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By Idris Katib
The former chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations(NIPR), Ogun State chapter, Mr Tope Adaramola has charged public relations practitioners to train themselves to have a great value in their organizations, stressing that they are the eyes, ears and minds of their organizations.
Adaramola who is currently the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers explained that since public relations involves planned and deliberate efforts to establish and maintain goodwill, “Public Relations people must enlighten their bosses” on issues that can affect their organization’s image.
He said for PR executives to achieve this, they must have added needed values to themselves even if it required sponsoring themselves.
He unveiled this at a maiden annual workshop held in Abeokuta, Ogun State with a theme “Public Relations: A Management Function and Tool for Advancement”.
Adaramola advised Public Relations executives to always enlighten decision-makers in their organizations on values of PR programmes to dispel the wrong notion that public relations is a cost-gulping venture.
He recommended that for PR executives to excel in their career, they must be proficient in writing and editing, speaking, Information Technology, special events, productions and stressed that they must have social, emotional, intelligent and spiritual quotients.
Speaking on the theme “Public Speaking Techniques As Tools of Career Advancement”, Another past chairman of the state chapter, Mr Femi Dokunmu said “public speaking is relevant to all professions of the world”, emphasizing that ” whoever cannot hold the microphone to address people publicly is not a total PR person”.
Describing public relations as a total way of life, Dokunmu hinted that public speaking as an integral part of Public Relations “is a challenge PR people should be ready for”.
Represented by Dr Sola Adeosun, the current Chairman of the Ogun State chapter of NIPR, Mr Lekan Togunwa said PR managers are proactive problem-solvers who should be interested in gathering and processing of data as tools of information management.