Head, Corporate Affairs, National Space Research and Development Agency, Mr. Felix Ale, speaks with BOSEDE OLUSOLA-OBASA on how he has fared as a Public Relations practitioner
How would you explain space science and technology to a layman?
First I wish to acknowledge the exponential growth in knowledge and continued developments in science and technology in transforming society. Space Science is the study or use of everything beyond the earth surface – the atmosphere and the edges of the universe help us to discover possible threats to life on earth and help to inhibit them. Our lives and future depend profoundly on our understanding of planet earth. Space technology is also used to deliver services to users on the ground, that is, images of the earth or weather patterns, navigation and communication. For young people, a career in the space industry means the exciting job of becoming an astronaut and making trips to outer space or a great scope for creativity and a chance to build something new. However, there are more opportunities for people there than just astronauts.
But many Nigerians don't see the seriousness in the country's space adventure?
The Nigerian Space programme has been a success story and has made a lot of impact both in and outside the country. Nigeria's venture into Space is not a mere adventure or coincidence but in pursuit of new strategies and solutions to numerous problems to enhance the quality of life of the common man. Nigeria has recorded major breakthroughs in Satellite technology, riding on the inspiring story of NASRDA, particularly on the successful launch of its various satellites, groundbreaking collaborative programmes, capacity building strategy and Space applications projects. Nigeria became one of the few countries with a high resolution earth observation satellite with the mission to provide high-resolution panchromatic and multispectral imagery. The beauty of it is that the Nigeria sat-X was solely designed and built to flight standard by Nigerian engineers and scientists, using the facilities of our technical partners in the United Kingdom.
It may also interest you to know that a lot of achievements have been recorded using the products of Nigeria sat I, II and X Satellite Data. They include provision of data through disaster monitoring constellation for Hurricane Katrina in the United States in 2004, Sokoto (2010) and Ibadan (2011) flood disaster in Nigeria as well as the devastating floods of 2012 that adversely affected a lot of states. Specifically, NASRDA provided satellite imageries that were used to map the Niger-Benue through and along some flood ravaged areas in the country in conjunction with NEMA and the World Bank. There were also desertification monitoring and early warning in the North-East Arid zone of Nigeria, satellite-based environmental change research in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, gully erosion monitoring in the South East of Nigeria, Spatio-temporal assessment of climate and human-induced impact on ecosystem degradation and water resources management of Kainji lake area as well as the study and modeling of atmospheric pollution in the Niger Delta region and study on deforestation and implication on biodiversity (flora and fauna) in Nigeria. We can go on and on but I want to emphasise that NASDRA has provided a lot of satellite imageries for use for various socio-economic and developmental projects as well as research planning, implementation, monitoring and management of projects country wide and beyond. With these noble achievements, Nigeria has become the hub of Space programmes in Africa and indeed a reference point.
PR practitioners are usually perceived as boys for the dirty jobs. How true is this in your experience?
In the effective discharge of my duties at NASRDA, I have never seen PR as tantamount to doing the dirty job of covering up the truth. It is even more dangerous and counter-productive when a PR man covers up the truth. Truth is sacred, hence it is better for you to say it at all times. Nigeria is not a society where you can feed the public with lies because the people are intelligent. I remember when we de-orbited our first communication satellite codenamed NIGCOMSAT-I, there were lots of conflicting reports in the media. Some people said the satellite was parked in the orbit, while some reported that it had disappeared from the orbit.
But I had to tell the truth to the public that the satellite had actually been de-orbited due to the failure of its solar panel, which was more or less the power house for the satellite. When there is a major problem with any satellite in the orbit, the best thing to do is to de-orbit the satellite to avoid collision with other satellites. Such was the case with NIGCOMSAT-I. I later announced when the satellite was fully insured that it had. I added that satellite failure in the orbit was never a strange phenomenon in the global space community. Thereafter, the satellite was successfully replaced in the orbit with NIGCOMSAT-1R and it is working well. Immediately the true situation was revealed to Nigerians that time, the built up tension as a result of the misinformation by some senior government officials was doused.
You once served as a Chief Press Secretary to a governor. How easy was it integrating back into the society thereafter?
I cannot see a different lifestyle as a political appointee and as a career officer. From the very first day that I was appointed a Chief Press Secretary, I realised it was a call to service, particularly a rare opportunity for me to bring my professionalism forward. I never saw it as an opportunity to acquire wealth or embark on rat race for money. I maintained my usual relationship and interactions with my friends and colleagues and I never saw anything so special about the appointment. Contentment has always been the watchword. I was contented with my legitimate entitlement as a Chief Press Secretary and indeed very conscious of tomorrow. In my own case, I was constantly in tune with this reality. Hence I was able to justify the confidence reposed in me by the Ondo State Government.
Typically, journalists either smoke, drink or womanise. Into which category do you fall?
I don't fall into any of these categories. I have never smoked in my life, neither have I ever taken anything alcoholic. The highest I can go is a bottle of soft drink. On the issue of ladies, well, as a young journalist and television star in Ondo State before my marriage, I had the best of time but never with too many ladies. I strongly believe that as individuals, we must be moderate in whatever we do. I often tell my friends that despite the rare opportunity God has given me to travel far and wide to different parts of the world, I have never engaged in any illicit relationship with white ladies, which are 'hot cakes' to most Nigerian young men. I have never been excited to the level of being carried away to get myself derailed or do anything contrary to the oath of my marriage, my principle as a young man or anything inimical to the interest of my nation. I believe we should strive at all times to moderate our lifestyle.
What attracted you to your wife?
I met my wife in 1994 when she was a student at the Ondo State School of Nursing Akure. Her discipline and character attracted me to her. My first visit to her was on a Saturday. I cannot forget my experience on that first visit. Shortly after I arrived at her house, there was a knock on the door and she found that it was her father, a school principal, then in Ondo town. Since there was no escape route for me, she ordered me to go under the bed while she blocked me there with books and boxes. Her father was a great disciplinarian and dared not see me or perceive such an unholy development. She said it would be suicidal for her, if her father got to know. I was under the bed for over two hours during which time her father stayed with her.
I was sweating profusely under the bed but kept praying for him to leave as soon as possible so that I could regain my freedom. Eventually, her father left and when I came out from under the bed, I could sense that she felt more pain than I did. My suffering and endurance strategically positioned me in her heart, until she later accepted my offer for a relationship. Another interesting thing that attracted me to my wife was the fact that I met her as a virgin. We dated for close to two years before I realised this. In fact, it was in the first month she gave me an 'entry visa' that I scored the 'goal'. To me, it was a golden gift. I have never considered having someone else apart from her since we got married.
