Channels TV journalist Juliana Olayinka has publicly countered a recent statement by the Minister of Communication, Innovation & Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, who claimed to be the first minister to introduce weekly updates as part of his public communication strategy.
“I’m probably the first minister in the history of Nigeria that gives a weekly update on his own activities. This is a fact. It’s all over social media,” Minister Tijani said in an interview with Arise TV.
In a direct rebuttal shared on her social media platform, Juliana clarified that this practice was neither new nor pioneered by Tijani, attributing its origins to Laolu Akande, a former presidential aide in the previous administration.
In a response she posted on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote “@akandeoj started this years ago with @ProfOsinbajo”.
Juliana explained that Akande set a precedent by consistently submitting and publicizing weekly reports during his tenure, a practice that was subsequently adopted by many ministers within the administration.
One commentator noted “Akande’s was daily, week, monthly, and even yearly. E dey wine!” in reaction to the Minister’s claim.
Another keen observer noted “He’s probably a newcomer to the scene to just being mischievous”.
Seyi Geshinde in his reaction said “Has he [Minister Bosun] ever crossed paths with a seasoned veteran and exceptional media manager like Laolu Akande? Akande’s brilliance and commitment consistently placed Nigeria’s former Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, on the global stage, ensuring Nigeria’s presence was strongly felt in major conversations worldwide.”
Several other accounts on X have since been reposting many of the daily, weekly and regular updates that Mr. Akande’s team used to post on Social Media while Akande was Spokesperson to the former VP.
Many recall that several other initiatives including Villa Updates and print media interviews and releases occured while Akande was presidential spokesperson.
