How the Nigerian President is using Facebook

Politicians around the world have woken up to the potential of Facebook and Twitter as unfiltered platforms from which they can deliver their message to a receptive audience. But few have taken it up as effectively and with the same gusto as Nigeria’s wonderfully-named President, Goodluck Jonathan.

During the 1930’s, the US President Roosevelt delivered a weekly radio broadcast to the nation, which consisted of reassuring the nation that it was going to recover and sharing his hopes and plans for the country during the Great Depression. These “fireside chats” were enormously popular and had a profound effect on the nation.

President Jonathan has studied history and his use of Facebook can be seen as the digital version of a fireside chat.

Almost every day there seems to be a thoughtful, personal note from the President who comes across as agreeable, insightful and proudly Nigerian. With titles like “All for one and one for all”, “Believe in Nigeria” and “Thank God for Little Drops of Water”, President Jonathan has amassed a devoted Facebook following of over 300 000 people.

His Facebook page is simple, elegant and dignified. He doesn’t engage in conversations, he has only one photo of himself displayed, and he writes in a gentle and informed tone, showing that he is aware of the issues facing the country and empathising with the people of Nigeria.

And the Facebook page is not just used for trivial statements. On the 15th of September, Goodluck Jonathan published this statement, as part of a longer speech.

Today, I confirm that after wide and thorough consultations spanning the six geo-political zones that make up Nigeria, with members of my family, my party, the opposition, civil society, the Private Sector, members of the Labour Unions, religious leaders, youths and student groups and our revered traditional institutions, I Goodluck Ebele Jonathan by the grace of God hereby offer myself and my services to the Nigerian people as a candidate for the office of President in the forth coming 2011 elections.

The presidential Facebook page is only four months old.
Jonathan opened his Facebook account on the 28th of June 2010, and this was his first status update:

Today, in fulfillment of the promise I made at the 26th convocation of the University of Port Harcourt on Saturday, 15 May 2010, I have created a facebook fan page to interact with Nigerians. As I said on that day, there is an unchallengeable power of good in the Nigerian nation and her youth and through this medium I want Nigerians to give me the privilege of relating with them without the trappings of office. GEJ

Since then President Jonathan has taken on the topics of floods, Nigeria’s position in the world, the environment and of course, Big Brother Africa. On the 18th of October, he wrote: “I received with delight the news that a Nigerian, Uti Nwachukwu, has won the 2010 edition of Big Brother Africa All Stars in South Africa. I heartily congratulate Mr. Nwachukwu who has shown to the world once again that the average Nigerian is warm, charming and a delight to be with.”

One of the cardinal rules of social media is a two-way interaction, and while President Jonathan doesn’t get in to conversations, he has proven time and again that he is reading the comments on his page, and that they are influencing his policy decisions.

He writes “I want to assure you that your feedback and comments on this page are important. I read them and they have influenced government’s policy.” Time and again on his Facebook page, he answers specific queries that have been raised via Facebook and shows that he is clearly listening to and engaging with the content.

The Facebook account has clearly identified a need in the Nigerian people. After every status update, there are over 3 000 comments, suggestions and questions which paint a picture of a committed and engaged population. The overwhelming majority of messages are of support and gratitude that the President is listening to the people.

No doubt there are many of you who will question whether this is all genuine, and if it is really the President writing. Realistically, I am sure he has help managing the page. Many of the statements may have been delivered in other formats and transcribed for Facebook, but there is no doubt that these are genuine and heatfelt statements from a president who is as grateful as his followers are that there is finally a channel where he can speak directly to the people.