NIPR Charges Members On Mentorship, Professionalism

President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr Ike Neliaku, has urged practitioners to strengthen mentorship, professional development and institutional relationships.

He made the call yesterday in Kaduna at the maiden Bashir Adamu Chedi Annual Memorial Lecture and Annual General Meeting of the NIPR Kaduna State chapter, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He spoke through the institute’s vice president, Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura, who represented him at the event.

Neliaku said the occasion provided an opportunity for the chapter to conduct its statutory business while honouring the memory of late Bashir Chedi.

He described Chedi as more than a Fellow of the institute, saying he was a colleague, brother and trusted source of counsel and support.

According to him, Chedi’s outstanding quality was his consultative approach to leadership and decision-making.

“Bashir understood that leadership is not about having the loudest voice; sometimes leadership is about listening and bringing people together,” Neliaku said.

He said Chedi’s contribution to the NIPR Governing Council was reflected not only in positions held, but in the quality of conversations he facilitated.

Neliaku commended the Kaduna Chapter for establishing the memorial lecture, describing it as an appropriate way to immortalise Chedi’s intellectual, professional and institutional contributions.

He announced that the NIPR would fulfil its pledge of N2 million support to Chedi’s family, with payment expected by Monday before 1 p.m.

The NIPR president said the institute was committed to ensuring that professional excellence was recognised while practitioners were still alive.

He announced plans to launch the Public Relations Innovation and Communication Excellence Awards on Dec. 7, as part of efforts to institutionalise recognition.

Neliaku said the awards would honour individuals and organisations contributing meaningfully to reputation management and communication in Nigeria.

He said NIPR had already recognised more than 100 professionals who contributed to the growth of the profession during its Diamond Anniversary.

He also commended the Kaduna chapter for choosing mentorship as a major focus, saying professions could only grow when experienced practitioners invested in younger professionals.

Neliaku said the institute’s Professional Standards Guide and Young Professionals Hub had attracted interest from South African practitioners seeking to learn from Nigeria’s initiatives.

He said African public relations practitioners must invest in younger professionals, particularly given the continent’s youthful population.

The NIPR  president commended Information and National Orientation Minister, Mohammed Idris for promoting strategic government communication, citizen engagement and public trust.

He said the ministry’s initiatives demonstrated that information management was no longer merely an administrative function, but an important instrument of governance.

He particularly highlighted the National Values Charter and the establishment of the UNESCO Category 2 International Media and Information Literacy Institute in Abuja.