NIPR inducts Bode Olagoke, 447 other new members, charges them on ethics

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has inducted 448 new members, among them Deputy Online Editor of Blueprint Newspapers, Bode Olagoke.

Other inductees include Jide Orintunsin of The Nation, Francis Adebayo of Punch Newspapers, Frank Omalapeh of Arise News Television, as well as other notable journalists.

Olagoke, an award-winning journalist from Okeho in Oyo State, holds a Master’s degree in Media Arts from the University of Abuja and currently serves as Deputy Online Editor at Blueprint Newspapers, an Abuja-based national tabloid.

The induction ceremony, which took place on Friday in Abuja, also featured the unveiling of a new definition of public relations by the institute.

Unveiling the definition, NIPR Vice President, Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura, said the review became necessary to ensure that the definition reflects Africa’s culture, background and peculiar realities, while addressing the continent’s prevailing trust deficit.

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According to him, public relations is fundamentally about leadership, trust and influence, stressing that the discipline must mirror African society, just as other definitions have done elsewhere.

Prof. Dandaura further called for reforms in public relations education, noting that PR teachers must focus on indigenous communication, African-centred and ethically regulated practices, while training ethical advisers rather than technicians.

In his address, NIPR President, Dr. Ike Neliaku, urged the new inductees to uphold ethics, integrity and truth, emphasizing that their responsibility lies in service to truth and national development rather than manipulation.

He described the inductees as “guardians of trust” at a time marked by national challenges and declining values.

Characterising public relations as both a calling and a covenant, Dr. Neliaku said membership of NIPR represents a commitment to serving the nation, institutions and humanity through responsible communication.

“To our inductees, I say congratulations. You have today earned the right to belong to the custodians of reputation, the architects of trust, and the guardians of national narrative.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is important to stress early that, public relations is not peripheral to national development. It is central to it.

“Nations rise or fall not only on the strength of their economies or armies, but on the credibility of their stories, the coherence of their values, and the confidence they inspire, both at home and abroad.”

According to the NIPR President, effective governance and reform are impossible without public understanding and credibility.

“It is not spin. It is ethical influence, strategic engagement, and truth, anchored on the power of narratives and persuasion.

“As you are inducted today from tomorrow, you have been entrusted with a huge power of responsibility. Entrusted to tell stories that shape public opinion; entrusted to pass messages that influence policy outcomes; and entrusted with build reputations that affect livelihoods, investments, and national stability.

“I urge you to use that power wisely; to let your work strengthen Nigeria; to let your voice elevate truth; to let your practice reflect excellence; and to let your profession serve humanity.”