A University don and Professor of Marketing Communications and Applied Rhetoric in the University of Uyo, Prof. Peter Esuh, has urged the people of Akwa Ibom State to reject the commission to serve as Brand Ambassadors for evil minded politicians in the state in the build up to the 2023 general elections in the state and country.
Prof. Esuh made this appeal while delivering the 86th Inaugural lecture of the University held in the school auditorium in the Nwaniba Permanent campus on Thursday.
Speaking on the topic “Persuading The Persuader – A Rhetorico – Semiotic Direction To Marketing Communications”, Prof Esuh told his listeners that just as the serpent which served as the ‘brand Ambassador for Lucifer was cursed, as written in the Bible, the same fate awaits anybody who accepts to promote evil politicians elected into offices.
He noted “Just like the serpent presented the fruit of the tree as a bundle of benefits and a good offering,” many people are being mobilized to support cultists, killers, kidnappers and others who harbour abominable intentions against the citizenry.
According to Prof. Esuh, “although Lucifer’s target was Adam, he had to pass through Eve to reach him, he had to discover what will unbundle the Adamic black box.
“Lucifer did not go by himself, he sent his brand ambassador, the serpent, described then as one of the most beautiful creatures.”
Prof. Esuh, a Governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Akwa Ibom State in 2014 noted that “in the context of political products, Nigeria defies the marketing communications maxim that you can only sell a bad product once”.
According to him, “the moment we eschew rhetoric of the guns and the rhetoric of inducement, the professional persuaders will have a lot to do to persuade the persuaders for votes.”
The Scholar disclosed that in a study he carried out on the 2015 presidential elections in Nigeria, it was noticed that both the PDP and the APC spent billions in excess of what is permitted by law.
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He highlighted the dangers of monetary inducements in politics and its impact on governance and advocated for a more people driven political leadership.
Earlier, the Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Udom Emmanuel who was represented by the state Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet observed the contributions of Professor Esuh to the development of Akwa Ibom state.
The Goveenor declared that professor Esuh was a great lover of Akwa Ibom state who was ready to sacrifice everything for the development of the state.
He applauded professor Esuh for developing the Lucifer-Serpent Model of persuasion where Lucifer used the Serpent as a Brand Ambassador to persuade Adam to disobey the instructions of God.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Professor Nyaudo Ndaeyo, extolled the extraordinary scholarship of Professor Esuh and his contribution to knowledge.
He noted that the University, in its vision to unbundle the Communication Arts Department to a robust and global brand, has conferred on the Department the status of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies with seven specialised departments and commended Prof Esuh for his steadfastness and passion for academic excellence.
