The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) recently inducted 24 new members In Abuja. The new inductees were majorly top government media aides, communications specialists, lawyers, and some army generals. The ceremony took place after the inauguration of its Governing Council by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi.
Among those inducted as members of the institute were the former spokesman for the House of Representatives and current Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, to the President of the Senate, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, Major General Jimmy Akpor, the Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Army who is a former Defence spokesman; Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Senior Special Assistant (Print Media) to President Bola Tinubu; Rt. and Ismail Mudashir is the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy Senate President.
Also inducted into the institute were the Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communications (Communications Adviser to the President of ECOWAS), Linda Akhigbe, the Director General (Press Affairs) to the Governor of Gombe State, Mallam Ismaila UBA Misilli and top media and public relations managers in the government and private sector.
Other inductees include the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Olufemi Soneye; Senior Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Emmanuel Afonne, a former spokesperson of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Metuh Olisa; and among others.
Speaking at the event, the Information Minister said that the inauguration of the council is in line with the provisions of the Act, CAP N114, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which established the Institute as the nation’s sole professional body responsible for regulating and developing public relations practices in both the private and public sectors of Nigeria.
He urged the institute to promote professionalism and checkmate quacks in the sector.
“Promoting professionalism in the Public Relations profession will allow for socio-economic opportunities and development of the nation,” he said.
According to him, the activities of NIPR align with the Act’s provisions, CAP N114, and the country’s laws that established the Institute as the nation’s professional body responsible for regulating the practice and development of public relations.
“It is the only professional body responsible for regulating the practice and development of public relations in Nigeria’s private and public sectors.
Idris disclosed that he was “Impressed with the initiatives and programmes of the current Council led by Dr. Ike Neliaku, as contained in a document presented to me earlier before this event. I firmly believe that if we’ll implemented it, they have the potential to transform both the institute and the country into a global reputational hub”.
While administering oath on the inductees, the National President of NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku said the institute stood for excellence and professionalism stressing that the era of quacks operating in the industry was over.
He said they have activated the compliance department of the institute to ensure that the NIPR Act of 2007 was fully complied with.
Neliaku disclosed that the institute had written to all government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) educating them on the need to comply with the provision of the law and desist from appointing non-professionals to man their communications and public relations units and departments.