How NIPR can sanitize Public Relations profession in Nigeria- Kabir Dangogo

A veteran journalism and Public Relations practitioner & trainer,  Kabir Dangogo has charged the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) to do more in enforcing the tenets of the profession in Nigeria.

Dangogo said this at a surprise birthday party staged for him by friends in Abuja to mark his 70th birthday.

While reminiscing on his time as the Public Relations head in Union Bank, he lamented that there were too many quacks in the profession in the country.

“The recently constituted enforcement committee of the NIPR should go all out to ensure that non-professionals are weeded out of the profession,” he said.

The founding president of the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB) said NIPR should go on to sanction non-conforming organisations.

He also expressed dismay that organisations were not looking out for professionals of Public Relations to lead their Public Relations unit, a trend that is causing the NIPR serious headache, according to him.

“We have only few people in government who know what PR is. They (Government)) just scout around to pick people who can speak grammar and communicate well but PR is much more than that, Dangogo stressed.

He however expressed optimism that the profession could be sanitized if NIPR took enforcement seriously.

Speaking about his time in the profession, the one time Secretary General of the Federation of African Public Relations Associations (FAPRA) said media relations was the most difficult part of PR practice in Nigeria.

He added that the complicated nature of media practice in Nigeria makes it very tasking for PR experts to have a cordial relationship with the media.

Dangogo thanked the gathering for honoring him, adding that he was not even aware it was his birthday as he had stopped marking it for a long time.

Speaking at the occasion, the founder of PRNigeria, Yushau A. Shuaib, who said he had known the celebrant for over 20 years, acknowledged his contributions to the growth of PR in Nigeria.

“He is one of the people you will see and get inspired in PR,” Shuaib said. “He has made numerous contributions to the development of the profession in Nigeria. He collected all his books in the house and office and donated them to the Mass Communication department in Bayero University, Kano.”