Media Assistants and PR Blunder
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By Isaac Asabor
April 3rd, 2008
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If there is
anything that is bothering most trained and certified public relations
practitioners in Nigeria at the moment, it is the unprofessionalism which PR
practitioners in government are exhibiting in the course of trying to please
their godfathers to the detriment of the profession.
Sushil Bahl in his book, "Making PR Work", stated that corporate communications
and public relations for building image is a subject about which many
professionals hold firm views, but know surprisingly little about."His
observation is not wrong if the war-of-words and defamatory approach to
communication we are daily witnessing is anything to go by.
Most PR practitioners in government who usually go by various official
designations, such as Special Adviser on Communication or Information, Press
Secretary among other coinages have, no doubt, turned PR on its head. Simply
put, they have turned the profession to an avenue of pleasingtheir bosses,
apparently for recommendation to Commissioner of Information or any other higher
position. As a result of their inordinate political ambition they have thrown
ethics in public relations to the dogs so much that the profession have been
elevated to a ridiculous and laughable height.
Some weeks back, the sensibilities of most PR practitioners and other
enlightened Nigerians were assaulted by a defensive, combative and an
unprofessional article contributed to the Guardian Newspaper by Governor Ikedi
Ohakim's press secretary, Steve Osuji. The article, no doubt, was intended to
lower the person of Mrs. Elisabeth Udoudo in the estimation of right thinking
Nigerians and others alike and consequently make people to avoid or shun her.
Fortunately for Mrs. Udoudo the arrow which Mr. Osuji fired at her went back to
the sender as many reactionary articles were written against Mr. Osuji and his
paymaster. Most of the write-ups gave them the ignominy they deserved.
A good Journalist who may have read and studied Nigerian Press Law like Steve
Osuji should have known that his widely read account of what happened on the day
Ohakim's convoy was heading to the Airport stinks with defamation. It is very
appalling to say that while the dust raised by Mr. Steve Osuji through his
unprofessional write-up is yet to settle down, Mr. Tony Ikpasaja, the Senior
Special Adviser on communication and public relations to Governor Oserheimen
Osunbor has thrown what I may unmistakenly call a bombshell.
In a statement announcing the missing of the Commissioner of Information in Edo
state, Mr. Ikpasaja, perhaps in agreement with his embattled boss was reported
to have given AC as a party and Oshiomhole as a stake holder in AC 48 hours
ultimatum to produce the commissioner "in good health" or they would " face the
consequences of their action." What a professional blunder! It was even reported
in some segment of the media that while he made the announcement, the state
government were yet to report the matter to the police authority. Why must a
professor of law I had so much respect for and a Journalist who was among those
that inspired me into writing collectively behave in such an elementary manner?
Now that Mr. Calus Enoma, the honourable commissioner of information had been
found dead in his hotel room how is Mr. Ikasaja going to wriggle himself out of
the defamatory trap he set for himself? While investigation to what led to the
death of Mr. Ikpasaja is going on he should be asked to provide a concrete
evidence to back up his defamatory statement.
He should be told that speculative evidence is not evidence. Needless to say
more to prevent me from being trapped in the mould of Mr. Ikpasaja, it is
germane to advise most Special Assistants on communication or press secretaries
to political office holders to be conversant and abreast with the broad legal
implications concerning PR and communication at the government level. This will
help them from getting into avoidable trouble. They should know that the
positions of their paymasters are transient, and most of them are likely to come
back to the media or even establish a PR firm. They should not throw their
tomorrow's goodwill away merely because they are serving politicians that have
no job security.
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