Sometimes the most important part of communication happens before anyone says any word.
Following public outcry and a preliminary review into an incident involving its personnel and and the medical staff at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, on May18, 2026, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission directed a formal apology to Professor Ekpe and the Nigerian Medical Association.
It was a reminder of something organizations often learn the hard way. When emotions are already high, the first statement is rarely the whole story.
There are usually people in the room who know what happened, people who were affected and people who saw the incident differently. Occasionally, there is that one person quietly saying, “Can we hear from everybody first?”
Please listen to that person.
Because communication is not simple. It’s not simply about finding the right words but about understanding the situation before you enter the conversation.
Listen to the customer before writing the response, to your staff before announcing the decision, to stakeholders before explaining whatever strategy you have. Listen to the public before deciding what the public doesn’t understand, and perhaps most importantly, listen to the uncomfortable version of the story.
That is often where the truth is hiding.
In Nigerian corporate life, we sometimes want to manage the narrative before we have properly understood the situation, so we hurriedly call for an emergency meeting, produce press statement, and feel communication has happened simply because we added, “We value our esteemed stakeholders.” Meanwhile, the actual problem is sitting quietly in the corner, wondering why nobody asked it a question.
Good communication begins with curiosity. Before you respond, ask, “What really happened? Who was affected? What are they feeling? What do we know and what don’t we know yet? What would make this message sound human?”
Listening does not make your organization weak, but it sure makes its response smarter, calmer, and more credible.
So, as we begin another working week, here is the Monday reminder: Don’t rush to speak simply because everyone is waiting for a statement. Sometimes the smartest communication decision is to pause, listen, understand, then speak. When the situation is complicated, reputationally, internally or publicly, that is usually where experienced communication counsel ends its keep.
Clear for Takeoff, but first, check the temperature outside.
