How celebrity endorsements influenced electoral fortunes in 25 years

Kevin Costner’s epigram was apt when he averred that “being a celebrity is probably the closest to being a beautiful woman as you can get.” Costner, an American actor, director, and movie producer, ingeniously likened celebrities to beautiful brides—the cynosure of all eyes.   Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, celebrities in the form […]

Kevin Costner’s epigram was apt when he averred that “being a celebrity is probably the closest to being a beautiful woman as you can get.” Costner, an American actor, director, and movie producer, ingeniously likened celebrities to beautiful brides—the cynosure of all eyes.

 

Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, celebrities in the form of musicians and actors have played prominent roles in bolstering the goodwill of political parties and their candidates, boosting their chances at the polls.

The likes of Fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall and ace Kano singer Dauda Kahuta, aka Rarara, have occupied pole positions in political campaigns over the years. In fact, they have become part of the brand of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the candidates they support.

Arguably, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s trajectory as a politician and governor under the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), as well as the systematic spread of his political tentacles in the South West, is incomplete without reference to Wasiu Ayinde’s artistry. From Lagos to Osun, Ogun to Ondo, Ekiti, and Oyo, the musician mesmerises supporters on campaign grounds, endorsing the parties and candidates and helping them win elections.

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In Kano and several north-western states, Rarara wields a similar influence, endorsing former President Muhammadu Buhari, former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, and even Tinubu, among others, at different times.

The singer’s belief that he played a crucial role in the electoral success of Tinubu must have been so indubitable to him when he said the president ought to have consulted him while forming his cabinet.

“If I am not appointed minister, I should at least be consulted and be allowed to choose the people that will be appointed ministers,” he said.

Like their colleagues in the entertainment industries, actors who have become household names due to their ever-presence on every TV screen across the country have also taken steps to wield this influence by endorsing politicians and political parties during electioneering periods.

Politicians clearly understand the crucial role these celebrities play in shaping public perception during electioneering. Lagos House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, succinctly captured this when 60 Nollywood actors, who endorsed Tinubu for president, visited his (Obasa’s) office.

“Our task is to involve people, enlighten them, and make them see reasons why they should continue to support APC,” Obasa said while commending the actors for assisting in mobilising the electorate.

Not only a Nigerian thing

As a fact, celebrity endorsements are not exclusive to the Nigerian democracy. The first African-American President of the United States, Barack Obama, mobilized over 190 celebrities for his re-election in 2012. They included American stars like Oprah Winfrey, Blake Lively, Jessica Alba, Olivia Wilde, and Eva Longoria. However, Nigeria’s scenario is intriguingly peculiar, stirring controversies every election season.

Preparatory to the 2011 general elections, ace celebrities and entertainers, including Onyeka Onwenu, the late Sammie Okposo, Stephanie Okereke, Bob Manuel Udokwu, Segun Arinze, Felix Lebarty, Yinka Davies, Daddy Showkey, D’Banj, and Wande Coal, vigorously campaigned for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, who was finishing off the remaining term of his late boss, former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

An album tagged ‘Goodluck Jonathan,’ featuring top artists, was produced during the campaign. Similarly, a group of Nigerian actors floated a campaign movement dubbed ‘I believe in Goodluck Jonathan’. It was no surprise that Jonathan won that election, defeating his closest rival, General Muhammadu Buhari, by a landslide.

Like a proverbial beneficiary who never gets tired of his helpers’ generosity, Jonathan strategically wooed more celebrities in his re-election bid in 2015. Although he lost gallantly to Buhari this time around, the endorsement he got was overwhelming and was only trumped by other factors that worked against him.

He received wide endorsements from popular Nollywood actors, artistes, and comedians such as former President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ibinabo Fiberesima, Mike Ezuronye, Paul Obazele, Toyin Abraham, Larry Kodsweat, actress turned evangelist, Eucharia Anunobi, Omoni Oboli, Timi Dakolo, Onyeka Onwenu, D’Banj, KCee, Bovi, and Seyi Law, among others.

And at a time when the ex-president was fast losing the confidence of many Nigerians in his administration, the celebrities never failed to convince the voters of the reasons to re-elect him. Addressing PDP supporters during a rally for the 2015 election, popular actress Ini Edo insisted that any attempt to enthrone another candidate other than Jonathan would be suicidal.

A few celebrities supported Buhari, too. Mavin Records boss Michael Collins, otherwise known as Don Jazzy, and hip-hop star Olamide were among them. Don Jazzy maintained that the Jonathan-led government had not done enough to deserve another term, and he took many of his fans by storm when he hit the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos for the APC presidential campaign. Olamide also released two singles in support of the Buhari/Osinbajo campaign organisation, stating that the duo were the right leaders Nigeria desired.

Though Innocent Idibia, aka 2Face, was neutral, he championed the “vote-not-fight campaign,” appealing to Nigerians that the election was not a do-or-die affair.

Instructively, massive celebrity endorsements are not always enough to decide where the pendulum swings, as proved by the 2015 presidential election. The will of the majority still counts, ultimately.

Ini Edo admitted this reality after Buhari was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). “Nigeria has decided. Congratulations, Rtd. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, president-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I also congratulate Nigeria on the peace shown throughout this election. I had supported President Jonathan, but your voices have been heard and your votes counted. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. #truedemocracy #NigeriaDecides,” she had said.

 

Social media amplifies celebrity endorsements

With the increasing popularity of social media, celebrity endorsements in Nigeria’s electoral system have grown tremendously, attaining an incredible new level in the buildup to the 2023 general elections.

Musicians, film makers, social media influencers, ex-football stars, and skit makers created so much buzz around the three major presidential candidates: Tinubu of the APC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).

Tinubu and Obi, in particular, had a number of A-list celebrities leveraging their followership on social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, to campaign for the two politicians.

“Since the campaign has commenced, the artistes, having large followers on social media, see it as an opportunity to reach out and engage prospective voters,” actor Saheed Balogun remarked when his group of 60 actors visited Obasa, the Lagos State Speaker.

Top Kannywood stars also pitched their tent with Tinubu. They included Ali Nuhu, Adam Zango, Sadiq Sani, and Rabiu Daushe. Interestingly, Zango initially supported the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, before he eventually switched to Tinubu’s camp during the APC’s campaign at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.

On the other hand, entertainers, mostly from the South-South and South-East, like the P-Square brothers, Phyno and Flavour, rallied support for Obi, while Davido and Banky W rooted for Atiku.

 

Endorsements attract backlash

With the 2023 presidential election dubbed arguably Nigeria’s most divisive election along ethnic and religious lines, the flurry of endorsements generated mixed reactions and a barrage of backlash from followers and among the celebrities themselves. For instance, Yoruba Nollywood actors’ endorsement of Tinubu set social media on fire, leaving Nigerians divided. While some backed the choice of the actors, others claimed they were among those responsible for the country’s economic woes, having supported Buhari in 2015 and 2019, while others simply flayed them as flying an ethnic card with their endorsement. The thespians had announced their endorsement in a video clip shared by a veteran actor, Yinka Quadri, where some of his colleagues took turns to endorse Tinubu.

Those featured in the video were Jide Kosoko, Fausat Balogun, Taiwo Hassan, Femi Adebayo, Shola Kosoko, Faithia Williams, Saheed Balogun, Murphy Afolabi, and Eniola Ajao, among others.

“The person’s morality and integrity are to be questioned in the first place. Nollywood Yoruba has always been a hall of shame since time beyond, hungry sets of men and women,” @Theabiolasteven wrote on X in disapproval of the endorsement.

But @Taiwoalabiho2 approved of the actors’ stand, saying, “A group of Yoruba actors made a jingle for BAT, and you started ranting. P-Square, Phyno, Flavour, and a number of South-South and South-Eastern celebrities are rallying support for Peter Obi, so what’s the problem? We cannot move forward with these double standards.”

Earlier and long before the electioneering thickened, ahead of a novelty match in commemoration of Tinubu’s 70th birthday, former Super Eagles player Kanu Nwankwo and his ex-teammates visited the residence of the then APC presidential aspirant at Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Many Nigerians saw the March 2022 visit as a subtle endorsement of Tinubu and ‘came for’ the former players on social media. The former Arsenal striker had to post a video on Facebook to defend his association with Tinubu, saying the ex-governor of Lagos was among three governors who supported the Kanu Heart Foundation 22 years ago.

“A lot of people have been talking; all the same, we are all entitled to our opinions. Of course, we have to talk. I’m not a politician; I’m a footballer, and a proud one at that. I’m a legend who knows what is good and what is not,” he stated.

The praises and knocks notwithstanding, the election had been won and lost, and the dust had settled or gradually settling. And irrespective of the heated debates the endorsements stirred, it is certain that celebrities will continue to play a dominant role in the electoral process in Nigeria by shaping voters’ opinions and setting the pace for electioneering. It definitely can only get more intriguing in the coming years.