Communication Without Communicating: The First Lady, Akara, and the Perils of Context Collapse
Ishola N. Ayodele, fims-CMC “It is not what you say but what the audience hear that matter” Ishola Ayodele In politically charged environments, audiences often hear what they want to hear rather than what is actually said. This phenomenon underscores my fundamental principle of strategic communication: the onus of understanding in communication does not rest on the audience, it is on the speaker . As Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, recently discovered, even well-intentioned remarks can ignite widespread backlash when stripped of context and amplified through digital echo chambers. The Background On June 26, 2026, Nigeria's First Lady addressed journalists following a Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) meeting with governors' wives. Her remarks intended to explain the philosophy behind providing grants for micro-enterprises sparked viral outrage, mockery by skit makers, and accusations of trivializing economic hardship. The statement that ignited the firestorm w...