The 32nd Inaugural Lecturer of Covenant University, Professor Rowland Worlu, has advised the federal government to increase advocacy to discourage the culture of vote buying and other social vices undermining the country’s electoral processes.
While speaking on the topic, ‘In Praise of Customers and the Electorate’, Worlu, a distinguished professor of Marketing, and the current Dean of the College of Management and Social Sciences of the University, emphasized the need for the federal government to liaise with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society organisations (CSOS) in making things better.
“An improved advocacy will vigorously discourage the culture of vote buying and other social vices which have affected the democratic system and hindered the sanctity of the nation’s electoral processes. In addition, vote buying will not give room for credible leaders to be elected during elections as the citizens deserve better lives,” he said.
The don stressed the need to curb vote buying, which he claimed was still at worrisome levels in the country. On society, he said that government and business people should be sensitive to the needs of citizens and customers. He said that citizens have expectations from government programmes and services. Customers, irrespective of the nomenclature they assume, depending on the industry or sector of business opportunities, are the kings and queens of the society who must be served.
Stretching his argument further, Professor Worlu noted that in the political arena, customers who are the electorates constitute the engine room or the impetus of electoral politics.
The lecture, according to him, also offers the opportunity to recognize the enviable role of customers in marketing, and that of the electorate in political marketing. “Such tribute is particularly worthwhile to prove that customers and the electorates are the pillars of every sane society. The customer is the anchor of the business world while the electorate constitutes the fulcrum of every electoral democracy,” he explained.
He highlighted some of his achievements in the field of marketing, political marketing management, organizational behaviour and educational landscape, particularly in his over 20 years at Covenant University, even as he promised to liaise with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and Civil Organisations CSOs to increase advocacy for quality of life marketing.
In his welcome remarks, Vice-Chancellor of Covenant University, Professor Abiodun H. Adebayo, said that inaugural lectures tend to address the fundamental aspects of national and sustainable development. Adebayo urged the electorate to positively use their power to vote out leaders and politicians who are not sensitive to the yearnings of the people.
The VC stressed that as it is with marketing promises to customers, politicians must fulfill their commitments to the people during campaigns. He said that Covenant University, as a leading class institution, would remain sensitive and committed to expansive viable solutions toward national and continental aspirations.
Professor Adebayo added that the lecture was a wake-up call to everyone, particularly the academia as regards the relationship with their customers (students). “How well you engage them will determine the outcome,” he added.