Chidinma Iroegbu and Esther Oseyiomon
The President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, has urged public relations practitioners to focus on professionalism and value creation, insisting that credibility remains the foundation of relevance in the profession.
Speaking at the NIPR FCT Chapter meeting in Abuja, Neliaku said organisations and leaders naturally rely on professionals who consistently add value. “If you don’t have value, you will not be relevant,” he said, adding that the next leadership of the institute must outperform the current council.
The NIPR President also expressed optimism that the incoming council would build on existing achievements, stressing that maintaining the status quo was not enough. “If the next president does not outperform me, then he has failed,” he stated.
Earlier, Chairman of the NIPR FCT Chapter, Stanley Ogadigo, said the chapter was strengthening its committees to deepen professional development and improve service delivery, while announcing preparations for future programmes, including the 2026 Annual Conference and AGM.
Ogadigo formally presented the newly inaugurated committee leadership and said the chapter remained committed to delivering on its mandate through active committees and sustained stakeholder engagement.
Special Guest Speaker, Monday Michael Ashibogwu, FNIPR, urged practitioners to prioritise facts over speed, warning that misinformation spreads faster than corrections. He said, “Verify before you amplify.”
Ashibogwu cited communication lessons from the Dangote Refinery’s public engagements and the false Tax Identification Number rumour, saying organisations should respond to false claims with “specific, attributable factual responses.”
He further advised communication professionals to build strong verification systems, maintain credible spokespersons and see regulators, journalists and customers as one audience requiring consistent messaging.
The chapter also confirmed committee leadership appointments, including Dr. Afolabi Olajawa as Chair of the Professional Development Committee; Aisha Gambari, Welfare Committee; Grace Zamani, Stakeholder Relations Committee; AVM Edward Gabkwet, NIPR Act Monitoring and Compliance Committee; Agnes Lami Abaji, Membership Services Committee; Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, 2026 Annual Conference and AGM Committee; and Hajiya Lami Tumaka, Mentorship Committee.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment by the NIPR leadership to strengthen professionalism, ethical practice and institutional capacity, while urging members to uphold credibility as the profession’s most valuable asset.