PR and political speech
By Nsikak Daniels
“Novels and stories are sometimes very complex staging grounds to say, in fact, very simple things. Things impossible to say otherwise because they are repeated in so many exploitative contexts – adverts and TV shows and political speeches.” – Zadie Smith.
The power of verbal communication in human evolution, since creation, can never be over-emphasized. Politics, as a vital sphere of human development and existence, has given this vital subject an elevated place in the scheme of things, that approaching it without adopting the kinetics, as is applicable to the PR practice and principles, would be to serve a broth without salt on a well set table.
Giving the piece a lift, PR, in context of this experience, is the art and science of defining relationships, as may be informed by the involved good will and mutual interests, ensuring the sustenance is deliberate and would endure the times.
In this light, dogmas and sentiments of the media and techniques as tools for effective and sustainable result manifestations of a well articulated Corporate PR Blueprint have evolved beyond the traditions of the practice and principles of the PR trade and Speech Writing as a part of the art.
Thus, seasoned practitioners with a clear cut vision to inspire and achieve excellent milestones must align with the moment and launch their clientele in the premium brand spheres. With a well thought out plan and strategies to deploy the kinetics of the rudiments of public speaking and paper presentation in reference to political platforms, they should do so, most essentially now that many countries of the world are holding high level elections. Nigeria and the United States of America are in the heat of it.
A speech may be premeditated or impromptu, written or unwritten. Objectively, it is meant to advocate, inspire, persuade, motivate or draw attention, drumming for empathy for a cause or interest. It is a well crafted set of words, spoken or delivered in a defined setting or situation, as events may or would require. A speech, tailored to fit a given audience, driven by tone of the times, with a predetermined message, must be effectively impactful.
A brief address of an Infantry Platoon Commander in the Ukrainian Army, with a deployment details to clear the remnants of enemy troops making none tactical withdrawal – though with elements of persuasion – would be far more different from an address delivered by a presidential candidate in Nigeria standing for an election and speaking to young adults kept at home by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) leadership and government representatives for months.
Today, speech writing has become a critical aspect of the PR practice, and in many established settings hands are hired to specially see to the realization of the organization’s vision in concert with this peculiar part of its mission that would give light to its goals and objectives. At the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, a whole bungalow houses this unit. This is a pointer to show how significant this element is in governance of any generation.
A written speech must have the key elements such as the theme, where, when, who, the message and by whom it would be delivered to:
THE FUTURE OF THE NIGERIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM: THE WAY WE SHOULD GO. A SPEECH DELIVERED BY CHIEF DR. ADIAMA ABOWO ADIA, THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OF SOJA GO SOJA COME PEOPLES PARTY, AT THE NIGERIAN STUDENTS CONGRESS ANNUAL CONFERENCE, HELD ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2023, AT FREDERICK ADADIAHA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, MAITAMA, ABUJA, AT 10 AM.
The speech must have the introduction, the body that would contain all the essential deliverables with statistics, if such is of import and the conclusion, which must be more than strong enough to drive home the desired points and prospective buy-in of those the speech is targeted at or would be presented to.
However, since it bothers on education with particular focus on the third tier, the parents and the entire academic sector would be given prominence, indirectly, in as much as they are stakeholders.
Nowadays, the simplicity, cost advantage and elaborate social media offers provide an edge that should be judiciously taken advantage of by PR practitioners and those who have taken speech writing as a livelihood, and have found themselves favored to be on the list of politicians as speech writers.
Ethics should never be ignored in the interest of the client as well. Application of creativity and wisdom is highly required. Research is a key ingredient, and, indeed, should be the core of the matter. Data must be searched for and authenticated before usage to avoid a legal tussle and other issues that may mar chances of the client’s victory.
Aside from other deliverables that would be too numerous to mention, it should be considered that advancement in the mood and modules of verbal communication and presentation has changed. Today, it’s more scientific and technological, which make things much easier for those with the ability to explore the trends.
Never delegate the idea that for a speech to be impactful , style, substance, which has to with the message, the speaker’s ability to tell the story in his or her hands , may with real life situations and anecdotes that would set the tune of the credibility of the speaker, emotional connection and sound undoubted logical argument. The tone of delivery is important.
Let me draw my conclusion from George Orwell: “In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible.” It is of immense wisdom to know where to dot the I’s and cross the t’s for the times have changed. From all corners of the world people are beginning to rise to hold themselves accountable for their utterances. Nigeria is not immune.
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