Social media has presented an enormous medium that allows business leaders, politicians and those at the helm of authorities and public services around the world to effectively interface with those they lead through updates on their day to day activities.
This creates an avenue for the public to know what the leaders have been up to and what they have been able to achieve in terms of projects, official and social activities and sometimes highlights on future plans.
In Nigeria as well, politicians and public servants like ministers, governors and even the president have leveraged this ample opportunity presented by Social media and have been able to carry the public along on their day to day activities.
They or their media aides have always posted one picture or the other with the usual caption, “Today I did this or that” in a way to allow the public to be aware of what their day to day activities look like and what they have been able to achieve.
These posts usually attract feedbacks in form of comments from the public which include appraisals for the job well done and criticisms for the things badly done. In all, it gives those in authority the opportunity to understand how the public feels about what they are doing and as well gives the public the opportunity to be somewhat aware and conscious of what their leaders have been up to.
But sadly, the case is not the same with the Enugu State governor as the people of Enugu state, especially those in the diaspora have been in total oblivion of the activities of their governor, His Excellency, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Going by the activities shown on the Enugu State Governor’s official social media timeline, it is either the governor has been inactive, has rarely engaged himself in official activities or it is still January in Enugu state.
While 9News Nigeria social media expert has monitored the official verified Facebook page of the Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi @IfeanyiLawrenceUgwuanyi, the last time the social media account was updated with the governor’s activities was on January 1st 2021, that is about 7 months ago. The governor only managed to send out an image of himself with a “Happy Newyear Ndi Enugu, Welcome to 2021” inscription on it.
After 7 months of that post, nothing else was seen that emanated from the governor’s official verified Facebook page.
One may assume an opinion that Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is still in January 2021. A quick check by 9NEWS NIGERIA shows that the Governor does not interact or engage the people of Enugu State through his official verified Facebook page.
While many Governors in Nigeria update their social media accounts with their day to day activities, projects, Governor Ugwuanyi seems to be social media-shy and finds it difficult to cope with criticisms.
Ugwuanyi’s last update on his verified Facebook page was in January 2021 when he wished the people of Enugu State Happy New year.
Meanwhile, other Governors like Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna state and many others keep their social media accounts active by updating their activities in their various states.
9News Nigeria Social Media expert dug shallowly and uncovered the reason behind Ugwuanyi’s lack of communication with the public via his social media accounts. A source close to the State Government revealed to our correspondent that Ugwuanyi is social media shy type and there tries all his best to avoid being active on social media. The source said Ugwuanyi can go any length in ensuring that his image or reputation is not dented on social media.
The source who is not far-fetched from the Enugu State Governor’s corridors confided in our correspondent and said: “The Governor is not a social media type. He tries to avoid involving himself in any controversy especially on social media platforms”.
“All the information that needs to be circulated are done through his Special Adviser on Media, Louis Amoke.”
“You can see that because he is not active, he doesn’t have many followers. Only 5000 persons are following him on Facebook.”
Furthermore, a quick check on the Enugu State Government social media accounts revealed that Ugwuanyi’s Media Aide, Louis Amoke is the one updating some of the activities of the State Governor in those media, while the Governor himself remains in January 2021.
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