Of corporate culture and the Nigerian exception
There are two things I hope to achieve with my writing. One, to demystify public relations. Secondly, to help expatriates or multinationals understand the Nigerian consumer better.
With three startups under my belt and having worked with expatriates for over a decade, dealing with culture shock has been important in winning the argument for localisation of communication as well as business policies and processes. From explaining that the correct spelling is “Pidgin English” and not “Pigeon English,” as well as how it came to be, to how a single mosquito bite does not necessarily give you Malaria and kill you, and why staff expect to take home a bag of rice and a bottle of vegetable oil at Christmas are some employee relations issues I have dealt with. Have I won all of them? Most!
But there is one issue organisations continue to struggle with. And whilst aware that Africa Day is set aside to celebrate the unity of Africans, corporate culture is on my mind — specifically, the first-name-basis.
It might not seem a necessary discourse given the current situation of working from home. But then again, what about those who cannot drop the formalities over the telephone or chat?
As part of corporate culture, many multinationals insist on a first-name-basis but it rarely works. Some staff genuinely struggle to address a boss who is 10 years older by their first name. And some businesses consider it sycophancy. However, to a great extent, that’s not the case.
This culture originates from the family unit. And societal norms are highly influenced by family values. For an individual who was raised in a home where everyone five years older is referred to as either aunty or uncle — including childminders and domestic staff, mummy or daddy, it’s difficult to drop the titles in the workplace.
It is also noteworthy that there are Nigerians who consider their traditional titles such as Chief and Alhaji much more valuable than any political titles or any appendage courtesy an academic qualification. As such, it is very Nigerian to address such people with multiple titles such as Chief, Dr. Otherwise, it could be very costly — even for businesses and result in needless apologies.
Consequently, some Nigerians would rather err on the side of caution. For instance, someone who has never met a woman on the other side of the telephone, at a reception or hotel lobby chooses to address her as Mrs because they’re trying to be polite. In communication, when unsure of a woman’s marital status the rule is simply to address her as Ms or ma’am. “Ms” is a neutral title that can be used whether a woman is married or not. Better still, ask whomever what their preferred title is. But to the receptionist, it’s easier to apologise to a spinster for addressing her as Mrs, than to experience the wrath of a married woman.
So, should organisations sweat it? In my opinion, not at all. There are rules to be flouted in Nigeria and this is one of them.
