Ex-NIPR President Calls For Togetherness Of Nigerians

Former President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Senibo Bobo Brown, has called on Nigerians to rise up to be recognised as true stakeholders in the project of Nigeria.
According to him, a cursory look around in Nigeria would reveal that many Nigerian citizens have no voice in decision-making about policies in the country, adding that a lot of stakeholders were not even consulted when the salary of members of the House of Assembly were fixed.
Brown stated this last Thursday in an interview with newsmen after a public lecture to mark the 60 years anniversary of NIPR in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“I am not sure that a lot of Nigerians are contributing to the discussion of the debate on any state budget, something that genuine stakeholders of any entity should be part of.
“Nigeria Institute of Public Relations at 60 anniversary is trying to say Nigerians should be given a better sense of awareness of their role and their relevance as through citizens, and for them to get up and be the real stakeholders.
“If we are not stakeholders, we cannot defend our own interests.
“24 years of civil rule by politicians did not care about us and it is not their fault, but it is our fault because we keep trusting them.
“Now that we have seen for 24 years that the politicians are growing richer and richer and the masses are growing poorer and poorer. Can we go on trusting them again?
“Things will not change unless we come together and begin to express ourselves and take action that would make them change. That is the benefit of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations.
“We are calling on Nigerians to know why they are getting poorer, and to work together and change the situation. Unless we do so, Nigeria will not change”, Brown stated.
Giving his lecture on “The 60th Anniversary Of NIPR Practice In Nigeria, Milestone, News Trends, and Prospects”, Prof. Godwin Bassey Okon said Nigerians need to up scale, adding that “dynamism rules the world”.
He noted that what Nigerians need to do is to prepare themselves for the future, and the only way to prepare for the future is to up scale their dexterity for them not to be relegated to the background for education qualification.
“So, it is a wake up call for every Nigerian, that they must prepare for the future. In preparing for the future, we must upgrade ourselves.
“You accord greater recognition to the practice of Public Relations in this country. People consider publicity as public Relations, but that is misconception”, he stated.

By: Kiadum Edookor