NIPR Communique

BEING A COMMUNIQUE PRESENTED AT THE END OF THE 2019 COLLOQUIUM OF OGUN STATE CHAPTER OF NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS (NIPR).

The Ogun State Chapter of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations,(NIPR), held her 2019 Colloquium at the Cinema Hall of the Park-Inn by Radisson, Abeokuta, on Thursday, 14th November 2019 with discussants dissecting issues on the theme: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Institutions: The Public Relations Dimensions”. The outcomes of the discussions were revealing as captured and presented below;

1.      Developed countries have strong institution which cannot be overrun based on personal whims and caprices of those in positions of authorities, but in Africa nay Nigeria, the ruling elites are powerful, while the state institutions are weak. This ugly situation must be reversed, if the country must attain greatness.

2.  Inline with the classical statement of the Former President of the United States of America, Mr. Barack Obama, Africa does not need strong men, itneedsstronginstitutions.But,unfortunately,strongmenhavebeenrulingAfricanNationssincethedepartureoftheColonialMasters,theaftermathofwhichareeconomicdownturns andhumanright violations thatwe see around.

3.      Strongmenarecapableofdrivingdemocracy.RatherthanStrongmen,Africaandbyextension,Nigerianeedsvisionaryleadersthatwillbuildaviriledemocracy.

4.      Ademocracywithstronginstitutionswouldbeabletoproducetheessentialelementsofafullydemocraticgovernmentthroughproperseparationofpowers,therebyenablingasystemwhichallowsforchecksandbalancesofthevariousarmsofgovernment.Forexample,inaPresidentialsystemofgovernment.Itisessentialthatthejudicial,legislativeandexecutivearmsofgovernmentworkhand inhand,albeitindependentof oneanother.

5.      Nigeriarequirescapable,reliable,efficientandtransparentinstitutions;strongandviablelegislature;honestpoliceforce;independentpress;avibrantprivatesectoranda civilsocietyto give lifetoour democracy.

6.      TheColloquiumcalledongovernmentandtheprivatesectortoassistinenforcingtheActsettinguptheNIPRtoensurethatthosewhoareworkingasCorporateAffairsOfficersareregisteredmembersofPublicRelationsprofessionals.Also,governmentspokespersonsshouldbelicensedmembersofNIPR in ordertoencourageprofessionalism.

7.      TostrengthentheNigeria’sinstitution,weneedtodefineNationalInterest.WhatisNationalinterest?Whodefinesnationalinterests?DoesourNationalinteresttodayrepresentthetruenationalinterestortheparochialinterestofthefewpeopleinpower?Also,wehavetolookattheinstitutions.Aretheyfailingus?Wealsolookatthepoliciesthatledtotheformationoftheinstitutions,aretheyproperlyconstituted?

8.      ThemonumentalinstitutionalcollapsebeingwitnessedinNigeriatodayisduetothefact that the structurecouldnot hold the vision asdesigned bythe architectofournation.Thus,anentitywithaneffectivestructurelosesitsfunctionality.Formless societyresultsfromthelackof effective structuretoholdittogether.

9.      Asitstandstoday,Nigeriaengagesinmotionwithoutmovement.Thelackofstructurehascreatedformlessness.Fromformlessnesstoemptinessanddarknessin allthenation’sinstitutions,but nevertheless,thereishope.

10.  Theformlessnessthatthenationfindsitselfisaproductofmen’sactionorin-action.Thenegativesituationsthereforearenotfinaluntil  we sayso.Menbroughtustowherewearetodayanditwilltakemenofhonortoinjectlightintoourdarkness andrebuild our institutions.

11.  Inordertostrengthenourinstitutions,wemustgobacktotheinstitutionofthefamily.Thefamilyistheoldestinstitutionofman.Thefamilyinstitutionhasdeclinedfromformlessnesstoemptinesstodarkness.Forinstance,thedisappearingfatherandthematerialisticmothercombinetobequeathagenerationofvisionlessyouthtothecountry.Unfortunately,welookintothereligiousorganizationstohelpusinredressingthemoraldecadence,butthereligiousinstitutionitselfisnot immunefrom theformlessness.

12.  Thestrengthofanationisinitseconomicinstitution.But,theNigeriaeconomicsituationhassufferedfromgeneraldeclineofmoral.Theget-richquickmindsethasweakenedtheeconomicinstitutionasitencouragessharppractices.

13.  Weoftenturntothegovernmentandseethegovernmentasafreeentity.WeexpectthegovernmentofFantasyIslandtouseitsmagicwandtosolveourproblems.

14.  Ifthefoundationbedestroyed,whatcantherighteousdo?Afewlightsthatwehaveinourpublicinstitutions,thelightsaregettingdeemed.And,unless,wehaveacriticalmassofpeoplewiththelightglowing,ourpublicinstitutionwillcontinue todecline.

15. Institutionsaresupposedtobepurpose-driven.Theyshouldbedynamicenoughtomeetthe demandof the changingtime.

16.  Whereinstitutionsarestrong,theweakestleaderiscompelledtopromotepublicgood tothebest ofhisability.

17.  Strengtheninginstitutionisanherculeantask,butitmustbedoneforthesurvivalofour nation.

18.  Ourconstitutionhasnothelpedmatters;wedonothaveapeople’sconstitutiondespiteseveralattempts.

19.  TheneedstostrengthenNigeriainstitutionforsocio-politicalandeconomicpurposeareessentialinordertoguaranteesocialsecurityandimprovementofstandards living ofthecitizens.

20.  No countrycan thrivewhereruleoflawgives wayto corruption.

21.  OurNationalinterestmustbeplacedaheadofpersonalinteresttogalvanizeourpotentialsandachieveour commongoals.

THELEADERSHIPQUESTION

1.      Weneedthearrivalofleadersthatputthenationabovepersonalinteresttogalvanizedevelopment.Weshouldpraythat suchleaderarrive now.

2.      LeadersofnewNigeriawill emerge fromthepoolofcitizen’s participation.

3.      Thethreeagentsofsocialization,family,schoolsandreligiousinstitutionarecurrentlyfailingandtostrengthenourinstitutions,wemustgobacktothebasic.

4.      The biggestcrimeofour generation is ignorance.

THEPUBLICRELATIONSDIMENSION

Remarkably,inrebuildingandstrengtheningtheNigeria’ssocialinstitutionsthroughtheuse ofPublicRelations,thefollowingmustbenotedand considered;

1.      Theessenceofpublicrelationsistoinfluencepolicymakers.Tobuildawin-winsituationthatisbeneficialtoallparties.Toeducatethesocietyongovernment pronouncements,policiesandprogrammes.

2.      TostrengthenNigeriainstitution,governmentneedstoknowthatpeoplemustbuyinto policies.

3.      The societythat willwork mustgivedue recognition topublic relations.

4.      Thegovernmentneedstofine-tuneproperchannelstoselltheirpoliciestothecitizenswithoutcoercionorforce.Forexample,teacherstaughtmathematicswithoutexplainingitsadvantageto the students.

5.      Publicrelationsindustryis notevolvingwiththeworld.PRmust movewiththetrendbymakingampleuseofthesocial mediafor instance.

6.      The socialmediahasdisrupted public relationsinnovations.

7.      Ourlanguagemustbedeployed to activate ourclamorforprogress.

8.      Ourtechnologicalorientationispoor,thisisbecausepeoplestillbuywhattheydon’tfullyunderstandhowto handle oroperate.

9.      Themisinterpretation ofPublicRelationshas affectedtheprofessionofPublicRelations.

10.  Publicrelationshasbeenseentobesomethingbeingdonecasuallyinalldailyactivities.

11.  Themediahaswhatittakestocorrectsocietallopsidedness.Havewebeendoingit?Themassmediacan doit;thecivilsocietygroups cando it.

12.  TheordinaryNigerianistoocomplacent.Wearenotcomplainingabouttheneedtostrengthenourinstitutions.Thepublicaretoodocile.Ifwecontinuelikethat, weshouldnottalkaboutweakinstitutions.

Signed:

WaheedOgunjobi(Chairman)AlaoAzeezAdelaniMuhammedMoshood

OlusolaKosokoSheriff(Secretary)