PR body unveils plans for yearly forum

THE Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos State chapter, has unveiled plans for its 22^nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Public Relations Week.

The AGM, which holds from October 14 to 21, has as theme Towards A Greater Nigeria: Public Relations As A Viable Tool For National And Mass Orientation.

Speaking on the AGM which marks a major milestone in the history of public relations practice in Nigeria, Jide Ologun, chairman of the chapter, said the event is a platform to rally practitioners in the state to review progress made in the past year and chart a course for the continuing development of the profession in the state.

According to Ologun, " in view of the status of Lagos, as the state with the highest concentration of public relations practitioners in the country and host of the National Secretariat, the crucial role that the sector has continued to play as a means of mobilising stakeholders in the Nigerian project, especially at a time the nation has just emerged from an election that showed Nigeria could be truly great, the 2011 AGM Week presents an opportunity for our members to re-dedicate themselves to the service of the institute and the cause of nation-building through effective public relations practice, and for the institute to restate its relevance as a partner in the on-going transformation agenda in Lagos State and indeed Nigeria.”

He assured that the NIPR in Lagos would continue the pursuit of excellence and professionalism in PR practice as evident in the works and acts of its members, which would be showcased through the line-up of activities for the AGM.

Outlining activities of the AGM/PR Week, Dr. Ken Egbas, chairman of the Planning Committee, disclosed that the one-week programme would begin with a Juma'at Service at the Alausa Central Mosque on October 14.

It would be followed by a Charity Walk in honour of the Nigeria Child as well as a Novelty Football Match in memory of the late Bassey Koma, a sports journalist and frontline member of the Institute, at the Training pitch of National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos on October 15.

There will be a Church Service at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Marina, Lagos on October 16.

The programme, according to Egbas, continues with a Social Work and donation to the Little Saints Orphanage in Surulere on October.

October 20 is the AGM proper with the theme, Towards A Greater Nigeria: Public Relations As A Viable Tool For National And Mass Orientation.

“The occasion will see the election of new officials to pilot the affairs of the institute for a fresh two-year term in office, and also feature a public lecture to be delivered by a distinguished Nigerian, as well as presentation of the yearly report of activities of the institute among other businesses of the day," Egbas said.

According to him, activities of the 2011 PR Week will climax with the 2nd NIPR Golden Eagle Awards, which will see members of the institute and public relations agencies compete for honours in different categories on October 21 at De Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja.

He noted that the PR Golden Eagle Awards was conceived to raise the standard of PR practice by creating a platform to measure best practices, and recognise distinction, excellence and also reward diligence in the public relations industry.

In a remark, Mr. Rasheed Bolarinwa, head of the Media sub-committee, noted that the AGM Week would build on the achievement recorded last year as the institute continues its efforts to bringing more glory and glamour to the practice of public relations in Nigeria.

He solicited the support of the media as worthy partners of the NIPR in all its programmes and activities, stressing that the media will play a crucial role towards the success of the occasion.

The media event also witnessed the public presentation of the official logo of the 22nd NIPR AGM/PR Week.

AAAN holds funfair

17/06/11

AAAN holds funfair

By Michael Orie

The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) holds its annual funfair, with the theme, Bursting Loose at the University of Lagos Sport Centre tomorrow starting from 9am.

The Chairman organising committee, Mr. Longley Evru, said the funfair would be open to all registered member-agencies of AAAN, as it is design to engender the spirit of togetherness and conviviality amongst member-agencies staff as well as create stronger visibility for the association.

“This year’s funfair will serve as a fore runner to revitalize our funfair which has suffered a little setback for some years. It promises to be fun-filled and very exciting,” he said.

According to him, amongst the activities lined up for the one-day event is a variety of games like Table Tennis, Ludo, Ayo, Scrabble, Chess, Dart and Draught, with the major highlight being a novelty football match. A draw will climax the event with attractive prizes to be won.

The novelty football match will be between the AAAN babes (the queens of advertising industry) and AAAN bombers (senior advertising Practitioners). Among those expected to participate are Sir Steve Omojafor, Biodun Sobanjo, Gabriel Abah, Jimi Awosika, Lolu Akinwunmi, Rufai Ladipo and Funmi Onabolu, Bunmi Oke and Funke Nwankwo.

Group tasks youths on cultural erosion

17/06/11

By Michael Orie

The vexatious issue of increasing distortion of Nigerian traditional heritage and culture dominated discussions at a recent three-day seminar in Lagos titled: “Workshop on Youth and Nigeria ’s Intangible Cultural Heritage,” where speakers charged Nigerian youths to halt the adoption of foreign cultures and utilize their cultural heritage to engender development.

Participants also said the cultural content of the education curricular in Nigeria should be revisited because culture must be seen as a means of survival, adding that real development can not take place “on the womb of an alien culture,” and that the “copycat mentality” must be jettisoned.

It seminar was jointly organized by the Human Development Initiatives (HDI) and the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC).

Speakers included Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, Prof Duro Oni; Director/Chief Executive, CBAAC, Prof Tunde Babawale; Acting Executive Director, HDI, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye; Chair, Board of Trustees, HDI, Prof S.B.A. Oloko, and Prof O. Soyombo.

Others were Deputy Managing Director of The Sun, Mr Femi Adesina; Dr ‘Sope Fagboungbe, Dr Ayo Yusuf, Mr Yinka Akanle, Mrs Funso Owasanoye, and Mr Akinwale Onipade.

Prof Oni regretted that Nigerian cultures have been altered to the extent that they are neither authentically Nigerian nor true replication of western cultures. Even Nigerian languages have remained undeveloped and grossly subordinate to the English Language, he said.

The effect, he said, is that most Nigerian youths do not take pride in communicating in their local languages, leading to “an unfortunate trend of progressively decreasing proficiency of mother tongue usage.”

To solve the problem, he said an important starting point should be to use the mother tongue as the medium of imparting knowledge to pupils and students.

“The first step is the need to agree on its desirability. The second is the political will to work out the details and modalities. A situation where our youths are not proficient in the use of the English Language and at the same time deficient in their mother tongue have grave implications for development,” Prof Oni said.

He urged Nigerian youths to show, through deliberate effort, more than passing interest in all aspects of Nigerian culture, of which a desirable starting point is language. “A man’s language is his strongest identity. To neglect it is to destroy one’s identity,” he said.

Prof Babawale said technologically advanced countries write their product manuals in their native languages first, before translating for the outside world.

According to him, no country can make progress without placing premium on culture. “Our democracy must be purged of foreign elements. We also need to promote our traditional religion to attract worshippers from abroad. We must promote our music, our dance,” he said.

Babawale said oral expressions and traditions, performing arts, rituals and festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, and traditional craftsmanship constitute intangible cultural heritages that must be protected and preserved.

Preserving them, he said, will involve making and enforcing legislations on protection of intangible cultural heritages, intensifying propagation of knowledge about them, creating a database for those meant to be given immediate attention, and instituting programmes and incentives to encourage those connected with their preservation.

For Prof Owasanoye, the promotion and retention of positive aspects of culture enables young people to be aware of their ancestry, as well as the accomplishments of their race and society. Such historical and cultural awareness enhances self and social worth, he said.

He added: “Positive cultural sensitivity is also bound to positively impact what individual members of the community create, that is, products, or the changes that they propose to alter the culture of society or force evolutionary change, that is, processes.

“In other words, positive cultural perception will impact governance and developmental processes like politics, law, philosophy, ethics, the arts, and religion as processes of change. Similarly, technology as product of cultural change will also be positively deployed in harmony with positive processes.”

Prof Oloko urged Nigerians to patronise local craft. “By buying our indigenous craft, we can help promote culture. For every modern art we have, there is a traditional counterpart.”

Truth Commissions only offer psychological benefits, says Kukah

20/06/11

Truth Commissions only offer psychological benefits, says Kukah

By Anote Ajeluorou and Michael Orie

For those still wondering what the Justice Oputa Panel or Truth Commission accomplished after all the expose that came with it regarding several wrongs done to many Nigerians during the military era, they need not go farther to seek answers. Indeed, a principal actor in that panel has unequivocally stated that no such commission has ever succeeded anywhere else in the world, but that the panel was an important narrative that society needed to move on

It was a small gathering at the Sheraton Hotels and Tower, Ikeja, Lagos last Friday. The heavy downpour all morning had turned Lagos into another nightmare and residents were held up in their homes. But the enormity of the exercise, the presentation and discourse on a book on the Oputa Panel by that fine intellectual priest, Fr. Mathew Hassan Kukah, was an opportunity not to be missed. And so, it turned out another moment to be part of a hugely stimulating discourse on the State of the Nigerian Nation and its many missed opportunities.

Kukah, only recently elevated to the Bishophood and would be presiding over the Sokoto Archdiocese, has written a compendium on the Oputa Panel titled Witness to Justice.

It wasn’t the usual lavish book launch type; but more like a media launch or presentation. A few dignitaries were present. A former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, poet and essayist Mr. Odia Ofeimun, poet and journalist Mr. Sam Omatseye, analylist Silverster Odhion Akaine, Austyn Njoku, Maxim Uzoator, the publisher, Mr. … of Bookcraft and a few others.

Just like its counterpart commission in South Africa, Kukah said he had had the illusion that that country’s commission that seemingly provided a model for the Oputa Panel unearthed the truth about the sordid events of the Apartheid era. But on a closer examination and interaction with some of the participants, he came to discover otherwise. What he found out was that the revelations from that commission were a mere approximation of the truth.

And so between your ‘truth’ and the other person’s ‘truth’, there was always the real ‘truth’ somewhere lying in-between, he argued. So, why is there a need for a commission to unearth the truth anyway? He also posited that it was the duty of society to learn the truth as told by those who were victims of atrocities one way of the other.

So, he declared, “No truth commission had succeeded anywhere; they are not meant to make you happy. In fact, the word Truth Commission is a misnorma but the fact that they happen at all is all what matters. A lot of people who setup commission never believe they will live long enough for people to comforted their shared arrogance. The initiative of this nature tells one bit of the story and leave the rest. The children of M.K.O. Abiola, Ken Saro Wiwa are not only the biological children. The story of Abiola’s death is a drama that has not yet been told; it is full of so many abnormalities. These are the kind of story we would have pursued and continued to pursue but we didn’t like Abacha so we don’t want to cross his path. Even if it is just to stir up our imagination, let us keep talking about these issues to keep our children and the country well informed.

”. For instance, both in South Africa and Nigeria, those who had suffered various degrees of wrong did not insist on being rewarded or compensated in any way after testifying for the wrongs done them. For Kukah, this was a source of wonder? So, why had they come to testify?

He came to the inevitable conclusion that those who testified merely wanted an outlet for their grief and pain, for the whole world to learn what they went through. Just like he was to find out for himself, they also derived psychological benefits from stating their case. It provided him and the others a moment of catharsis, a sort of cleansing or exorcism of the soul from the abominable wrongs of the past.

In view of the fact that nothing seemed to have come out of the Oputa Panel, Kukah was quick to point out that he still didn’t feel frustrated at the panel for what might appear its failure, but that as a nation, it was important for the many narratives to be out there for all to see and learn from. His fear was that the guerilla journalism that had been a handmaiden of the struggle against oppression during the military has seemingly regressed into corporate journalism that was fast glossing over the real issues.

Kukah stated that the nation’s journalism would seem to have fared badly during democracy as the transition from military to democracy would seem to have caught journalism practice on the wrong foot. He stated, “These are very challenging times for the media.” He, however, did not mince words in branding Nigeria a failed state for not having “the capacity to deliver what it promises” to its citizenry.

But the priest will not give up hope on the country in spite of the many failure indices that mark her out as a failed state. Nevertheless, he does not believe that the nation’s salvation will come from the many politicians that have become the vultures feeding on the nation’s carrion. The military, he said, didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with Nigeria’s problems just as it was beginning to be clear that the politicians have no clue either.

In other words, that leaves a significant segment of the polity that has been suffering quietly all these years: The Intellectuals. Kukah stressed, “I’m convinced that unless we bring back the dignity of the intellectual into public space, we will not achieve much. We cannot continue this way. We have to elevate governance beyond what it is at the moment”.

Kukah lamented that areas that seemed to be gulping the most public money were the least productive in the country: Security, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Roads amongst others.

One other area the author lamented about was the role of traditional rulers in the current political dispensation. He said, “It is a symptom to what is wrong with our democracy and I see that the political elite are beginning to suck from this system. It is largely a carryover of the crisis of legitimacy and to the extent that traditional rulers are always a buffer zone. Politicians are s till speaking in the way and manner of the military. I have not seen a bigger role the traditional rulers have to play in our democracy. There is no clear role in our democracy. With Oputa Panel you could never tell how the story would end“.

I hope that this is the beginning of a much longer conversation!

Lagos hosts workshop on Out-of-Home business

30/05/11

All is now set for a two–day intensive and interactive workshop on modern strategies for Effective Marketing and Selling the Out – of – Home Media for senior management team. The workshop is scheduled for June 2 and 3 at the Whispering Palms Beach, Badagry, Lagos State.

According to the organisers, Daniels Phritnol Nigeria Limited, the workshop aims at exposing participants to relevant strategies that will ultimately help to significantly improve the marketing/selling approaches of Out-of-Home media firms; expose participants to the major barriers that hinder effective marketing / selling of Out – of - Home media, and to guide them to discover how to overcome such barriers as well as help participants discover the basic principles that will always serve as useful guide in driving the strategic marketing focus of their firms.

The workshop will be facilitated by seasoned marketing experts such as Chris Doghudje, Chief Executive, Zus Bureau and immediate past Chairman of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Dr. Josef Bel – Molokwu, Former Registrar/Chief Executive, APCON and member of Faculty, Lagos Business School, Pan-African University and ESUT Business School; Chris Ogbechie, member of Faculty, Lagos Business School and Chido Nwakanma, CEO Blueflower Limited/Vice-President, Public Relations Consultancy Association of Nigeria (PRCAN).

Chijide leads OAAN delegates to global outdoor forum

The newly elected president of Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), Charles Chijide, will lead members of the association on a one week trip to Madrid, Spain for, the world congress of outdoor practitioners.

With the theme, Tomorrow – the future of out-of-home (OOH), the 52^nd FEPE International Congress according to Chijide, offers Nigerian practitioners opportunity to explore global best practices innovations and technology, with attention focused on the future of the medium.

“We are going to FEPE for global exposure as part of our plans to move outdoor advertising to the next level in Nigeria,” Chijide said.

Besides, he said delegates at the congress would have opportunity of interacting and networking with top industry practitioners from different parts of the world as well as acquire new knowledge and skills from the galaxy of guest speakers who would make presentations at the event.

FEPE International came to existence following provision of Act 60-70 of the Swiss Code of Civil Law. Membership is open to all persons, legal entities, companies and federations, which are active in any way in the field of outdoor advertising.

OAAN became a member of the world outdoor body last year under the leadership of former president, Mr. Kole Ademulegan.

All members of FEPE International have access to the protected information on the FEPE website. A statement on the website of FEPE by the planning committee said there would be a larger exhibition area than last year.

“The programme is coming together. We are very fortunate to have Geral Leohard as a keynoter. He is a media futurist from Switzerland. Steffan Postaer will be providing a creative keynote. He was until recently, Chairman and Head of Creative at Euro RSCG in Chicago.”

Also expected at the forum is Hamish Pringle, Director General of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising; who is representing advertising agencies in the U.K. He will address the gathering alongside Oliver Gray, Director General of the European Advertising Standards Alliance from Brussels.

Other speakers expected are Rob Atkinson, Clear Channel, Anna Reeves, CBS; Nigel Clarkson- Primesight from the UK and others.

The forum will also concentrate on the future of opportunities, green issues, legislations regulations – the environment in the cities tomorrow – innovations, digital as well as lurking dangers in the industry.

African arts and crafts shine as AFAC 2011 opens in Abuja

There is no doubt that the Nigerian arts and crafts industry is beset with a lot of challenges arising from poor marketing strategies and low patronage.

While some blame the situation on general preference for imported goods over locally produced ones, others are of the opinion that artisans lack modern technological know-how to upgrade their products to meet internationally acceptable standard.

Ironically, these indigenous crafts have continued to improve by the day without proportionate attention and acceptance from both local and international audience. It is as a result of the need to lift indigenous Arts and Culture (NCAC), four years ago, mooted the idea of a two-week regional crafts market that would serve as platform to showcase indigenous arts and crafts.

At the opening of the 4^th African Arts and Crafts Expo (AFAC 2011) last week in Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan, noted that in addition to mitigating the challenges of unemployment and wealth creation, the yearly regional market could also promote socio-economic integration of African nations.

Represented by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Retired Navy Captain Kaleb O. Olubolade, the President said the art and craft industry represented a veritable promising investment opportunity, which is yet to be exploited.

He was optimistic that the expo would provide the much needed consciousness and attention for the industry.

"I am therefore glad that the African Arts and Craft Expo been initiated as an effective platform that would create the much required consciousness to enable us take a structured look at this vibrant sector."

Adding that the Expo would re-awaken the past glamour, glory and dignity of the crafts industry and transform it into a significant contributor to the country's foreign exchange earnings, the President tasked practitioners on the need to acquire relevant skills and knowledge that would bring their products to compete favourably in the global market.

Commending the organizers, the representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mrs. Ruth David, said one of the greatest achievements of the expo lies in its ability to promote national, regional as well as continental integration.

According to her, since culture is globally acclaimed as a fundamental dimension of economic development, it behooves on every wise nation and government to factor it into its developmental strategies.

She added that ECOWAS authority had recognized AFAC as a major regional and continental event, which has over the years, exposed works of African culture practitioners, thereby offering them the opportunity to highlight their creativity, establish working relationship, exchange ideas as well as promote and market their works. This milestone, she informed, had assisted ECOWAS in its drive to generally elevate the living standard of its citizens in fulfillment of vision 2020.

"The resultant positive ripple effect being that Nigeria through its hosting of the AFAC is assisting ECOWAS community citizens in their capacity for innovation, adaptation and improvement of their living conditions through the promotion of sustainable development that safeguard solidarity, unity, free movement and inter- mingling of peoples, exchange of goods and services, promotion of human rights, development of regional tourism, promotion of the culture of peace and fostering of the regional integration process as ECOWAS moves from an ECOWAS of state to an ECOWAS of people in fulfillment of its vision 2020".

Earlier in his welcome address, the executive Director National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), organizers of the event, Mr. M.M Maidugu, said the expo seeks to explore, develop market and generally leverage the nation’s rich and diverse craft industry with a view to effectively respond to government’s effort at job creation, youth empowerment and rural economic transformation.

He said the two-week event would also showcase the best of African crafts. In addition, the Investment Forum, a one-day programme designed to stimulate creative discourse with a view to sharing and imparting the requisite skills and knowledge on the best practices, would hold simultaneously.

“It is to direct attention and emphasis on product design, development and marketing strategy and by so doing, our products could be able to compete favourably and excel at the global market.”

In his remarks, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed, said the expo was influenced by the challenges of harnessing art and craft for national development.

According to Mohammed, who was represented by the Director, Tourism, Mrs. Sola Olumeko, Africa has a comparative advantage in the area of arts and crafts and should be able to tap the resource of this expo to grow and market the regional craft industry for social-cultural integration that Africa Union Charter seeks to promote.

Over 10 African countries including Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Niger, Cameroon, Senegal, Republic of Benin and Togo are participating at the expo. Also in attendance are over 100 non-governmental organizations, student groups and individual marketers.

Some of the products on display include interior decoration, apparels, garments and embroidery. Others are household utensils, jewelleries, brass and metal, leather and fibre designs, ceramics, pottery as well as traditional African cuisine, music and dance from various states of the federation and countries of Africa.

The market closes on May 31.