Why I Left Journalism-Jossy Nkwocha

Renowned Public Relations practitioner, Jossy Nkwocha in this interview with Hamilton Amadi suggests ways of improving  of Public Relations practice in Nigeria,  among other national issues like the amnesty deal.

 Excerpts:

FG’s amnesty programme for militants and company operations:

I think that the amnesty programme is a very good thing that has happened to the Niger Delta and Nigeria in general. We all know that the Niger Delta crisis was as a result of neglect of the region for a very long time. And some of our brothers took arms to fight for it. Eventually, the Federal Government has brought to an end that scenario.

I think many companies in the Niger Delta are better for it. During the heat of the crisis, many expatriates left the country. So, with the amnesty and cessation of hostilities,  companies are getting  back to work. Expatriates are getting back to Nigeria and investors are no longer running away from the region.

Employment of Non-PR professionals by corporate bodies:

There was a national reputation summit in 2002, at the summit, former President Olusegun Obasanjo stated clearly that any Public Relations position should be occupied by certified member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). So, any organisation that is employing anybody who does not belong to NIPR into Corporate Affairs department is flouting the law of the land.

NIPR is chartered by Decree No. 16 of 1990 which is today an Act of the National Assembly. And it states very clearly that such position must be occupied by certified members of institute.

Assessment of the immediate past  leadership of the institute:

Two years ago  President, Prof. Ikechukwu Nwosu did  his best. Recall that the Federal Government suspended the subvention for the institute because of the crisis that engulfed it about three years ago. Professor Ikechukwu Nwosu performed without the needed funding. So, whatever they had done in the past two years were all as a result of his own ability to generate money to run the institute. Based on that, I will say that he  tried to the best of his ability. Let us all look forward to the new leadership that was enthroned  at the  AGM in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, recently.

Curriculum Content of PR training institutions in the country:

Public Relations is an evolving discipline. Before now, it was a course to be taught, but now developing into units. Public Relations and Advertising are becoming a big unit in universities and polytechnics. Even now some schools like University of Nigeria, Nsukka award Masters degree in PR or Advertising. These are developments that are good for our institute.

You do know that one of the things that make a chartered institute is the body of knowledge. If we don’t have the body of knowledge that is strategic we would be in trouble. I think that we are moving forward as it is being given the priority it deserves in many institutions.

The institute and Sam Epelle:

I think that the NIPR Sam Epelle Gold Lecture is a worthy memorial for the icon who brought about the establishment of NIPR way back in 1963. What I would advise is that the Sam Epelle Gold Lecture should be organised very well. It should be given the national prominence it deserves. I’m of the opinion that the NIPR Sam Epelle Gold Lecture should be held annually in Abuja so that it will have the deserved audience. And any guest speaker should be a very prominent personality.

Let us take the lecture to a higher level, because he contributed a lot to the profession. I also think that there should be chairs in universities –Sam Epelle Chair on PR. There should also be Sam Epelle Gold Prize for Public Relations reporting in the newspapers. All these things should be done in his honour.

I also think that NIPR should get closer to the Sam Epelle family and seek a way to preserve the name of the icon.

His attraction to PR from journalism:

I was in journalism and after sometime, I went back to school for masters degree in Marketing and Public Relations. And after that, I was so excited about the profession. The excitement was that PR is like a very passionate profession. After my first book, Effective Media Relations, in 1999, so many persons were calling me to deliver lecture at seminars and many promised me jobs in corporate organisations. At that point, I said it was worthwhile for me to move into PR. Hence, in 2002, I left Newswatch and went into PR and I haven’t regretted it.

Journalism and Public Relations:

They have a meeting point. Both are communication tools, although, they are not the same. Some people move from journalism to PR and discover that what they know is just publicity not even media relations. You know that PR has about 12 functional areas. When many journalists who go in there for publicity are removed there to another area, they find it difficult to cope, because they are not trained in PR which is completely different from journalism.

Advice for practitioners:

PR is growing higher and higher and every member of the institute should prepare himself for this upward movement. Many persons do not care about learning more. The students of PR on the other hand, should know that the profession is a very important one. It is one that can open doors for you if you are good in it; you must succeed anywhere you go. It is like key that opens opportunities, but because many people are not knowledgeable in it, that is why they don’t succeed in what they are doing.