Pulse Opinion: Why Donald Duke is a rock star for young Nigerian voters

Donald Duke's charm, charisma and confidence makes him appealing to young Nigerians who are wary of politicians.

There are a few genuine rock stars in Nigerian politics. Donald Duke is one of them.

On a cool Friday evening just before the rains hit, Donald Duke walks into the Ringier Africa Digital Publishing office and there is a mini-commotion. Young men and women jostle to take a selfie with him.

11 years after his reign, the past two-term Governor of Cross River state still has this effect on people. Now 56 years old, the clean-cut, boyish look that he had when he was 36 years is still there.

His Nollywood star-like handsome face exudes the self-confidence of a battle-seasoned political gladiator who has one major fight left in the arena. The challenge before him is to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

His long march to Aso Rock has brought him to Pulse Nigeria, the home of the number one podcast in the country Loose Talk.

 

Founded in 2016 by three friends Osagie Alonge, Ayomide Tayo and Steve Dede, Loose Talk has gained a cult following among Nigerian millennials for its honest and raw conversations about everything from politics, religion, feminism and the latest Drake album.

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What is a Nigerian presidential candidate doing on a millennial podcast? In a country where a notorious governor boasts about frying corn on the roadside with market women as one of his grassroots policies, being a guest on a podcast might be deemed to fancy.

Donald Duke, however, is cut from a different cloth. He belongs to the cream of the crop of the class of 1999, a new batch of young governors that came in after the military handed over power.

He set out a lane for himself, turning the capital city of his state into a clean tourism centre. Now after staying from the scene for a little while, Donald Duke is back.

To become the country's number one citizen he would have to convince Nigerian youths who have a deep mistrust for the political class. As we get closer to 2019, millennials are getting more jaded about the election. Insecurity, killings, poverty and unemployment. It seems the more they tweet about the problems of Nigeria, the more the despair.

With a black Apple watch strapped on his right wrist, Donald Duke spoke authoritatively and eloquently on many topical issues ranging from terrorism to Nigeria's financial system.

 

The 2-hour long podcast shows a statesman that knows the ills that plague Nigeria. Apart from talking about the country's numerous problems, he offered plausible solutions.

Confidence and eloquence are not attributes of Nigerian politicians. Many of them prattle on about policies and solutions with the lowest of convictions. They drone on and on when making boring speeches.

It is safe to say that Nigerian youths have never felt connected to a Nigerian politician before because most of them are either focused on recouping the money they spent on campaigning or are relics of a past dysfunctional system.

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Donald Duke is yet to be affected by the lethargy that preys on Nigerian politicians after some time. He is sharp, energetic and young at heart. In 2019, it would be easy to pitch him as the young man's candidate. Being a guest on a podcast shows that he has his ears to the ground and fully embraces the nuances of social media.

 

No one is saying Donald Duke's candidacy is a slam dunk. He has a lot of work to do especially with regards to grassroots outreach. It's one thing to be hip and cool, it's another thing for people in rural areas to know you and trust you. For now, we can say Donald Duke's campaign might come off as a bit elitist but he still has a few good months to show he is a populist.

For the Nigerian millennial tuned into global happenings, Donald Duke most likely appears as the sure bet. He is hip, cool, trendy, a proven politician with a solid track record and he understands the times. Most importantly, he seems to have the policies and framework to tackle the issues plaguing Nigeria.

 

Hey, and just to score extra points with young Nigerians, he had a close a relationship with Fela Anikulapo-Kuti who taught him how to play the saxophone.