A veteran journalist, Elder Dele Akinsola has urged members of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) to take over information management in the country to de-escalate electoral tension and violence.
Elder Akinsola stated this in a paper titled “2023 General Elections: PR Lessons” which he delivered at the April Business Meeting of the Ogun State Chapter of the NIPR on Thursday.
He observed that the incursion of journalists steeped in the “publish and be damned” tradition of news dissemination have been heating up the polity with their vitriolic utterances and propaganda.
He cited the pre- election choleric media war between political parties and their spokespersons as how not to manage information.
He charged public relations practitioners not to cede positions of information management to journalists who are ill-equipped for such positions.
Elder Akinsola said spokespersons who should market their principals unintentionally de-market when they function as “attack dogs” and advised public relations to always educate their principals on professional information management which has zero tolerance for sensationalism, abuse and fake news.
He cited Dr. Fassy Yusuf and Aremo Taiwo Alimi as examples and models of Information Commissioners who were very professional in the discharge of their duties.
He called on NIPR to partner stakeholders like the National Peace Commission, INEC and other institutions to remedy the damages done to the Unity of the country by the just concluded elections especially with the daunting multi-dimensional challenges of debt and Petroleum subsidies.
Members commended the guest lecturer and unanimously agreed that professionals should make happen for themselves what they usually make happen for their principals.
Dele Akinsola, further submitted that- ” As PR men and women, we should avoid bloopers (embarrassing public blunder) or goofs and if you have committed one, don’t cover it up like doctors -don’t let it faze you. Issuing rejoinders or rebuttals should not stoke hatred, ethnic slur, vicious wind and snowstorm of mistrust, according to Larry King in his book, “The Secret of Good Communication”
