The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has inducted 318 new members into the professional body, with its President, Dr. Ike Neliaku, charging them to uphold professionalism, build trust and contribute to national development.

Neliaku, who spoke at the institute’s quarterly induction ceremony in Abuja, stressed that becoming a practitioner of public relations was different from becoming a professionally qualified and chartered practitioner.

He likened the distinction to the legal profession, where graduating with a law degree does not automatically make one a lawyer until the individual undergoes the required professional training and is called to the Bar.

According to him, practitioners must understand that professional membership comes with responsibilities, particularly the obligation to protect the reputation and integrity of individuals and organisations they represent.

He said, “Before now, many of you were practitioners, but you were not professionals. You cannot be a professional unless you are chartered by the law of the land through the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.”

Neliaku urged the new inductees to make knowledge, information, reputation, trust and relationships central to their professional practice.

He described public relations professionals as dealers in information and knowledge, saying practitioners who lacked current information and understanding of societal trends would struggle to provide solutions.

He said, “Public relations practitioners and professionals are solution providers. If you cannot provide solutions, you are not relevant. And for you to be relevant and provide solutions, you must have knowledge and information.”

The NIPR president emphasised the importance of personal reputation, describing it as a critical asset that could determine how individuals and organisations were perceived and trusted.

He said a strong reputation reduced the risk associated with dealing with an individual or organisation, while poor reputation could make people reluctant to engage or invest in them.

Neliaku cited the example of business magnate Aliko Dangote and the development of the Dangote Refinery, arguing that the entrepreneur’s reputation and the trust he had built over time helped attract investment and support for the project.

He urged the inductees to deliberately build relationships and networks, saying professional relationships should not be established solely for immediate personal gain.

“Let it not be based on what you intend to gain. You are building a relationship because you want to invest in it. It will come back to you in ways you didn’t expect,” he said.

The NIPR president advised practitioners to embrace consultation and consensus-building, warning against the tendency to assume that they knew everything.

He said seeking advice from colleagues and professionals with different experiences could improve decision-making and strengthen organisations.

Neliaku also charged practitioners to demonstrate respect and honour in their dealings with others, stressing that public relations was a profession in which words and conduct mattered.

He urged the inductees to pursue excellence rather than settle for mediocrity, saying professionalism should be reflected in their lifestyles and output.

He also described PR professionals as “dealers in hope,” urging them not to become messengers of hopelessness despite the challenges confronting Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali Muhammed Ali, urged PR professionals to understand their audiences and adapt to the changing media environment.

Ali said practitioners must learn to communicate with different categories of audiences, including traditional media consumers and younger Nigerians who increasingly consume information through digital platforms.

He urged PR professionals to develop the ability to produce concise content suited to the digital environment, noting the growing importance of short-form communication.

According to him, practitioners should also learn how to pitch stories to editors and manage relationships with influencers, who have become increasingly important in shaping public opinion.

Ali said modern PR professionals must be “bilingual” in the sense that they should be proficient in both legacy and digital media.

The NAN chief executive also stressed that public relations was a management function and that PR professionals should be integrated into the decision-making structures of the organisations they serve.