By Our Reporter. 17-7-2023.
The Hon. Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Ondo State, Mrs Bamidele Olateju has said Nigeria Institute of Public Relations is not a Secret society because of the membership of some of her staff that are registered member of the noble profession.
Her words “I know it’s not a Secret society because I can see Mr Williams who is our staff as one of your member ”
She made this known when the President of NIPR, Ondo State Chapter, Dr. Lamidi Ishola and other prominent members of the Institute paid a courtesy call to her in her office today . The members requested her to join the noble profession in order for her to have indepth knowledge about the organisation since is the number one image maker of the state.
Dr. Lamidi who said the purpose of the visit was to thank the Governor, Arakurin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu -SAN, CON, and the Hon Commissioner for information and orientation for giving them the office they are using today as Secretariat.
Also, the need for the Commissioner to enlist all the Press Official for a training on how to do the work of Public Relations effectively is one of the reasons why they visited.
Other reasons for their visit include request for the government to give them a land where they can build the Institute permanent Secretariat. And also, to enter into partnership with the government on how to boost the image of the state to a high standard by given a rigorous training to the PO in various departments in the Ministries that would lead to their induction into the profession .
Members of the NIPR also appreciated the Hon.Commissioner for the release of some of their staff in the past for the professional training carried out by the Institute.
HON. COMMISSIONER RESPONSE
In her response, Mrs Bamidele said she appreciated the coming of the NIPR members and said most of their prayers are not what is impossible for her office to handle, except that of the land property to build NIPR Secretariat which is beyond her capacity.
According to her, she said she needs to see the Commissioner for infrastructure as well as to discuss the matter to Mr Governor when he comes.
She said she was very happy seeing her staff to be part of the Institute. Bamide who advocated for the need for human capital development, said it’s the greatest assets an organisation could boost of. She said she needs more information about the registration of the profession and wants to know more about the benefits a member can derive from joining the Institute
She said she was not a Journalist but a Writer and Columnist. According to her, her contributions to the national issues via her column in the nation daily, was what prompted her to GATE CRASH into Journalism. Not that she went to the Institute of Journalism to study the profession.
She said “I am not a Journalist, I didn’t go to the school of Journalism and I can’t claim what I don’t have but I am a writer and I maintain a column, that was how I gate crashed into Journalism ”
In another development, the Hon. Commissioner said it’s important for them to train the younger ones, on the need to manage perception when ever there is crisis . She advised the young PO to learn and tap from the experience of the veteran Public Relations Practitioner who are in the profession .
She equally admonised the leaders of the profession to always make their programme dynamic and involving, as the world is changing day in day out and new event are occuring every day.
Highlight of the visit includes prayer for the Governor Akeredolu for his quick recovery and the decoration of the Hon. Commissioner with the NIPR mour flowers.