ELECTIONS OF POPULARITY

In advertising, one of the main goals is to get consumers familiar with the brand. So that when a product is mentioned, there is a picture in everyone’s mind. It works and UI politicians know this. Elections are approaching and as they say it, may the best man win. But in truth, here, the most popular man wins. For years, subtle advertisement is the biggest strategy of the University of Ibadan to collect political aspirants. Get familiar with the people and win their hearts. This trick gets the job done, almost every time.

It, then, would not be so difficult to recognize a candidate with political aspirations. They come in different shades. The ones with the new month messages, the ones with the long broadcast messages, the tutorial organizers, and the strangers who want to shake hands with everyone.

While all of these strategies are not bad in themselves, the pretense that comes with it is the bad thing. When politicians organize tutorials solely as an advertisement strategy, those who can benefit from it do, it ends there and everyone moves on. But would there still be plans to cater to the academic needs of students, whether the election is won or not? Sadly, in most cases, there would not. The hands that were gladly stretched out for a handshake are quickly withdrawn and everyone goes back to default.

Most people find it absurd when a total stranger suddenly wants to become friends with them, solely to get them to vote. It is then more absurd how that overnight friend quickly crawls back to being a stranger after the elections like it never happened. It is thing for politicians to want to connect with the persons they hope to lead, they need not overwhelm them with their ambitions. It is even more advisable not to initiate a relationship they can not sustain.

Before the campaigns begin officially, it would be wise to caution against overwhelming ambitiousness. It is a poor habit to get people’s numbers randomly and spam them with multiple messages, and many politicians are guilty of this. It is ethical that people’s contact is be taken with their permission. It is also not wise to overwhelm and spam people with messages, asking them to trend flyers. It is a bad habit to initiate a relationship with a person act as you have never met them, in the next minute. Say hello to people when you see them. Nobody needs to go around saying hello to everybody and it is more reason not to go around saying pretentious hellos to everyone during the campaigns.

Just like, in advertising, the best product may not be the most talked about. So, leaders should not be elected on the bias of popularity but a track record of success, achievements, and leadership qualities. It would then be worthy advice for students to choose their leaders wisely on these grounds and not necessarily the most advertised brand or on the bias of a cordial relationship.

We run a democracy and all of these show the inadequacies of democracy. It is like advertising. The most popular brand is what the people turn to, even though it is substandard. Because, in democracy, the best man may not always win. The most popular does.