Rivers NIPR: Celebrating Fubara And Strenghtening CSR

The Rivers State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) on Thursday in Port Harcourt held its annual Sir O. B. Fubara Memorial Gold Paper Lecture with emphasis on deepening Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and making it relevant to Niger Delta needs.
The event attracted the Amayanabo of Abonnema, King Disrael Gbobo Bobmanuel, former Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Nimi Briggs, wife of late Sir Fubara Alabota Fubara and Chairman Nigerian Employers Consultative Association(NECA), Rivers State, Chief Chris Biriowu ,Rivers State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mike Ogar among others.
Former Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, who is also State Chairman of NIPR set the tone of the memorial lecture as he picked holes in the method and tactics adopted by companies in implementing CSR in the Niger Delta.
He said, “today’s topic is to contribute to national discourse because the lecture focuses on issues that concerns Niger Delta and many communities where Corporate Social Responsibility is very important.”
Nsirim pointed out that the issue of CSR has been of serious debate because many companies arm -twist communities in the quest to bring development to them.
What the lecture therefore wants to achieve in the view of the former Information Commissioner is to mainstream it into the psyche of company policies to align it with the needs of the Niger Delta people.
Ayananabo of Abonnema described the topic as,” key to the heart of our people”, and commended NIPR for honouring their son, late Alabo Fubara whom he recalled was the head of the Iju House in Abonnema, as well as a cultural and social advocate.
Member, Governing Council of NIPR, Samuel Toby-Oseloka assured that after the lecture CSR would have a new perspective, as he assured that the lecture would become regular after the break from COVID.
Toby-Oseloka averred that CSR was one topic that was germane to Niger Delta region, hence it was choosen to give provide new perspective to both stakeholders and public relation practitioners.
Delivering the paper, “Corporate Social Responsibility in Community Relations: Concept and Perception in the Niger Delta,” Chief Biriowu said the way CSR was being implemented in the region had worsened situation rather than building goodwill.
He opined that the global nature of corporate and media operations had made many communities more awake to their rights in seeking CSR from companies, and as such firms that failed to meet the prevailing challenges ended up damaging their image.
One way to reverse the trend, Biriowu suggested is engagement and adopting global practices that reflect the trend and needs of the communities.