.Bauchi gov, special duties minister to grace FCT chapter’s anniversary

THE Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), FCT chapter, has urged Nigerians at home and abroad to actively defend the nation’s image, saying that the country is facing a deepening global perception crisis that demands collective action.

Chairman of the chapter, Stanley Ogadigo, gave the charge, yesterday, in Abuja during a media briefing ahead of activities marking the NIPR FCT chapter’s 35th anniversary.

Ogadigo said Nigeria is suffering reputational damage driven largely by negative international portrayals, insisting that the country deserves better narratives through collective responsibility.
He, however, warned individuals and organisations engaging unqualified persons as public relations officers, stressing that the NIPR Act prescribes jail terms and fines for offenders.

He also appealed to firms to regularise their PR operations to avoid sanctions, noting that the Institute has a human face but will enforce the law when necessary.

Similarly, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said that the leadership provided by the Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr Lekan Fadolapo, is the best thing that has happened to advertising growth and development in Nigeria.

Idris, who spoke as chief host at the official opening ceremony of the fifth National Advertising Conference 2025 in Abuja, showered encomiums on the director-general, describing him as a leader with exceptional work ethic and tenacity rarely seen among professionals of his generation.

He, however, commended Fadolapo’s dynamic leadership and vision in institutionalising the conference as a yearly flagship event for Nigeria’s marketing communications industry, admitting that the industry has grown significantly under Fadolapo’s stewardship.

The minister then placed enormous responsibility on the shoulders of marketing communication professionals, describing them not only as storytellers for brands and businesses but also as custodians of national perception and image.