NIPR Fellow Urges Practitioners to Keep to Standard
Fellow, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations ((NIPR) Elder Aramide Noibi has called on the institute to ensure its core values remain the standard for admitting members to the body.
He added that NIPR was doing a great job in stabilising the country in the face of a threat from corruption and other social inadequacies.
The NIPR fellow said the body should not admit those who do not understand the practice of public relations, noting that all manners of persons claim to be practitioners of the profession.
He said: “I don’t want to dispute the fact that the institute is trying to get its core assignment done properly, it can get it acts right if it goes back to the basics. Looking back, I am not happy the way things are going with the body. As we have it now, lawyers and other professionals without the basic trainings and knowledge have encroached on our duties.
“To be a public relations practitioner, you must be a well-grounded communicator. And basically, a practitioner must have a bias in journalism. After all this, you have to be inactive practice for a period of not less than four years.
This, you can do in a well-grounded Public Relations (PR) firm. With the basic tools at your disposal, someone has to recommend and sponsor you to become a member of NIPR.”
According to him, public relations is about behaviour among people, noting that it is expected to foster understanding and enduring relationships.
“For instance, in a lighter mood, PR is very vital to stimulate or build confidence among people, understand government better or establishments that provide them with services. The establishment that deserves to have a clean relationship, devoid of corruption or rancour must conduct its affairs with PR in mind.
“Therefore, you must have a track record of academic brilliance to be able to function well in the PR departments. But, it is unfortunate that the present socio-economic challenges have bastardised the glory of PR practice. Lots of practitioners have been turned to glorify messengers. This is because most people are looking for money, reducing PR to a propaganda outfit.”
He urged the institute to follow the laid down principles of the founding fathers to relaunch the body to its exalted position.
‘I enjoyed good PR practice because practitioners were thoroughly screened by the body. It was not just an all-comers affair. It was then we started screening everybody who wanted to go for NIPR elective positions when it was set up.
“Through collaborative efforts, we were able to elect the first national body of NIPR in a transparent manner. At the end of the day, we got the best executive in place for the first time and the NIPR got a turnaround.”
