BY LAW IBITOYE
The Director General of the Ekiti state Bureau of Community Communications, Mary Omotosho has described the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) as a profession that effectively plans and showcases the activities of the government.
The DG who pledged her support for Ekiti NIPR, charged its leadership to prove their metus and make Ekiti feel their professional impacts.
Mary Omotosho disclosed these while playing host to the leadership of Ekiti NIPR. She stressed that it’s high time NIPR took the lead by displaying its expertise, saying the media space needs an overhaul.
In her words” Controlling the media space is beyond RATTAWU and NUJ because the media space is polluted already. NIPR is the rescue corridor. I have told the NUJ Chairman to work hand- in -hand with the NIPR body to help our people” Many of them have interest in the profession, when you say you are a spokesperson, you must understand Public Relations and this would be a plus to the Government ”
The DG emphasized that Public Relations is life; saying an image making profession required proper understanding of the profession for optimal performance. She said” If you don’t understand the job, you will mess it up” In fact churches now have PR practitioners/ Departments.
The DG said she is an advocate of having the PR Department in the government circle which would complement the function of the press officers, adding that the responsibilities of the two bodies differ.
While assuring the leadership of NIPR, Ekiti state Chapter, Mrs Mary Omotosho pledged her full support to making the body viable in the state. According to the DG” Get your plan and attached the result you expect per plan and let’s fly with it, I am ready to give you full support ”
Earlier, the Chairman of NIPR, Pastor Anthony Adesua had applauded the DG for consistently projecting the good works of the Ekiti state Governor, Biodun Oyebanji . He however frowned at the large number of unregistered PR practitioners in Ekiti state, especially in government establishments.
Pastor Adesua tasked the DG to use her good office in domesticating PR Departments in Government establishments.
The delegations include; the Secretary of NIPR, Kayode Adebusuyi, Ayodele Abere, PRO, Lawrence Ibitoye, Assistant Secretary and Nwusoro Emmanuel, Member.