Decent Political Ads and the Future of African Writers: A Call for Fairness, Creativity, and Value

Decent Political Ads and the Future of African Writers: A Call for Fairness, Creativity, and Value

By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News

In his thought-provoking essay “Decent Political Ads: Suggestions to African Writers and Political Parties”, Jarga Kebba Gigo draws attention to a silent but critical issue in African politics—the undervaluation of writers and the urgent need for fairness, innovation, and decency in political advertising. His central thesis is clear: political campaigns in Africa cannot continue to spend millions on rallies, music artists, dancers, marabouts, and event organisers while ignoring the writers who craft the very words and ideas shaping political narratives.

This article takes a deeper look at Gigo’s arguments, expands on them, and explores their implications for African politics, the creative industry, and democracy itself.

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The Case for Valuing Writers in Politics

Gigo rightly observes that politics in the modern world is not only about rallies and speeches but also about persuasion, messaging, and storytelling. Campaigns in the United States, for instance, spend billions on advertising, yet African political parties often pay little or nothing to writers who produce campaign messages, articles, or political songs.

Gigo argues that this is not only unfair but also short-sighted. Political parties eagerly fund T-shirt printing, dance groups, or praise singers, while the intellectual labour of writers—who invest hours studying, researching, and crafting political messages—is treated as dispensable.

He notes that writers, like all professionals, deserve to be compensated because “writing costs money, takes valuable time, and should not be reduced to free labour for guilty politicians.”

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Decent Political Ads: Innovation, Not Chaos

A key point Gigo stresses is the idea of “decent political ads.” For him, political advertising should not descend into reckless propaganda or character assassination. Instead, he calls for campaigns to:

• Embrace decency and facts, even when producing attack ads.
• Open opportunities to diverse talents, beyond party loyalists or inner circles.
• Introduce fair payment systems for writers whose work shapes political outcomes.

He envisions a future where political parties publicly invite submissions for campaign ads or songs, offer clear payment structures—ranging from upfront fees to bonuses for ads that bring electoral success—and give proper credit to writers.

This, he argues, would not only professionalise political messaging but also attract “the teenager who may write better ads than the so-called veteran campaign strategists.”

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Payment Structures and Fairness

Gigo proposes two categories of political ad writers:

1. Courted Trusted Group – A team of pre-selected writers paid upfront for their work with opportunities for additional bonuses if their ads prove impactful.
2. Open Group – A public competition where anyone can submit political ads, with clear promises of significant financial rewards for winning entries.

Such systems, he argues, would combine fairness, transparency, and meritocracy, ensuring that political campaigns benefit from the best ideas while writers gain recognition and financial security.

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Beyond Money: Respect and Acknowledgement

While compensation is central, Gigo also highlights the emotional and spiritual dimensions of writing. He shares personal experiences of sleepless nights, long hours of research, and the loneliness that comes with serious intellectual work—often without financial reward or even simple appreciation.

Quoting his own sacrifices, he laments that many talented African writers, such as the celebrated Saihou Omar Gigo, abandoned writing due to lack of financial support, while others continue only because of personal conviction or faith in God’s reward.

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Broader Political Lessons

Gigo’s reflections go beyond the economics of writing to touch on political morality and transformation. He criticises leaders who exploit writers but invest in political sycophancy, urging parties to embrace truth, decency, and character-building rather than fearmongering and manipulation.

He even suggests that attack ads, if 75% based on facts, can still be decent—a powerful reminder that politics should balance criticism with responsibility.

Ultimately, Gigo calls for a politics rooted in love, fairness, and divine accountability, warning that “God is watching, and our every choice matters.”

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Why This Matters for Africa

If adopted, Gigo’s proposals could:

• Create a new professional class of political writers in Africa.
• Elevate the quality and ethics of political campaigns.
• Encourage youth participation through open competitions and fair rewards.
• Reduce the dominance of money politics by rewarding ideas over noise.

As he puts it, “We must improve the character of politicians, ourselves as writers, and the political system as a whole.”

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Conclusion: Towards a New Era of Political Messaging

Jarga Kebba Gigo’s essay is ultimately a call for respect, fairness, and creativity in African politics. It challenges political parties to rethink how they engage intellectuals, value ideas, and shape public discourse.

His vision of decent political ads, fair compensation, and open opportunities could transform not just campaign strategies but the entire relationship between politics, writers, and society.

As Africa navigates its democratic journey, perhaps it is time to pay writers not only with applause but with the dignity, respect, and resources they truly deserve.

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Akahi News http://www.akahinews.org

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Jarga Kebba Gigo’s Essay Below

Decent Political Ads: Suggestions to African Writers and Political Parties

In an evolving world and evolving politics, a person must lead to convince one or multiple groups (Parties). Although the title suggests Political ads as the central aspect, Political songs, Political articles, etc are to be studied and improved with decent compensations, or at least acknowledgement. Writing is crucial beyond the world of arts, but African writers are largely under-valued, but part of the problem includes writers refusing to suggest and make reasonable demands. Life costs money, All politics cost money, u.s presidential politics cost billions of dollars, many  African Political parties now spend millions on different groups, but nearly zero dollars on writers. How can writers resist towards society valuing writers, including the making of millionaires through writing? Yes! Many writers write for far bigger than money, we do need money. Writing costs money, takes valuable time, and we should not be free slaves to guilty politicians, while they pay marabouts, low level praise singers, drivers, dancers, etc. Campaign managers of every party must be educated to value writers in a systematic way, an inclusive strategic mutual uplifting. Yes! I may use the Gambia as an example, Africa as a focus from the title, but some of the ideas can help worldwide, including mighty u.s. 

Campaign Managers: How many managers are grateful for ideas from God versus humans, and how do you express such gratitude? Learning through thinking versus copying by when and how? Nasty Political ads may unfortunately come, but my title states decent Political ads for a reason. A great campaign manager must not just follow old ways or retain a few trusted folks, but lay out strategies for inclusion and fair treatments. 

As manager, we the NPP,  UDP, PDOIS, Republican party of the Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, or xyz is the first Political party to use decent political ads on TV versus social media is a bragging right, but we are the party that values writers most, including you the ordinary voter is a different pioneering standard. Although we have our team of writers, we welcome submissions of Political ads and political songs to xyz number. If we happen to like or use your ad, we will pay you up to a million dollars and a minimum of ten thousand dollars. Of course you will need to set the standards or requirements where you deem fit. 

Different Types of Writing: A low standard manager can be impressed by almost anything from a trusted friend or fan, but ad writing is special. Ad for product selling versus Political Ads may require slightly different skills. Writing prose articles that may win awards may not mean the same writer can write songs, movies, or ads. Writing and delivering are also two different fields. So for a country like the Gambia with almost no history of Political ads, how do you guess versus search who may be the best writers for ads? For u.s or xyz, what are your strategies to search for the teenager who may write better ads than your trusted ad writers with victory records? 

Courted Trusted Group: I think every campaign manager does at least read the newspapers, listen to radio,  check social media, etc. You should name at least ten trusted writers as potential courted group. Hello Mr. Gigo, Njie,  or xyz, we really liked your article against Ousainou Darboe of UDP,  this is both an acknowledgement and suggestion call. We are looking for writers for Political ads and want to tap you in a special group if you are interested. We want you to write ten Political ads for us, we will pay you one or xyz thousand dollars  upon submission. If you work hard enough and our team chooses your ad for TV, we will pay at least ten or xyz thousand dollars per ad. If we use your ad on social media only, we will pay you five or xyz thousand dollars per ad. Plus, the combination of our team rating you fifth position but the results or outside analysis placing you as  the best ad will earn you a hundred thousand or million dollars, especially if we win the elections. Suppose Gigo or xyz agrees. A smart manager will still add: Mr. Gigo or xyz please work hard on it for us and for the country. We value you, but only merits will matter and if your submission is too poor, then why should we choose you in this special group come next election cycle?  

A similar strategy can be used for educative political songs, or do you expect every artist to record without any upfront payment? Do you want one or few artists who may do it for free, or having ten artists working very hard to earn a lot more? 

The Open Group: As said, just because you trust Saihou Omar Gigo as a writer to be in the special courted group does not mean Mr. Jarga Gigo or xyz cannot outperform all your trusted writers. This group is open and requires no upfront payment. Similarly, if Kamala Harris trusts Diddy, Beyonce, or xyz does not mean a new or lesser known artist cannot make a song that outperforms well known artists. By stating, we will pay one million dollars if we use the song you make exclusively for us, as our primary campaign song, you may need a lot of listeners to gauge the best song, unless the viewers help you. 

Justifying Upfront Payment: Infrastructure oriented leaders like president Adama Barrow may never appreciate writers much. So you may have to explain: yes, Jarga or xyz did not  directly endorse you, but his or her attack against Darboe likely cost Darboe many votes. Our stealing speakers learned from him or her, and gave no credits. So the thousand or xyz dollars is both a thank you and to see what more can s/he do for us. 

Justifying huge success based Payment: In product selling, even dummies know ads bring money. The reality is Political ads also bring money. If Jarga or xyz helps you with great ads, your donations  may rise, your winning can lead to a lot more money. If jarga or xyz significantly helped you make a lot, giving back 5%, 10% or xyz is gratitude that those with just physical eyes cannot see. You want all of those competing to spend countless hours to perfect an under one minute ad. Plus, some of them may actually have to try to record and edit the video. Submitting text can be welcomed, but the vision of the writer may be much bigger than the video editor or interpreters/analysts you may have. All top writers should be helped to own a video recording studio, which means far beyond equipment. Even with ready land, Gigo construction or xyz may charge us how much to build an inspiring studio environment? Since the government may not be able to help everyone, pressuring writers to invest more than time and helping a few rise financially is a good thing that can lead to other successes to benefit far beyond the country.

Two types of ads: An ad promoting Barrow or xyz is perhaps best by those who trust him or her as a person. Such ads can also be based on law or policies. So I may or may not like Barrow personally, but I may like a policy like taxing metal exports, a land reform policy, a planned law to legalize medical cannabis or hemp, etc. So those outside your party may still be able to write such ads. 

Attack ads can still be decent.  If the ad is based on 75% factual events/wordings+, then reasonable assumptions in such ads are OK. Here again, you can utilize far beyond your trusted party members or let them at least compete, and be honest in the final payment awards. 

The contracts should be clear, open to modifying ads, but you cannot sell the ads to others without permission. Since such ads never state who writes the ad, an internal system that testifies who wrote and/or edit it will matter, so that the writer can have bragging records for more writing jobs or be cleared of editing wrongs. Writers must work together or they will shortchange us and keep on maltreating us. Although you may write and perform the video+, the two are separate on payments and beyond. Writer Gigo to write hours or days for the ads and accept what payment compared to a permanent job or hiring well-known  Azziz Willan or a  pretty girl to be paid a lot higher than the writer? 

Remember God is watching and our every choice matters. Why I didn’t just try to court NPP or xyz in private to win a personal contract without such a contest? Or just secretly help one party to pioneer it? I am looking for God’s favor, far beyond the Gambia. By inspiring multiple countries, the winner in Nigeria will less likely be me or s/he may never remember me with financial gratitude. However, God can increase my health, wealth, and happiness+ in multiple ways. Even as I write in pain, I am partly happy. 

Writing is Time and Energy Consuming: Even prolific writers like myself need a lot of time to write. I have to spend a lot of hours with God, thinking, being a student under God. Then I have to also read a lot or watch videos to learn or criticise. Then comes the actual writing, which sometimes is just a few hours for folks like me. For example, this very article essentially started around 4 am, while people are sleeping or enjoying partners.  But I also sometimes go through mysterious pain and happiness before the inspiration comes. So I am done around 7 am, but how can this tired body do any other work now? While you folks enjoy your bed or bed-work, I am thinking and writing to make better Africa and the world. When I edit and submit it later, the publishers won’t pay me a dime. They may be struggling or just do not care about writers like many Africans+? 

Business Folks Engagement: Since the campaign managers may be blind or struggling with budget, how many rich businesses value writers? If Mr. Muhammed Jah, Amadou Gigo, Saihou Gigo, etc can spend about two thousand dollars to donate to a party or buy a dinner table to enrich singer Youssou Ndure for a campaign or victory party, then what can they do for writers? Will they contact the campaign managers of their favorite party with suggestions or even pledges? Will Dangoteh, Youssou Ndure, Mo Ebrahim, etc contribute towards not just writers, but which Political ad will be befitting in every country, not just the intended primary party. Of course, sometimes slight modifications will be needed, depending on the country.

Writers Should suggest and Resist: I think all writers and those who care about what writers contribute should push for it beyond sharing. Many good writers left writing because there is no money or not enough money. Mr. Saihou  Omar Gigo is one good example, even though his writing style is very different from mine, many Gambians celebrated his writing, but lack of money on writing contributed to his exit. Folks like me are still on, partly because God is paying except financially for now. There are times you write for only  God’s sake, meaning with or without money, but that should not mean the beneficiaries ignore your dues. My articles against Darboe were to save my country+, so I won’t wait for money. Then come writings that involve money making, which includes Political ads. Why should myself or any writer write ads for free, especially while seeing they value T-shirt printing, dancing, marabouts etc more than writers. Ch.103 demands we demand our dues where need be, beyond but including money.

Since Barrow+ is indifferent to our contributions, we must ask God to help us to be indifferent to some of his causes. Not just should people like me refuse to write ads for free, but we should stop or reduce attacking Darboe until Barrow+ repents and cares for this country by listening… Some of those articles I wrote cost me not just precious time, but cost me ‘friends’. Since my writings were based on facts, losing fake friends can cost you money+ in imagination, but did I gain visible and invisible better friends? Were those articles seeds that God accepted to allow me to live in peace or to even inspire me with this article after many years? So, at the end of the day, we all need money, but may God pay me and every great writer a lot more than money. 

Barrow’s Dangerous Gamble: Ousainou Darboe may be the biggest God’s gift to Barrow. Darboe helped him into politics, worsened his mindset, separated from him  to keep Barrow in Power? Many people are not voting for Barrow, but voting against Darboe. However, God is also watching. Politics is not just about intelligence or tactics, but it includes truth and even kindness, or God’s judgement can come. These ideas I shared can greatly transform politics, beyond the Gambia.  Any factual ad will demand a change of character. The ideas can affect all parties, far beyond the Gambia,  because I serve the universal God. I am capable of writing against any party and for any party, beyond the Gambia,  with studies. From party constitutions to national constitutions, I am contributing without financial pay. God is also gradually helping, so anything can happen. I do not think Gambians or anyone should vote in fear, but in love. So let the constitutions and politics change towards love. We must improve the character of politicians to all, including ourselves as writers.  May God bless us a lot more through Showlove Trinity: let’s learn,  let’s work,  let’s have fun  .

By Jarga kebba Gigo 

An Activist and Transformer. 

Author of Juts Quhr-aahn.