Sirajo, Adeniyi emerge president, VP of NIPR

Mallam Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo and Bashiru Adewale Adeniyi have been elected as President and Vice President of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) at the institute’s recently held 2018 National Conference and Annual General Meeting held in Abia State.

Sirajo, who expressed commitment to fight quackery in the practice of PR in Nigeria, also promised to promote full compliance of the provisions of Decree 16 of 1990, which criminalizes the practice of PR in Nigeria without certification by the institute. 

The President and Chairman of Council of the NIPR served as Special Adviser and Director General (Media & Publicity) between 1992 and 2007. He had served as Vice President of the Institute from 2013 to 2018. 

Sirajo, had served seven different governors of Kaduna State, both military and civilian as Chief Press Secretary.He appealed to practitioners to intensify efforts at exposing themselves to further training given the dynamic nature of the profession in this fast-changing world. 

The NIPR president also called on all parts Nigeria to employ the culture of constant constructive engagement rather than the mistrust and suspicion that seems to drive some aspects of our national life. He assured that the Institute was prepared to partner with governments at all levels as well as nongovernmental outfits, in deliberate efforts aimed at solidifying the unity of the country. 

He hinted that the Institute would spearhead the convening of a reputation summit at which such issues and others could be subjected to robust and objective analyses with a view to engendering an atmosphere of peace and national development.

Adeniyi, the new VP is a serving Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service who held the position of National Public Relations Officer of the service for about a decade and half under six successive Controllers General.

Under his watch, customs Public Relations experienced a fast rejig with regular training and retraining of the service staff to enhance their capacities and improve on their overall productivity.Adeniyi was until his recent position, a Board Member of the institute.

Other members of the NIPR Board elected at the AGM are Chinkwe Ikenyi, Ohaeri Osondu, Ibrahim Mohammed, Bac Obiefuna, Kabiru Aminu, Joseph Fanafa, Sule Yau Sule, Ethel Agbeyegbe, Nkechi Alli-Balogun, Abimbola Gbenga Raphael, Obot Udoette, Haroun Audu, Emmanuel Dandaura, Akin Rickets and Samuel Tobi Oseluka.