NIPR Practitioners Urge To Go Beyond Traditional Media Relations To Strategic Leadership Functions

The Public Relations practitioners across Nigeria have been charged to go beyond the perceived roles of media relations and protocol services to strategic leadership functions that is crucial to shaping and transforming the nation.

In his message at this year’s (2025) World Public Relations Day, with the Theme: ” Building Bridges, Navigating Polarisation” In Port Harcourt, The National President of the Nigeria Institution of Public Relations Dr. Ike Neliaku expressed delight to address members and guests on this special day, pointing out that the day offers a an opportunity to reflect on the journey over six decades since Public Relations formally birthed in Nigeria.

He maintained that this year’s world Public Relations day gives opportunity to members to reflect on the actions and inactions towards the development of the profession and to boldly develop new frontiers for a greater institution.

The NIPR president explained that the values of Public Relations particularly in areas of fostering relationship, strengthening leadership and advancing good governance remain a key -through effective and goal- oriented communication.

Earlier, The Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, (RSU) Prof. Isaac zep-Obipi being represented by the Deputy VC admin Prof. Victor Akujuru throw challenge to NIPR members to rebranding and portray the state in good light, standing that RSU remains a state owned institution that have not witness any strike in the passed fifteen years.

Also in his speech, the state chairman NIPR Rivers Chapter Rev. Francis Asuk described world Public Relations day as a day set aside to pay attention to the works of public relations globally indeed that relationship is important that the world is crying about in rebuilding relationship due to the collapsed of the value systems at family, society and world level of human existence.

” At the highest level of human existence relationship has become imperative for all practitioners to come together and build bridges to navigates those Polarisation” he said.

In a related development,the keynote speaker Rev (Fr.) Prof. Walter C.Ihejirika, said the media has a lot to do especially on its role of enlightenment to the public about the role and function as a key element in the development of a better society.

Prof. Ihejirika who is the Dean faculty of Communication and Media Studies , University of Port Harcourt, stressed that when media practitioners navigate on the area of strategic communications with a goal, then the public will be better informed and know that they have a responsibility for the large society, “because if the large society is not good, the organization cannot function effectively.”