25th July, 2014
Nduka Uzuakpundu
The authorities of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) are set to weed quacks out of the profession, in what promises to be a revolutionary sanitisation exercise, so as to preserve the integrity of the profession.
Speaking at the induction ceremony of over 100 new entrants into the NIPR fold, in Lagos, the president, Dr. Rotimi Oladele, said that the sanitisation exercise had become necessary on account of soaring number of untrained individuals – a majority of them in some highly visible establishments – who style and parade themselves as public relations officers.
Oladele said that the planned sanitisation exercise would be thorough, so as to meet the desired effect of having the reputation of the NIPR intact.
“We are no longer going to have quacks in the profession of public relations,” he said.
“Our advice for untrained individuals, who pose as public relations officers is that we are running out of patience and we can no longer tolerate their presence in our midst.”
Oladele said individuals who are untrained, but employed as public relations officers, should enroll for the professional public relations course run by the NIPR.
The basic NIPR course forms part of a required education, which transits to international, business and industrial exposures.
He said that it was having a professional training, and being certified as such, that makes anyone legally licensed to practice public relations armed with the techniques of information management, image-making strategy, intelligence gathering and a pro-active disposition to avert unpleasant situations that may prove costly to control, just in case.
Oladele was of the view that employers or institutions in need of public relations personnel should seek the help of the NIPR or tap the expertise of an NIPR certified individual.
He pointed out that, today, some members of the NIPR are top decision-makers or captains of multi-national corporations, government security outfits and information agencies.
Some others, he said, “have served as state commissioners for information, and others currently occupying such strategic positions. This is a clear indication that the profile of the NIPR is getting quite impressive. It contrasts, distinctly, with what used to be the case some three decades ago, when the highest position an NIPR product could rise to was principal manager.”
The NIPR was established in 1963 by Dr. Sam Epelle to promote professional excellence, a better society based on sound reputation, amongst others.