By Edem Ekpo
A Professor of Media, Change and Development Communication at the University of Calabar, Stanislaus Iyorza, has urged the Nigeria’s Government to adopt citizen-centered policy communication as a core strategy in governance, stressing that it would enhance trust, reduce tensions, and strengthen democratic consolidation in the country.
Delivering his inaugural lecture at the University of Calabar, Prof. Iyorza, who is also the Postgraduate Coordinator in the Department of Mass Communication, lamented the dominance of top-down governance where leaders rely on monologue communication that excludes citizens from meaningful participation.
He noted that this approach reduces the people to passive recipients of directives, fueling apathy, mistrust, and resistance to government programmes.
The scholar argued that communication must move beyond propaganda and information dissemination to serve as a true bridge between government and the governed. He emphasized that principles of development communication, which highlight dialogue, participation, and cultural sensitivity, should guide Nigeria’s policy communication framework to make public policies resonate with ordinary citizens and foster collective ownership.
“Policy communication must evolve into a dialogue that reflects the experiences of citizens, acknowledges their cultural realities, and adapts to local contexts. Only then can governance be truly inclusive and development sustainable,” he said.
Prof. Iyorza further explained that inclusive policy communication has the capacity to manage diversity, reduce social tensions, and promote democratic values by ensuring citizens are genuinely engaged in policy formulation and implementation.
The media scholar warned that continued exclusion of citizens from governance processes risks widening the disconnect between leaders and the people, thereby undermining democratic progress.
Citing examples from other developing nations, he pointed out that participatory communication frameworks have delivered more effective governance outcomes.
He therefore urged Nigerian leaders to adopt similar approaches, especially at a time when the country is facing economic challenges and declining public trust in state institutions.
The lecture attracted academics, government officials, policymakers, and students, and was widely commended for its depth and timeliness.
Participants noted that Prof. Iyorza’s intervention underscored the growing demand for transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in Nigeria’s governance process, adding that inclusive communication could serve as a unifying tool to bridge the trust deficit between leaders and citizens.