The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has inducted 318 new members into the profession, urging them to use their skills and influence to promote hope, responsible communication and a positive image of Nigeria.
The charge was given in Abuja on Friday by the President of the NIPR Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, during the Institute’s third-quarter 2026 induction ceremony.
Neliaku acknowledged that Nigeria, like other countries around the world, faces several challenges, but urged the newly inducted practitioners not to join those who constantly speak negatively about the country or portray it as a hopeless nation.
He encouraged public relations professionals to become messengers of hope by drawing attention to the opportunities and positive developments across the country, rather than giving undue prominence to unfavourable sentiments.
According to him, people who carry a message of hope would not describe Nigeria as a “failed” state, stressing that a positive outlook was important not only for national development but also for personal growth and prosperity.
“If Nigeria is not good, how come the quantum of blessing God gave this country? Look at our natural resources, about 34 solid mineral deposits. There is no state in Nigeria that is not sustainable. All that we need is the power of ideas and to do things right,” he said.
Neliaku further urged the practitioners to embrace the responsibility of building confidence in the country, regardless of the challenges confronting the nation.
He recalled the popular description of leadership attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, that a leader is “a dealer in hope”, and urged the inductees to carry the same spirit into their professional and personal engagements.
“In your operating environment, you must be carriers of hope irrespective of whatever the situation is. Stop saying there is no hope for Nigeria. Don’t join others in talking down on your nation because there is no perfect system,” he said.
The NIPR president also reminded the new members that nation-building was a collective responsibility that should not be left solely to elected and appointed political leaders.
He urged them to see their profession as an important tool for strengthening public confidence, improving communication and contributing to the development of the country.
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mal. Ali Mohammed Ali, advised the new practitioners to continually improve their professional skills through regular training and retraining.
Ali stressed the importance of understanding the organisations they represent, noting that adequate knowledge of an organisation and its operations was essential for effective public relations practice and service delivery.
He also charged the inductees to be courageous and committed to professional ethics, emphasising that practitioners must be prepared to provide honest, accurate and well-informed counsel to their organisations.
The third-quarter induction brought 318 new members into the fold of the NIPR, formally recognising them as qualified public relations professionals and granting them the licence to practise the profession.
Images from the induction
