NIPR Holds Lecture To Mark 2024 World Public Relations Day

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has marked the 2024 World Public Relations Day with a lecture in Abuja where stakeholders harped on the need for the professionalisation of public relations as well as the need to incorporate technology in PR practice. 

Speaking with journalists, NIPR Vice President and Vice Chairman of Council, Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura Dandaura said the event highlights the value public relations brings to humanity and the value communication brings to strengthen peaceful and harmonious co-existence in the society. 

With the theme, "The Future of Public Relations in a Changing World: Journey in the Nigerian Federal Civil Service", Prof. Dandaura said public relations has evolved overtime, to a stage where it has become a leadership level, adding that leaders across the world need public relations as a tool to succeed. 

While noting that the series of changes taking place in the world of public relations has made it necessary for the Institute to prepare its members and equip them with tools that will keep them relevant in providing solutions that can support leadership, Prof. Dandaura said NIPR has developed capacity programmes which members can leverage on to keep a pace in today's PR practice. 

"We have series training as an Institute that we have lined up, both in the areas of technology including artificial intelligence, changing dynamics in communication, all targeted at future-proofing the practice of public relations. 

"We have chosen to look at what is happening at Federal Civil Service and I am happy that our guest speaker has proposed some of the solutions he thinks we need to put in place for public relations to play an effective role in the Federal public service", he noted. 

In his speech, the guest speaker, Otunba the Venerable Olufemi Oyawale (Rtd) said there is need to embrace automation as artificial intelligence is gearing up towards dominating the future, causing job losses especially among low-skilled workforce, noting that acquisition of tech skills for everyone is now compulsory. 

"PR practitioners in government, private sector, the armed forces must be trained and retrained for acceptable performance. 

"They now have to master the modern media, working relentlessly on social media, corporate website, coding and robotics. Dependable feedback, which is a very vital component of public relations must be put in place as well as implementation", he noted. 

Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan in her remarks said the Service under her leadership has recognised the imperative of effective and responsible communication and has done a lot to foster collaboration with private sector partners to create a framework to communicate its programmes and activities. 

Yemi-Esan who was conferred with honorary Fellowship by NIPR President and Chairman of Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku urged the Institute to continue to partner with the Service to achieve its transformation. 

World Public Relations Day is celebrated July 16th across the globe to celebrate the impact and importance of public relations in the interconnected world

It is celebrated on the birthday of Ivy Lee, the father of modern public relations in honour of his legacy and pioneering contributions to the field.