it has been achieved. The region has remained calm amidst widespread unrest in other parts of the country. This outcome is an evidence of the effectiveness of the message and the leadership of the Senate President as the highest political office holder from the region.

Those behind the politically motivated unrest in parts of the country, where arsonists are flying Russian flags or calling for the government's overthrow, should acknowledge Akpabio and other leaders' leadership in keeping the Niger Delta peaceful. These leaders have prevented potentially catastrophic economic destabilization, given the region's critical role in Nigeria's economy. The sponsors and purveyors of the false narrative should bother about the consequences of unchecked destruction in some states and learn from the effective leadership that has maintained peace in the Niger Delta.

The stark contrast between the tranquility of the Niger Delta and the turmoil in other regions is a telling indictment of the Senate President's detractors. Instead of vilifying him, they should introspect on their own shortcomings. Perhaps, Nigerians are not deceived; they recognize that the ongoing destruction was premeditated and has no connection to the Senate President or the false narratives spun against him. No amount of falsehood will change this truth!

Ultimately, as the fog of misinformation lifts and clarity prevails, truth will emerge victorious, exposing the false narratives for the baseless accusations they are. The legacies of Senator Akpabio and other Niger Delta leaders will emerge unscathed while their detractors will be left to ponder the futility of their efforts, having failed to achieve their aims and instead, suffering the consequences of their own actions.