… As Institute Welcomes 421 New Members
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has urged public relations practitioners to prioritise reputation which it described as a capital asset over visibility, warning that virality without context becomes a weak asset.
These were the words of the President, Chairman of Council of the Institute, Dr. Ike Neliaku on Thursday when he formally inducted 421 new members into the body in Abuja. “In today’s media environment, visibility is not victory. You can be visible everywhere, but you are not victorious in your context. Eloquence without credibility is a fragile asset”, he stated.
Dr. Neliaku who spoke in reference to a recent Al Jazeera interview by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, emphasised that while procedures, processes and structures of doing things must be followed, he insisted that those who speak for Nigeria must also wear the badge of reputation ambassadors.
While arguing that the strategic management of Nigeria’s reputation requires a strong character of credibility, he said that irrespective of how strong a message could be, it can be corrupt and undermined by a weak messenger, which could affect the expected outcome. “Credibility goes before content. It is who you are that will speak for you even before you come into the room. That is why we talk about reputation”, he noted.
The NIPR boss therefore called on the new members of the Institute to build a credibility that stands the test of time, noting that credibility overcomes charisma.
In his goodwill message, the Secretary General of African Public Relations Association (APRA), Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan told the new inductees that every behaviour is a communicative action subject to any interpretation, urging them to be cautious of their conducts.
Delivering his induction orientation lecture, a Member of NIPR Governing Council, Comrade Ini Ememobong called on the new members of the Institute to adopt creative means to contribute meaningfully in the leadership process in their respective organisations as against being mere announcers of management decisions.
Source: NIPR
