I Won't be Trending Only Hashtags - Tolu Ogunlesi Hints He Won't Always Defend Buhari

Posted by Odinaka on Mon 22nd Feb, 2016 - tori.ng

President Muhammadu Buhari's newly appointed special assistant on digital/new media, has said today in Lagos that his advisory role in the president's team will be more than just defending the government.

Tolu Ogunlesi and Daryn Wober at the informative session about the Future of Digital Publishing at #SMWLagos

While speaking on Monday at the Social Media Week, Tolu Ogunlesi, the newly appointed special assistant on Digital/New media to President Muhammadu Buhari, says his advisory role in the president’s team will be more than just defending the government.

The renowned blogger and journalist who was given the Aso Rock appointment last week Thursday, gave a hint of what is to come.

"I’m going to disappoint people that think the work of a PA is to trend hashtags and defend the government," organisers of the event tweeted, quoting Ogunlesi as saying.

Ogunlesi’s appointment was received with mixed feelings, with some applauding it as well-deserved and others adjudging it as yet another violation of the pre-election promise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to reduce the number of political appointees.

However, Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, disagreed with the latter position, saying, "The latest appointment of Tolu Ogunlesi, what are we talking about?" he questioned reporters on Sunday.

"The fact is that the new media has come to stay and you must get a grip of it. Today’s social media is almost setting the agenda for government in a way the traditional media is not doing, so it will be unwise for a government not to recognise that," Lai Mohammed said.