Leadership And Storytelling In Election Season
I keep a weekly diary, which is my own way of telling different stories about Nigeria and the world, encompassing politics, economy, society, and our endless search for leaders who can make promises and deliver results.…
This piece is an opinion column by veteran Nigerian journalist Azu Ishiekwene, syndicated across multiple outlets, reflecting on how narratives and political messaging shape public perception ahead of elections. Rather than reporting breaking news, it draws on the columnist's personal weekly diary practice to examine recurring themes in Nigerian public life: the gap between campaign promises and delivery, the economy's effect on ordinary citizens, and the broader societal mood as the country approaches another election cycle.
Opinion columns like this circulate widely because they offer commentary rather than hard news, and readers often encounter the same piece republished verbatim by different newsrooms that syndicate Ishiekwene's work. The coverage here is essentially identical across Vanguard and Leadership, both carrying the same byline and opening lines, so there is no factual dispute to resolve — the value for readers lies in the columnist's perspective on leadership and storytelling rather than any new development being reported.