Isah Nasidi, a Kano-based media and communication researcher, has released three books on legal frameworks for political expressions, media regulation and political campaign strategies and tactics.
The books are Political Communication In The Post Truth Era: Concepts, Laws and Strategies; Political Expression Without Harm (A Handbook for Politicians, Journalists, Activists, Sojojin Baka and Social Media Users) and; the Hausa version titled: Siyasa Ba Da Gaba Ba (Jagora Domin Yan Siyasa, da Yan Jarida, da Yan Gwagwarmaya, da Sojojojin Baka da Yan Soshiyal Midiya).
Speaking at the book launch held in Kano on Sunday, the author said “the books are the first-ever that talk about Sojojin Baka, a group of political radio actors that are mostly paid to use radio to promote or oppose and sometimes attack the personal privacy of political and non-political actors or share false information in favour of their clients.”
According to him, Sojojin Baka are predominantly found in Kano and some Hausa-speaking northern states, adding that the book would go a long way in addressing the problem of campaigns of calumny among politicians and their supporters in the country.
Mr Nasidi explained that the main aim of the books is to promote political information and media literacy, sanitise our political expression and promote creativity and professionalism in the production and distribution of political news and advertising.
He added that the key message of the books is to show political actors and supporters that “campaigns should be issue-based not character assassination and political opposition does not mean bitterness and sabotage.”
“The books will help politicians, journalists, activists, and media users (conventional and social media) to Understand the linkup between media, information and politics, grasp how harmful information is circulated and the best mechanism for safe media use and know the legal frameworks that guide political expression and advertising to avoid trespass.
Other use of the books, according to Mr Nasidi are “to master the political communication strategies and tactics used for constructing political news and advertising so as to design attractive and effective media campaigns that would communicate ideas safely and efficiently.”
He said he spent seven years before the completion of the project.
He further explained that issues covered in the first book, Political Communication In The Post Truth Era, which has 20 chapters and 324 pages of include fake news, propaganda, definition and theories of political communication, freedom of expression and the press, communication laws such as, defamation, sedition, false information and hate speech, among others.
Mr Nasidi added that the book also contained mainstream and social media regulation, National Broadcasting Code and NITDA Code of Practice for social media. Section two discusses issues on political campaign strategies, public opinion and political public relations.
“Other issues discussed are negative and promotional political advertising, the relationship between civil society, media and politics, election debate, political interviews and analysis, the role of social media, political satire and humour, political posters and songs. The last section dwells on media and politics in Kano, the role of radio in democracy and detailed explanation about Sojojin Baka.
“The second book is an abridged version of the first book and the last is a translated version. Translated to Hausa. Moreover, considering the poor reading habits among our people, the author converted the Hausa version of the book (Siyasa Ba Da Gaba Ba) into an audiobook that can be listened to using phones or aired on the radio.
“The books were foreworded by Prof. Christopher Terry (University of Minnesota, USA) Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu, (Former VC of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and Y.Z. Ya’u (Executive Director of Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD).
Mr Nasidi said his target readers are politicians, journalists, public relations professionals, activists, Sojojin Baka, Ƴan Soshiyal Midiya (social media actors) and general media users.
