Upwardly mobile Public Relations Expert, Tope Olorundero, spoke my mind when she raised an observation at the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) recently held at the NAF Suites in Abuja held between Wednesday, 23rd and Friday, 25th August, 2023. We had just listened to erudite dissection of the public relations landscape in Nigeria by the star-studded speakers headlined by the highly resourceful Lampey Omoyele, the Managing Director of Nitro 121 and moderated by highly cerebral, Temitope Oguntokun, Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs, International Breweries. Other members of the panel included versatile Adedayo Ojo, CEO, Caritas Communications and Franklin Ginger-Eke, CEO, Re-ignite Public Affairs.
Tope pricked the conscience of all when she asked us to look around at the demographics of people attending the Conference and passionately asked for the Institute to be youthanised to make it appealing to the young professionals who are actually making a kill with public relations in their various endeavours either as influencers, publicists or managers of hugely popular celebrities without being affiliated to NIPR. My brother and current Chairman, Editorial Board of Daily Times, Dr. Uche Nworah, who was the Chairman of the “Anambra Night” event held a day before the Conference to sensitize participants on candidates for the elections described this group of professionals as “those currently eating our breakfast”.
I need to declare that the patent to the headline of this piece actually belongs to the indefatiguable wordsmith, Chairman of Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuga, GCON. Anybody who has had the rare privilege of encountering Dr. Adenuga will readily agree to the fecundity, ingenious creativity, infectious wit and above par lexicon of the phenomenon fondly called “the Bull” or as Chief Dele Momodu will address him “the Spirit of Africa”. At a time in the trajectory of Globacom, his refrain was “de-age the brand!”. This was when he steered the communication target towards the youth and concerted efforts were made to make Globacom very appealing to that powerful and important demography. A time-tested Yoruba aphorism says “any venture without young ones will not survive”.
In view of the foregoing, there is a compelling need to attract young professionals into the Institute, especially those currently practicing without recourse to the NIPR.
This lacuna can be corrected and filled by invoking the relevant NIPR Laws to punish quackery. This should engage the attention of the current Council of NIPR as it would standardize public relations practice in Nigeria. It is a thing of joy that my brother, Temitope Adaramola, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Council of Registered Insurance Brokers and my former Ogun NIPR Chairman got elected into the NIPR Council in style. I know of his pedigree as a positive change agent and I am sure he will add great value to Council. I am also super excited that the 15th President of the NIPR, highly cerebral Dr. Ike Neliaku, in his acceptance speech, declared war on quackery. On the other hand, the enforcement of relevant laws will, immediately, address the need for inclusion as the young professionals would be forced to regularize their membership of the Institute with the concomitant effect of a rise in quality and quantity of public relations practice in the country.
Finally, members of the NIPR should begin to ruminate on the emergence of the first female president of the Institute in the nearest future as all the past and present presidents of the Institute had been males. Since 1963 to date we have had all male presidents! I attest to the managerial prowess of the womenfolk which I know, for a fact that, NIPR has been relishing too, over the years.
In the course of my career, I had worked with many high performing women and I am currently relating with an achiever par excellence, Mrs. Seun Boye, our current Chairman in Ogun NIPR. I vividly remember the matronly efficiency of late Mrs. Remi Ishola, who was Chairman, Oyo NIPR, when I joined the Institute in 1991. I also experienced the quality leadership of Mrs. Doyin Ogunbiyi, who was Chairman, Ogun NIPR around the early 90s too. Going forward, as we focus on efforts to de-age NIPR, let us spare a thought for the need to also “de-sex” NIPR by shedding the unintended label of misogyny, which our all male presidents in the last 60 years seem to be conferring on the Institute.
