It's election season in Nigeria and, as political candidates rush to assure voters of their promise and potential, I've enjoyed taking pictures of the many campaign posters and billboards all around town. However, in order to understand the pictures I've been taking, I've also been asking questions, listening to informal political discussions, and doing my own minor research on the current Nigerian political race. Here's what I've found so far:
1. Babatunde Raji Fashola - also known as "BRF" - is the current Governor of Lagos State and is running for re-election. Unlike a lot of the politicians in Nigeria, Fashola is beloved by the people as he has actually made good on many of the promises from his first campaign. He's actively working to improve the local transportation networks through both extensive road repairs and the construction of a new light rail system. He is also credited with launching a new line of big red (and blue) buses with specially dedicated lanes and, even though these are official called "Lagbus"es, everyone I've talked to calls them the "BRF Buses." Not surprisingly, Fashola uses the sides of these buses as prime real estate for his re election campaign posters.
Fun Fact: the Nigerian name "Babatunde" means "his father has died" and is given to children whose father dies while his mother is still pregnant. Looking around at the campaign posters, I've actually been quite surprised at just how many "Babatunde"s are in politics.
2. Because many Nigerians don't own a TV, the majority of political campaigning seems to be done by print either in the newspaper or through billboards and posters. Funnily enough, the politicians alternate between posters where they're pictured in "traditional" dress and posters where they appear in a western-style suit and tie. Although it isn't zoomed in, the picture at the left is a pretty good representation of this need to appear as both modern (read: westernized) and traditional (read: Nigerian).
2 (b). There doesn't really seem to be a strategy to the way in which posters are pasted around town other than sheer volume. The picture below shows no less than 14 identical posters of Governor Fashola side-by-side. I'm not entirely sure if this is a proven strategy... perhaps it appeals to the sub-conscious.
3. Nigeria is a relatively new democracy and this upcoming election will be third election held since the last military regime was over thrown in 1999. The current "ruling party" (for want of a better term) is the PDP (People's Democratic Party) which is represented by the symbol of a red, green, and white umbrella. (Yes, an umbrella. ... Like donkeys and elephants are really any better). According to some of the Nigerians I've spoken to, the PDP rigged the last election and, as such, many are suspicious they'll do the same again. It is worth noting that the current President Goodluck Jonathan belongs to the PDP although he wasn't exactly elected as he became President when the former, elected President Umaru Yar'adua died last year.
The other main political party in Nigeria is the ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) and their symbol is a hand holding onto a traditional Nigerian broom (which, to most Americans, probably looks like a pile of twigs) - once you know what it is, its not hard to imagine that this symbolizes "cleaning up" the Nigerian political system.
Govenor Fashola is an ACN candidate and is, by far, the most prominent (and popular) person on the party's ticket. It is my sense (although I'm not entirely sure) that many of the other ACN candidates will be riding on Fashola's popularity to try and secure a majority in the National Assembly. The ACN candidate for President - Mr. Nuhu Ribadu - is the former govenor of Sokoto State (near the national capital - Abuja) and is well-known for his participation in anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria. Although he seems to be well-supported by many of Nigeria's youth (especially the one's with some education behind them), I don't think he has enough wide-spread popularity to out-shine Goodluck Jonathan. In fact, for all the whispers about his political party, Goodluck seems like a tough man to beat.
Although there are many political parties in Nigeria, the PDP and ACN seem to take up the majority of political discourse with one exception: Muhammadu Buhari.
4. Running on the CPC (Conscious People's Congress) party ticket, Muhammadu Buhari wants to be President of Nigeria. For those of you who are perhaps not very well-versed in Nigerian history, allow me to explain why this is strange. Buhari has been a politics a long time - under the oppresive military regime of Obasanjo in the mid 1970's he was a "minister," after a coup he became head of the armed forces and then, after yet another coup, he became President ("Head of State") during his very own oppressive, corrupt military regime in the mid 1980's. As if Nigerians could forget all of this and be persuaded to elect him democratically, Buhari ran for President in 2003. However, his platform was that of "extreme, radical Islam" and, if elected, he promised to ensure that Nigeria became an official "Arab State." As you can imagine, in a country where 50% of the population is not Muslim, this didn't go over well and, thankfully, he was not elected.
This time around, Buhari is taking a slightly more balanced approach. Although he is still clinging strongly to his Islamic ideals, he has picked a running mate - Tunde Bukare- who is Christian. Bravo. The hiccup comes, however, when it is discovered that Bukare is himself an extremely controversial Pentecostal minister who often appears on television and says strange things. And, of course, I suppose we shouldn't consider it odd that, although Bukare is part of a presidential race in Nigeria, he lives in a multi-million dollar estate in Atlanta, Georgia.
5. In order to avoid the unrest and violence that so often seems to mar elections on this side of the world, there is a fairly strict law in effect that bans the use or operation of any transportation systems between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm on election days. Luckily, Nigerians should be registered to vote at a polling station within walking distance of their homes so this (hopefully) won't effect voter turnout. It will, however, effect our ability to leave our apartment and for the next 2 Saturdays - April 2nd (National Assembly Elections) and April 9th (Presidential Elections) - we will sadly be trapped in our little apartment in the middle of the Nigerian semi-ghetto. Still, it has been interesting to see democracy in action in a country where democracy is still a fairly new idea.
I have been told by multiple Nigerians that I have nothing to worry about and that elections will come and go without violence. However, these same Nigerians have also told me that its "probably better to stay inside all weekend just to be safe." Although I am not personally worried about my safety, I am worried about my mental sanity if I have to spend 2 entire weekends trapped inside the four walls of an apartment with limited electricity, no kerosene (with which to cook), and a small selection of frustrated Americans.
Lets hope, for everyone's sake, that the election passes without incident, that Nigerians are given a free and fair election, and that I'll get to leave the apartment at least once this weekend.
1. Babatunde Raji Fashola - also known as "BRF" - is the current Governor of Lagos State and is running for re-election. Unlike a lot of the politicians in Nigeria, Fashola is beloved by the people as he has actually made good on many of the promises from his first campaign. He's actively working to improve the local transportation networks through both extensive road repairs and the construction of a new light rail system. He is also credited with launching a new line of big red (and blue) buses with specially dedicated lanes and, even though these are official called "Lagbus"es, everyone I've talked to calls them the "BRF Buses." Not surprisingly, Fashola uses the sides of these buses as prime real estate for his re election campaign posters.
Fun Fact: the Nigerian name "Babatunde" means "his father has died" and is given to children whose father dies while his mother is still pregnant. Looking around at the campaign posters, I've actually been quite surprised at just how many "Babatunde"s are in politics.
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| A BRF Bus with a BRF Poster |
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| When we first arrived in Lagos, walls looked like this.... |
2 (b). There doesn't really seem to be a strategy to the way in which posters are pasted around town other than sheer volume. The picture below shows no less than 14 identical posters of Governor Fashola side-by-side. I'm not entirely sure if this is a proven strategy... perhaps it appeals to the sub-conscious.
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| .... Now, days before the election, walls in Lagos look like this. |
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| Endless Fashola... under an overpass |
3. Nigeria is a relatively new democracy and this upcoming election will be third election held since the last military regime was over thrown in 1999. The current "ruling party" (for want of a better term) is the PDP (People's Democratic Party) which is represented by the symbol of a red, green, and white umbrella. (Yes, an umbrella. ... Like donkeys and elephants are really any better). According to some of the Nigerians I've spoken to, the PDP rigged the last election and, as such, many are suspicious they'll do the same again. It is worth noting that the current President Goodluck Jonathan belongs to the PDP although he wasn't exactly elected as he became President when the former, elected President Umaru Yar'adua died last year.
The other main political party in Nigeria is the ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) and their symbol is a hand holding onto a traditional Nigerian broom (which, to most Americans, probably looks like a pile of twigs) - once you know what it is, its not hard to imagine that this symbolizes "cleaning up" the Nigerian political system.
 |
| An ACN banner flying from an electricity pole |
Although there are many political parties in Nigeria, the PDP and ACN seem to take up the majority of political discourse with one exception: Muhammadu Buhari.
4. Running on the CPC (Conscious People's Congress) party ticket, Muhammadu Buhari wants to be President of Nigeria. For those of you who are perhaps not very well-versed in Nigerian history, allow me to explain why this is strange. Buhari has been a politics a long time - under the oppresive military regime of Obasanjo in the mid 1970's he was a "minister," after a coup he became head of the armed forces and then, after yet another coup, he became President ("Head of State") during his very own oppressive, corrupt military regime in the mid 1980's. As if Nigerians could forget all of this and be persuaded to elect him democratically, Buhari ran for President in 2003. However, his platform was that of "extreme, radical Islam" and, if elected, he promised to ensure that Nigeria became an official "Arab State." As you can imagine, in a country where 50% of the population is not Muslim, this didn't go over well and, thankfully, he was not elected.
This time around, Buhari is taking a slightly more balanced approach. Although he is still clinging strongly to his Islamic ideals, he has picked a running mate - Tunde Bukare- who is Christian. Bravo. The hiccup comes, however, when it is discovered that Bukare is himself an extremely controversial Pentecostal minister who often appears on television and says strange things. And, of course, I suppose we shouldn't consider it odd that, although Bukare is part of a presidential race in Nigeria, he lives in a multi-million dollar estate in Atlanta, Georgia.
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| Maybe I'm imagining things, but I think Buhari actually looks as crazy as he sounds. |
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| Buhari Poster on a rusted shack in Agege |
5. In order to avoid the unrest and violence that so often seems to mar elections on this side of the world, there is a fairly strict law in effect that bans the use or operation of any transportation systems between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm on election days. Luckily, Nigerians should be registered to vote at a polling station within walking distance of their homes so this (hopefully) won't effect voter turnout. It will, however, effect our ability to leave our apartment and for the next 2 Saturdays - April 2nd (National Assembly Elections) and April 9th (Presidential Elections) - we will sadly be trapped in our little apartment in the middle of the Nigerian semi-ghetto. Still, it has been interesting to see democracy in action in a country where democracy is still a fairly new idea.
I have been told by multiple Nigerians that I have nothing to worry about and that elections will come and go without violence. However, these same Nigerians have also told me that its "probably better to stay inside all weekend just to be safe." Although I am not personally worried about my safety, I am worried about my mental sanity if I have to spend 2 entire weekends trapped inside the four walls of an apartment with limited electricity, no kerosene (with which to cook), and a small selection of frustrated Americans.
Lets hope, for everyone's sake, that the election passes without incident, that Nigerians are given a free and fair election, and that I'll get to leave the apartment at least once this weekend.
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