by Idoreyin Sampson

On June 28, 2013, Labaran Maku, Nigeria’s information minister rounded up the first batch of the Ministerial Platform 2013, making a spirited presentation on the achievements of his ministry from 2011 to 2013. The event which held at the Radio House, Abuja also had the Minister of State for Defense, Mrs. Olusola Obada in attendance.

In his characteristic style, Maku spoke from his heart and made quite an impressive presentation and these are the 10 things we took home:

1. The Methuselah of ministries
Did you know that the Information Ministry is one of the oldest in Nigeria? In fact, it is as old as Nigeria.

2. Governance is the problem
Maku had done some deep reflections long ago and arrived at the same conclusion with many of us, that governance is the problem of Nigeria.

3. Maku has a difficult job, very difficult
The two most difficult jobs in Nigeria are, first, the job of the national football coach and second, the job of the Minister of Information. Why? “Because they are the two jobs in which everybody is an expert except the people who are appointed to (actually) do the job.”

4. Maku is the ‘face’
The Minister of Information is the face of the nation, the face of the government, and the face of the people of Nigeria. (We need further clarification on this, especially the last one, sir.)

5. Oga at the top is a commonly used phrase in government
Some people just him because they don’t like the #OgaAtTheTop, in his case, President Goodluck Jonathan.

6. Maku is a ‘redefiner’
Maku has transformed the Ministry of Information from a press release office, to a strategic function of government. When he came on board, the ministry re-crafted its mandate to, “To lead the management of the reputation of Nigeria and the Nigerian people through professional, dynamic public information systems that facilitate access by citizens and the global community and timely information about Nigeria.”

7. Politics can get in the way of the good thing
The Good Governance Tour was created to address the doubter and the cynics. It was the idea of the Federal Government, approved by the 36 state governments. When it started, partisanship crept in and some state governments began to criticize the project, which they all embraced and approved with Maku presented it to them at the National Economic Council.

8. And still on the Good Governance Tour
The tour was a performance appraisal tool for ministers and the contractors and some contracts were revoked as a result of the tour.

9. A road so beautiful
The new Benin-Ore road is so beautiful, “you can lay your mat and sleep on it!”

10. It’s all about the ratings
The Ministerial Platform is a runaway broadcast success. “This platform is the most watched and listened to programme in the country today. No other programme has the viewership that this platform, anywhere.” So, much so that, the next Ministerial Platform may go commercial and make profit for the country.

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The Ministerial Platform, an initiative of the Ministry of Information led by Labaran Maku is “designed to promote national conversation and good governance” was attended by the media, organised civil society, the private sector, professional guilds, and organised labour to “make the national conversation on the nation’s development process fully participatory”. The programme resumes in 2 weeks, according to the minister, to take the presentations of the minister of petroleum, power, trade and investment, and others that couldn’t make it this past month.

The Ministerial Platform was broadcast live on NTA, FRCN, VON, AIT, and Channels Television as well as the website of the Federal Ministry of Information. Nigerians all over the world participated in the programme through the Social Media Platforms on the following addresses: www.fmi.gov.ng; www.livestream.com/fminigeria; www/youtube.com/fminigeria; www.facebook.com/fminigeria; and Twitter handle @fminigeria. Nigerians also joined the conversation on BlackBerry messenger at 292816FB and by sending sms to 08091876419 (SMS only).