*As body inducts Army General, top media aides, communication specialists, lawyers
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has inducted and certified special members after the inauguration of its Governing Council by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi.
The special inductees who have met relevant professional qualifications and experience included Maj-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, the Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Army, who is a former Defence spokesman; Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Senior Special Assistant (Print Media) to President Bola Tinubu; Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Senate President, and Ismail Mudashir, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy Senate President.
Other inductees at the occasion included communication specialists, diplomats, politicians and editors.
Some of them included the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Olufemi Soneye; Senior Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Emmanuel Afonne; a former spokesperson of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Metuh Olisa; and Communication Adviser to the President of ECOWAS, Akhigbe Linda Nwabuwa, among others.
Speaking at the event, the Information Minister said that the inauguration of the council was in line with the provisions of the Act, CAP N114, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which established the Institute as the nation’s sole professional body responsible for regulating and developing public relations practices in both the private and public sectors of Nigeria.
He urged the institute to promote professionalism and checkmate quacks in the sector.
On his part, the Chairman of the Governing Council amd President of the NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, extolled the values of engaging only professional public relations practitioners in the sector, advising that quacks would be flushed out by the council.
He urged public officials, journalists, lawyers and those who engage in image branding to embrace the NIPR for professional accreditation and practice. (Additional reports and photos from PRNigeria)
