Likening the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) to a common bird presupposes that it possessed all the extant features of a Bird. While birds generally are wired to fly, NIPR has also demonstrated the same features that can make it not just to fly but jump. An organism like bird is also fitted with a beak with which to pick its feed, but unlike the bird, the NIPR uses its own beak to pick issues and posses teeth unlike the bird to chew those issues it beaked before swallowing them. Unlike the bird also, NIPR presents the character of a super heavyweight champion chalking over a thousand (1000) Ibs in its trail.
The thrust of this article however is not an attempt to draw an exhaustive comparison of NIPR with that of a Bird, but to make a statement of fact about the intrinsic value of a Bird to the ever chirping sounds it makes to rouse lovers of nature from slipping back to slumber. Call it progressive intensity, galloping sounds, a pitch holla from the gods, you will be true to what NIPR represents both to the past, present and future generations. Every passing day towards the complete cycle of 365 days presents a fresh angular dynamics on how to shape our present and future using the strategic tactics and components of Public Relations.
Ideas they say is everything, but Harvey Mackay was quick to remark that ideas without action are worthless. As far back as history can record, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations both at the center of Unity, Abuja chapter and at the central stage have been at the forefront to champion the true essence of nation building through well thought out themes and programs to draw the attention of the Nigerian citizens to the deteriorating issues of national cohesion and trust deficit amongst the multicultural and multi-linguistic society as Nigeria and from the governance space, as well as other social issues bothering on corruption, misgovernance etc and had gone ahead to proffer solutions or recommendations on how best to contain those contaminous and festering challenges. Whether those well thought out recommendations has been deployed adequately by those who are supposed to fly with them is yet a matter for another day. Being a practical person myself, I was privileged to Rapporteur in one of the syndicate sessions at the just concluded Citizens Summit on National Integration, peace and security in Abuja and I asked the same question. Fantastic ideas abound not only in NIPR but in other organizations as well where talks shops, Summit are held with wonderful recommendations, yet it seems the authorities have rather behaved or acted a script which Less Brown will describe as failing to act on a goal established by those concerned and making those who established those goals look like mere wishful thinkers. But I was encouraged to continue pushing my ideas forward and leave the marks of such ideas on the sands of time. Suffice it therefore to state that the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations have persevered over this long period by articulating and charting progressive maps for a new Nigeria.
In 2019 for instance, the vision for a new Nigeria which we all yearn for was once again revisited by the FCT Chapter of the NIPR when it drew eminent stakeholders to discuss the “Leadership question and the true search for the 21st century leaders. Addressing that theme, Nigerians were enjoined to gird their loins, discard primordial sentiments in order to select true forward thinking 21st century leaders who will not only work for the interest of every citizen but will further reposition the country among the comity of progressive nation. The message of the 2019 conference resonated better with well meaning Nigerians. Again wishing that the message of that conference and even others before it continue to resonate exceptionally with the people of this country, the FCT Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations once again re-echoed the need to harness the potentials of our diversity to build our nation together in 2021. Again, it was a resounding message that kept everyone wondering why we have not yet embraced the Nigeria of our dream despite the huge investments by the body of the PR profession in Nigeria to connect the ‘Ts’ for the uptake of the authorities on one hand and the the Nigerian people on the other.
But in what appears to be a rehash of Linda Cosby’s belief in ideas as a function of thinking big, thinking rich, thinking forward and believing in oneself as well as having the next ideas ready to turn into ventures for the future, year 2022 saw another quantum leap from the stable of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations with the recently concluded Citizens Summit on National Integration, peace and security. It was a bold step to have another practical solution to the challenges of national integration, peace and security even as the quest to enthrone a true detribalized leader that will heal our festered wound, restore hope in governance, revive our failing values and rebuild trust among the citizenry even as the scheduled 2023 general elections approaches in a frenzied state. It must be stressed here that the vision to have every Nigerian from all walks of life to speak dispassionately about the future of the Nigerian nation was first muted as a robust idea from the precincts of the Numero Uno Chapter and from the hallowed heart chamber of an icon of the PR profession, Fellow Ike Neliakuchukwu PhD. Listening to the quintessential professional reel out what I considered months of intense study and manurization of ideas, I wondered if such a robust dream could ever be realized given the project and financial outlay. But I held my breath remembering what Byron Pulsifer said about a few people with strong conviction about their ideas to follow through. They usually add a little passion and with further continued effort make their idea a pearl.
Did this citizens summit on National Integration, peace and security become a pearl? Yes and much more… The epic final of the summit which held between the 23rd and 24th of August, 2022 was conceptualized to have a regional buy in of the key tenets of the conversation. And so with the completion of the summit organized in the six geo-political zones of the country plus the Nigerians in diaspora, the stage was finally laid out for the epic engagement at the center which finally held between the 23rd and 24th of August, 2022. Again, it is imperative to state that while the idea of the well attended summit which saw eminent captains of industries, the academia, top government functionaries including the President of the Federal Republic ably represented, political actors, the mighty and the lowly converging to chart a new Nigeria of our dream may have been birthed at the Numero Uno FCT Chapter of the NIPR, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the NIPR, Mallam Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo gave the idea wings with which it flew all over the place. It was the sage who says that an idea is as good as the reasoning and thinking of others who has the idea broken to them. Belsky also admitted that an idea don’t just happen in isolation. It must embrace opportunities to broadcast and then it must be refined through the energy of those who have embraced the idea. This was exactly what happened when the entire gamut of the NIPR family took charge and co-owned a veritable idea, ploughed resources, energy and time to present one of the best and an enduring conversation ever in the history of the Nigerian project. With the likes of Dr. Mrs Dere Awosika who chaired the event, Professor Anya O. Anya, Prof. Vincent Anigbogu, Rev. Ladi Thompson to mention but this few who presented key note addresses and the creme da la creme of the Nigerian society in attendance, you cannot get it better elsewhere. You could even cut with a knife the palpable excitement and the renewed passion with which the theme of the summit which is “Re-open conversation and Rebuilding trust” was discussed.
In the final analysis, Rev. Ladi Thompson in his keynote address during the conversation made reference to one of the most influential personae in the colonial Era, Sir George Dashwood Taubman Goldie. According to Rev. Ladi, Sir Goldie was reputed to have midwifed a systemic weak program designed to make Nigeria fail without falling. In this weak program lies Nigeria’s achilles heels till date. But Ladi in profering a solution avvered that only a superior program in the mould of WAZOBIA 2.0 will crystalize Nigeria’s integration for real. Only those who know how to write this program should get down to work. The only enduring WAZOBIA 2.0 which guarantees national integration, peace and security is to continue the conversation long after it has ended to conscientize and task our leaders, past, present and the future on the need for good governance to engender growth and nation building.
Thank you NIPR for providing us with this platform. The chirping may have ended, but the melodious music lingers on.
© Austin Okechukwu Chijioke, immediate past General Secretary of the NIPR FCT writes from Abuja, FCT.
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