The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) On Wednesday, 31st October, 2018 in Calabar the capital of Cross River State inducted 95 persons into its fold as members. The new members were drawn from across the states in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Addressing the new members shortly before their induction, the President and Chairman of Council of the NIPR, Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo, called on the newly inducted to continue to enrich themselves through the Mandatory Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) training.
According to him, “The imperative of the Mandatory Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) training cannot be over emphasized. It will help to make you richer because every day there something new to learn. Don’t be a shallow PR person but continue to quest for knowledge until you are six feet under.”
The President advised the newly inducted members to work towards protecting the image of the country in order to lead a worthy legacy as practitioners, even as he cited the case of an Imam in Kaduna that accommodated Christians during the recent religious crisis that broke out in the state, whom he said would be good to be given an award.
Mallam Sirajo who clarified that Public Relations practice had been chartered and an institute created by law, by virtue of Decree 16 of 1990, said that it was not an association or union but one meant for duly qualified person as practitioners.
He disclosed that the institute would soon wield the hammer on those violating the practice of public relations in Nigeria, warning that both the highly and lowly placed would be affected.
“We believe the embarrassment will be enormous. People in senior management position will be affected. We have tried to constructively engage them to avoid unhealthy tangle,” Mallam Sirajo said, adding that one of the first measure would be to publish the names of the prominent ones.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Cross River State, Pastor Rosemary Achibong, in her goodwill message, tasked practitioners of Public Relations to be versatile, stressing that the job of a PR person was the embodiment of one’s way of life.
Pastor Achibong bemoaned the poor state of Nigeria’s image within and outside, saying a lot of work was needed to address the many problems facing the country such as inter tribal, religious and boundary disputes.
The commissioner called on PR practitioners to project the good things about the country and correct the wrong where necessary through professional advice.
She admonished the newly inducted members to make the day ever memorable and not just an event in Calabar.
In the induction lecture, the Chairman Board of Fellows of NIPR, Chief Tamuno Koko, explained that Public relations was first about understanding the ever changing and evolving environment one operates, adding that such knowledge when professionally applied would impact positively in the propramming, implementation and evaluation of PR job or campaigns.
He stated that PR was about looking ahead and had direct relevance in building and sustaining relationship, saying that relationship built on good reputation would pull and sell the organization.
In order to progress in the various levels of the institute, Chief Koko, who is also an academic doctorate holder, advised the new members to attend MCPDs regularly, mentor and share their experience and identify with their respective local or state chapter.
Another lecture was delivered by Dr Patrick Eneh of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Calabar, who spoke on the topic titled ‘Corporate Communication Redefined: The Difference Between Corporate and Strategic Communication.
Delta State recorded 18 inductees drawn from both public and private sector concerns out of the 95 nationwide, making it the highest among the states.
All the inductees from Delta State in their various speeches after the exercise praised and thanked the State Commissioner for Information, Ogbueshi Patrick Ukah, for providing the finance and enabling environment in getting them to participate in the induction.