The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Niger State Council, Comrade Abu Nmodu, has described as erroneous the notion that NUJ members, particularly the Information Officers under the State Ministry of Information and Strategy, were not professionally qualified to practice as Public Relations Officers PRO, in government agencies and organisations.
Speaking during an interface with the officials of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Niger State, who paid him a courtesy visit at the IBB Pen House in Minna.
He said public relations practice was an aspect of journalism rooted in unbundled mass communication, stressing that the practice of journalism plays a dual role as an industrial and professional body.
"To a great extent, it does not mean that our members who are carrying out PR jobs are not qualified to do that, and I will disagree if somebody says they are not qualified to practice simply because they are not members of NIPR," the chairman stressed.
Comrade Abu Nmodu, who recounted a brief history of the NIPR, noted that the institute was established by decree No. 16 in 1990, which makes it different from the NUJ but has various areas of intersection, especially in the aspect of creating an image or a brand.
He noted that while NIPR members create images, the vehicle to make the images out to the public is journalism, with basic ethical codes for enhanced professionalism.
He described the code of ethics of journalism as broad and all-encompassing, including how to practice public relations, unlike the code of ethics of public relations that was specific to brand creation.
The chairman emphasised that PR practitioners must partner with their journalism counterparts in order to ventilate the window of image creation.
While assuring the officials of their unflinching support and partnership, the chairman advised the NIPR to strengthen their membership drive in symbiotic synergy with the NUJ.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Akin Agbejule, said the aim of the visit was to seek collaboration between NUJ and the NIPR.
He informed the chairman of the activities of the institute, adding that the body was poised to open a new chapter in pursuing its professional objectives.
Agbejule solicited strategic and professional synergy for a robust exploration of PR contents in order to have a better delivery to society.
He further intimated the chairman that the institute will be holding its conference and annual general meeting (AGM) by next Tuesday, February 20, 2024, and therefore solicited the full participation of the NUJ members.
Highlights of the event included the presentation of souvenirs to the NIPR team, including the newly launched NUJ Niger Magazine, and a group photograph.