"Kasongo" Politics: Drama Over Delivery of Dividends of Democracy
Updated on : Sunday, 14 September, 2025
Released on: Thursday, 11 September, 2025
Read (246) |
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A curious animal has taken on a strange political life in our public conversation. The "Kasongo" — a noisy warthog — it makes a big fuss, scares and poke other animals (even the lions), then vanishes into its burrows. The Kasongo is now an internet celebrity - it gets people talking. In Nigerian politics, that caricature now mirrors a worrying pattern: lots of politicians, especially from some opposition parties stage loud stunts, scandal and social-media noise to win attention and likes, but rarely lead to the real work of government. That kind of politics is more about show and clicks than it is about helping people.
We must be frank. Political life in Nigeria today too often rewards spectacle. Since 2015 a new party consolidated power through vigorous opposition - often vile, and coalition-building, changing the country's political landscape. That transition — historic in itself — should have sharpened public debate and accountability; instead, parts of our political culture have drifted toward sensationalism.
On many platforms, the loudest voices are not always the most constructive. Social networks accelerate rumours, amplify calculated outrage, and reward those who can sustain attention rather than those who offer reasoned alternatives. Studies show social media in Nigeria is a powerful driver of political conversation — and of misinformation when safeguards and ethical leadership are absent. This is not a niche problem: it affects civic trust, policy discussion, and the ability of citizens to judge performance on facts.
There are three worrying dynamics we must resist.
1. ATTENTION-FIRST OPPOSITION
Some individuals and groups posture as opposition leaders but prioritise viral attacks over evidence-based critique. Their goal is engagement, not reform. Followers are fed a steady diet of outrage that substitutes for policy proposals.
2. TIT-FOR-TAT POLITICS FROM THE CENTRE
Ruling party has, at times, responded in kind — quick to counterpunch against viral stories while slow to engage with substantive policy critiques from credible voices. That dynamic leaves real issues unexamined and the public in the dark about policy trade-offs and outcomes. Anyone can be forgiven to think that the ruling party is using this dynamic to avoid public scrutiny of their policies and their implementations.
3. DELIBERATE DISTRACTION (THE "DEAD-CAT" GAMBIT)
Political actors can deploy manufactured shocks or sensational claims to divert attention away from governance failures — a media tactic studied and used around the world. Where this happens, the space for sober oversight closes.
Let's be clear: these are systemic problems, not the exclusive fault of any single party. The ruling party's rise and conduct are a matter of public record and legitimate scrutiny; so too is the opposition's duty to propose workable alternatives rather than merely score headlines. Responsible leadership — whether in or out of office — must prioritize transparency, policy debate, and the institutions that let citizens verify claims.
What we must demand of ourselves and of our leaders
4. REFOCUS ON POLICY
Opposition parties should publish clear, evidence-backed policy platforms and performance metrics rather than rely on performative attacks - scaremongering synonymous with kasongo.
5. PROTECT PUBLIC INFORMATION SPACES
The state should resist knee-jerk censorship and instead invest in media literacy, fact-checking partnerships, and clear channels for official policy explanations. (Actions like social-media bans or directives may temporarily silence noise but they do not solve the underlying lack of trustworthy information.)
6. CALL OUT DISTRACTIONS
When sensational stories appear to substitute for scrutiny of governance, institutions and civil society must name and investigate the diversion rather than amplify it. The public has a right to know whether a viral controversy is substantive or simply a political sleight-of-hand.
Citizens should not be passive consumers of spectacle. Demand evidence. Ask hard questions about budgets, security, health, education and jobs. Hold every politician — self-styled Kasongos included — to the same standard: do they advance national development or only their follower counts?
Until we attain power, the BOOT Party will continue to champion a Political Opposition for National Development. As leader of an opposition committed to practical progress, I pledge our engagement will be judged by proposals and outcomes — not by the volume of our insults or cleverness of our provocation. We will use every platform to expose failures and promote realistic remedies, and we will not be seduced by the politics of noise.
Nigerians deserve better than an endless chase. They deserve leadership that explains, proposes, and delivers.
Yours sincerely,
Sonny Adenuga
National Chairman
Because Of Our Tomorrow (BOOT) Party
@SonnyAdenuga
The BOOT Party is a cooperative-like political leadership system.
@TheBOOTParty
Send Feedback
WhatsApp: +234-705-774-9595
Signing up is free.
Join BOOT Party and Get Involved!
Download BOOT Party App to
Vote in BOOT Party Election Primaries
Donate Because Nigeria Matters
"Kasongo" Politics: Drama Over Delivery of Dividends of Democracy
Updated on : Sunday, 14 September, 2025
Released on: Thursday, 11 September, 2025
Read (246) |
Join BOOT Party
Tweet #VoteBOOTParty
A curious animal has taken on a strange political life in our public conversation. The "Kasongo" — a noisy warthog — it makes a big fuss, scares and poke other animals (even the lions), then vanishes into its burrows. The Kasongo is now an internet celebrity - it gets people talking. In Nigerian politics, that caricature now mirrors a worrying pattern: lots of politicians, especially from some opposition parties stage loud stunts, scandal and social-media noise to win attention and likes, but rarely lead to the real work of government. That kind of politics is more about show and clicks than it is about helping people.
We must be frank. Political life in Nigeria today too often rewards spectacle. Since 2015 a new party consolidated power through vigorous opposition - often vile, and coalition-building, changing the country's political landscape. That transition — historic in itself — should have sharpened public debate and accountability; instead, parts of our political culture have drifted toward sensationalism.
On many platforms, the loudest voices are not always the most constructive. Social networks accelerate rumours, amplify calculated outrage, and reward those who can sustain attention rather than those who offer reasoned alternatives. Studies show social media in Nigeria is a powerful driver of political conversation — and of misinformation when safeguards and ethical leadership are absent. This is not a niche problem: it affects civic trust, policy discussion, and the ability of citizens to judge performance on facts.
There are three worrying dynamics we must resist.
1. ATTENTION-FIRST OPPOSITION
Some individuals and groups posture as opposition leaders but prioritise viral attacks over evidence-based critique. Their goal is engagement, not reform. Followers are fed a steady diet of outrage that substitutes for policy proposals.
2. TIT-FOR-TAT POLITICS FROM THE CENTRE
Ruling party has, at times, responded in kind — quick to counterpunch against viral stories while slow to engage with substantive policy critiques from credible voices. That dynamic leaves real issues unexamined and the public in the dark about policy trade-offs and outcomes. Anyone can be forgiven to think that the ruling party is using this dynamic to avoid public scrutiny of their policies and their implementations.
3. DELIBERATE DISTRACTION (THE "DEAD-CAT" GAMBIT)
Political actors can deploy manufactured shocks or sensational claims to divert attention away from governance failures — a media tactic studied and used around the world. Where this happens, the space for sober oversight closes.
Let's be clear: these are systemic problems, not the exclusive fault of any single party. The ruling party's rise and conduct are a matter of public record and legitimate scrutiny; so too is the opposition's duty to propose workable alternatives rather than merely score headlines. Responsible leadership — whether in or out of office — must prioritize transparency, policy debate, and the institutions that let citizens verify claims.
What we must demand of ourselves and of our leaders
4. REFOCUS ON POLICY
Opposition parties should publish clear, evidence-backed policy platforms and performance metrics rather than rely on performative attacks - scaremongering synonymous with kasongo.
5. PROTECT PUBLIC INFORMATION SPACES
The state should resist knee-jerk censorship and instead invest in media literacy, fact-checking partnerships, and clear channels for official policy explanations. (Actions like social-media bans or directives may temporarily silence noise but they do not solve the underlying lack of trustworthy information.)
6. CALL OUT DISTRACTIONS
When sensational stories appear to substitute for scrutiny of governance, institutions and civil society must name and investigate the diversion rather than amplify it. The public has a right to know whether a viral controversy is substantive or simply a political sleight-of-hand.
Citizens should not be passive consumers of spectacle. Demand evidence. Ask hard questions about budgets, security, health, education and jobs. Hold every politician — self-styled Kasongos included — to the same standard: do they advance national development or only their follower counts?
Until we attain power, the BOOT Party will continue to champion a Political Opposition for National Development. As leader of an opposition committed to practical progress, I pledge our engagement will be judged by proposals and outcomes — not by the volume of our insults or cleverness of our provocation. We will use every platform to expose failures and promote realistic remedies, and we will not be seduced by the politics of noise.
Nigerians deserve better than an endless chase. They deserve leadership that explains, proposes, and delivers.
Yours sincerely,
Sonny Adenuga
National Chairman
Because Of Our Tomorrow (BOOT) Party
@SonnyAdenuga
The BOOT Party is a cooperative-like political leadership system.
@TheBOOTParty
Send Feedback
WhatsApp: +234-705-774-9595
Signing up is free.
Join BOOT Party and Get Involved!
Download BOOT Party App to
Vote in BOOT Party Election Primaries
Donate Because Nigeria Matters
