Kehinde Adeleye
Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, the former Chief Press Secretary to the then Governor Bola Tinubu has given insight on how professionalism helped him to disrupt the third term agenda of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Bamigbetan who later rose to become the Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area and Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy spoke at the 2023 annual media retreat of the Conference 57 Chief Press Secretaries of Local Government and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos.
He said ” In 2007 when Former President Obasanjo wanted to run for third term, politicians had told Tinubu that it would also be beneficial to him and he should accept and support him, but as his face in the media and one who knows the truth especially what the masses wants, I told him the truth he needs to hear”
“I went to him and told him, people already like you as a democrat, using twelve years instead of eight years is autocratic and it means that the masses who you’ve gained their trust will see you in a different way.”
Bamigbetan made it known that the duty of a chief press secretary and the major role is to maintain good relationship between principal and media.
“Don’t be a sycophant, always learn to tell the truth to whoever your principal his, they might distort your side of the story, but whenever they are alone, they will know that you’re the only one telling them the truth.
- The former Lagos commissioner also implored CPS to learn how to penetrate media houses and to engage them so as to give their principals good image.
He also advised that Chief Press Secretaries should be good interpreter to their principals in their respective local government and should endeavour to have good relationship with Information Officers who are civil servants , so they can use their resources to work together and not see them as opponents.
He posited that a principal might be a quiet person however he needs feedback of happenings around devoid of praise singers. He said former lagos Governor and now President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu is a media lover and will shut the door and ask what people are saying about his government, because he understands that politicians and media speak from different angles.
He tasked the participants to involve in training because it’s important to maintain good image and have skills and knowledge to develop themselves.
Reacting to question raised about Local government chairmen not giving due recognition to their Chief Press Secretaries or not carrying them along in their activities, he said, “No responsible person will not take media serious, because if you don’t project yourself, you do not deserve another term.”
In 2010 nobody believed Lagos Chairmen were doing anything and we knew there might be challenges winning next election, and that was what gave birth to Ibile program on Lagos Television so as to showcase projects and activities going on across all Local governments in Lagos.
“When I was chairman of Ejigbo LCDA I made use of media strategy very well, because Ejigbo was cut out of reality of Lagos State Government, because they couldn’t see what we were doing to support us, but when we starred using media to showcase our challenges and problem, it was easy for the state to relate with our problems and also come to our aid.
It’s your principal that’s losing relevance if he doesn’t buy or fancy media, he concluded.”
