‎In the competitive world of business, there is a golden rule that every entrepreneur knows by heart: "Where marketing stops, sales stop." It is a fundamental truth that a product, no matter how revolutionary or high-quality, will never leave the shelf if it remains hidden in the bedroom of its creator. In the realm of governance, this rule is even more axiomatic. When a government implements policies, builds infrastructure, or drives economic reform, it is effectively bringing a "product" to the marketplace of the Nigerian public. If that product is not marketed with clarity, consistency, and intent, the citizens remain oblivious to the government's efforts, leading to a disconnect between performance and perception.

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‎Currently, 95% of political appointees in Nigeria are failing in effective communication and implementation. There is a massive communication vacuum that threatens the efficacy of public policy, and it is time for a drastic change in how government achievements are projected to the citizens.

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‎Recently, I discussed the state of the nation with a landlady of mine. A native of Kwara, born and raised in Katsina, and someone who's working with most  Northern governments, who was just returning from zamfara where the state government shared  palliative and other empowerment packages to the people, she noted that the people are unhappy with our government in the North and asked me a direct "what are you guys doing about it? I replied her that While federal, state, and local governments are indeed taking some steps toward reform, there is a silence surrounding these actions. If a local government chairman provides a loan to market women and farmers but the community hears nothing about it, that policy failed because the community is in the dark

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‎I explained to her that the challenge is further compounded by cultural and regional dynamics. Unlike in the South, where there is a palpable sense of shared ownership the moment a leader is appointed or elected, the Northern political landscape functions on a different system of stratification. There is a deeply ingrained expectation of leadership succession. When the "next man" in the political order communicated to the president failed to attain the seat, the bond of support weakens rapidly. This is not just a lack of interest; it is a structural disconnect because the "next man" did not get there.

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‎A primary obstacle in this dynamic is the absence of effective, localized communication. There is simply nobody breaking down complex government policies into the languages and contexts that the average citizen in the North understands best. While the the southern political appointees are also ineffective, the South benefits from a surge of information on social media, but the North faces a massive communication gap. The government’s narrative is failing because it is not being passed aggressively enough to the people who need to hear it, creating a void that is often filled by misinformation or cynicism.

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‎It is an uncomfortable truth that many political appointees have failed not only in the implementation of policies but in the docility of their communication and aggressive publications. They treat government achievements as personal secrets rather than public information. They seem to believe that the little project they embark on speaks for itself, yet in the age of digital noise, silence is often interpreted as inaction. If you do not tell the people what you have done for them, they will naturally assume you have done nothing at all.

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‎We must commend the leaders who have successfully bridged this gap, such as Zacch Adedeji, the Chairman of the NRS. He successfully equipped his media team to demystify tax collection, Tax Reform Bills, and Tax Laws, ensuring the public understood exactly how their contributions benefit society. As the Senate President noted in the just concluded commisioning of NRS cooperate headquarters, he has become "the only tax collector that people like."

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‎The importance of this strategy is echoed by other leaders who are currently reshaping the narrative. Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, the Minister of Interior Tunji Ojo, and the Minister of Finance Taiwo Oyedele have effectively demonstrated that proactive communication is a pillar of governance. Their initiatives, particularly regarding tax reforms and structural changes, have been successful because they did not wait for the opposition to control the narrative. They chose to make their actions known to the public through aggressive and transparent publication, winning the battle of public opinion.

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‎I have personally reached out to some political appointees to catalog their achievements for the Renewed Hope Policy File for BAT ideology group Campaign Materials but "Iro", I was met with nothing. They could not provide any data or projects to report, proving that many of them have nothing to communicate to the people.

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‎Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State hit the nail on the head recently when he noted, "Tinubu is doing so much for the North, but there is no publicity from the political appointees from the North." This is a stinging indictment of the current cadre of appointees. The President’s vision for the country is broad and systemic, but it relies on these appointees to act as the conduits of information. If they remain silent, the President’s vision remains obscured. They are tasked with the responsibility to charge forward, not just with policy, but with the publication of those policies.

To show that the Federal government is doing its part, we have the Regional Development Commissions which specialized in government-established agencies created for each of Nigeria's six geopolitical zones to address specific infrastructure, economic, and social needs, aiming to accelerate development and reduce regional inequalities

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‎There is a systematic way to view this effort: the Federal Government is the bulldozer clearing the path, the State government is the tractor that tills the soil, and the Local government is the mower that manicures the landscape. Where the federal effort omits a local detail, the state must recover it, where the state omits a detail, the local government must refine it. However, none of these machines the bulldozer, the tractor, or the mower will be seen by the public if the lights are turned off on their operations.

‎Aggressive marketing is not a seasonal campaign, it is a continuous, absolute requirement that must last until the end of an appointment. If we want a prosperous Nigeria, we must stop operating in the shadows. We must learn the fundamental lesson, where effective communication stops, infrastructure, policy implementation, and economic achievement follow suit.

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Bamidele Atoyebi is the Convener of BAT Ideological Group, National Coordinator of Accountability and Policy Monitoring and a publisher at Unfiltered and Mining Reporting