Arit Effanga is a results-driven corporate communications executive and media strategist with over two decades of experience spanning broadcasting, public relations, and reputation management. After an extensive career in radio, television, and digital media, she transitioned into strategic communications and currently serves as the Head of Corporate Communications within the aviation sector. Recognized for her expertise in crisis communication, storytelling, and public positioning, Arit specializes in leveraging media influence to strengthen corporate brands and shape positive public perception.
A Nigerian airline once had a very uncomfortable lesson in public view.
In November 2025, social media personalities VeryDarkMan and Mr. Jollof were involved in an altercation while boarding a United Nigeria Airlines flight from Asaba to Lagos.
The incident caused disruption and delays, attracted enormous online attention, and eventually produced public apologies from both men. The airline acknowledged the apologies while maintaining that its investigation was continuing, and that really is the thing about communication.
The crisis may have lasted for 20 minutes, but the internet discussed it for weeks, and lessons can stay with an organization for years.
Every difficult incident should leave behind more than a statement and a meeting where everybody says, “We will ensure this does not happen again.” Then Monday comes and nothing has changed.
Good communication asks harder questions. What actually happened? Who knew? When did they know? Who had authority to act? What should we have said earlier? What should we never have said? And most importantly, what are we changing?
A crisis is expensive if the only thing it produces is embarrassment, but becomes valuable when it produces institutional learning. The best organizations do not simply survive difficult moments. They document them, study them, and improve the system behind them.
This is because reputation is not protected by having a beautiful statement template, but protected by making better decisions before the next statement becomes necessary.
That is my Friday thought.
If your organization keeps having the same communication crisis in different forms, perhaps the problem is no longer the crisis. It is the system, and that is usually where I like to begin the conversation.
