The President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr. Chris Isiguzo has advised the first cohort of the inaugural PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship to leverage social media in becoming true media and public relations professionals.

Isiguzo spoke at the opening ceremony of the one-month-long capacity-building training for ten select PRNigeria Communication Fellows.

The event occurred at the Abuja Corporate Headquarters of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, the two flagship media publications of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR).

Isiguzo encouraged young communicators to leverage social media in their profession because the media is now moving from the hands of professionals to the ordinary citizens thus removing the element of objectivity in media reportage.

In his words, “The real journalist is the trained journalist. It is important to pick out the fake news and put the real ones out there. We must battle those who are putting out fake news and change the narrative on social media. Your role in this, as the next generation of journalists, is crucial and influential.”

Dr. Isiguzo also advised the PRNigeria fellows to take their profession seriously, emphasizing how much of a powerful tool journalism is in promoting accountability in a democratic setting like Nigeria. He stressed the significant role they play in shaping public discourse and holding those in power accountable.

“Journalism is a unique profession. Given the circumstances, the law (constitution) has given power to journalists and this is why we are the linkage or middlemen between the government and the people.

During his opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of IMPR, Alhaji Yushau Shuaib welcomed the fellows and explained how complex the selection process was while choosing the 10 cohorts from over 1,000 applicants.

“When we announced the fellowship, within two days we received 1,414 entries. Due to the competitiveness, the selection process had to use the first-come, first-served principle as the primary criteria for selection. This approach was consistent across all centres in Kano, Ilorin, and Abuja, after which 10 Fellows were selected for each Centre so I want to welcome and congratulate you,” he said.

Alhaji Shuaib stated the essence of the fellowship while giving an overview of its programme activities and encouraged participants to utilise the opportunity for their self and community development.

“The essence of the Fellowship is to broaden your scope of knowledge in all aspects of communication. While journalism deals with gathering and disseminating information, strategic communication involves being mindful of the kind of information shared to avoid harming the community and those mentioned in the report.

“The Fellowship focuses on modern communication methods, public relations, crisis communication and social media engagement, introducing technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning as journalism has evolved. Additionally, there is a multimedia session, as communication is shifting from print to audiovisual.

“This Fellowship also provides networking opportunities. To facilitate this, we organised a session where you will visit some organisations, including media houses and PR departments, to interact, learn from their practical experiences, and gain hands-on experience.

“It is expected that you will contribute knowledge and groundbreaking projects to the world based on what you learn during the fellowship,” he said.

Other speakers at the event included Dr. Sule Yau Sule, a seasoned PR practitioner and communication scholar at Bayero University Kano and Mallam Yusuf Alli, a multi-award-winning investigative journalist and a Managing Editor at the Nation Newspapers.

By PRNigeria

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TECH DIGEST – The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has appointed Dr. Sule Yau Sule as the Coordinator of North-West on its “National Integration, Peace and Security” project.

Dr. Sule, a Fellow of NIPR and University scholar is the Chairman of the multi-award winning Image Merchants Promotion Ltd (IMPR), the publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and the Spokespersons Digest.

The project “National integration, Peace and Security is an initiative of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations with a view to strengthen unity of purpose and Nigeria’s rebirth as an indivisible country.

Kano is to serve as the Zonal headquarters of the project in the North Western states comprising Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, Sokoto and Zamfara States.

All the geo-political zones have chairmen and Secretaries for the projects.

During the inauguration of the National Planning Committee of the project, President and Chairman of Council of NIPR, Mallam Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo, said that while efforts were being made to restore peace and dignity in the country, there was also the need to engage the citizens in dialogue to find lasting solutions.

He said that going through the news items in the media space about Nigeria makes it clear that there was an urgent need for restoration of peace, security, confidence and mutual understanding in the nation.

The 52-man committee of the project, headed by Dr. Ike Neliaku is to harvest ideas, beginning in September 2021, from each of the 36 states of the Federation, to the zonal levels and culminating into a citizens National Summit later in the year.

Ideas generated from the Summit will be transformed into a blueprint and policy recommendations for governments at all levels.

By PRNigeria.

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TECH DIGEST – In a democracy, the legislature is the most vital arm of government. Not only does effective representation distinguish a democratic government from other systems, it provides the platform for popular participation, a bottoms-up approach to agenda setting and grassroots accountability from which democracy earns the bragging right as government of the people, for the people, and by the people.

Representation under democracy, however, creates a burden of trust. In Nigeria, that burden has been discharged to various degrees by elected legislators and councillors. When the burden of trust is reasonably discharged, and to the constituents’ satisfaction, the incumbent is rewarded with another term. A unique Nigerian experiment, the Constituency Projects, an executive-legislature consensus initiative that allows legislators to identify key capital projects in their constituencies for priority budgetary allocation, offers serious-minded lawmakers further opportunity to make a difference back home. This is even more noteworthy when the legislator in question is a former governor who is widely respected for massive capital projects and infrastructural redevelopment during his eight-year tenure.

Last weekend, Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Shekarau CON, the senator representing Kano Central in the Red Chambers, conducted representatives of various media houses round projects he attracted to his constituency. Although in his usual style of rendering transparent and accountable stewardship, Malam regularly updates constituency members with his activities, the weekend event was an extraordinary outing that has provided a convergence of dialogues on the thoughts and stewardship of one of the most brilliant and outstanding lawmakers in the 9th National Assembly. Before an audience featuring key stakeholders, political bigwigs, and supporters, the Sardaunan Kano laid a progressive Legislative Agenda and Stewardship Report, which have shaped talking points even beyond Kano Central. In social media and other discussion forums, the excitement goes beyond the 10 notable Constituency Projects and empowerment programs which Malam attracted to Kano Central. It is about the big ideas behind them.

The Distinguished Senator spoke passionately about human development and social justice as his guiding principles in the National Assembly. From the onset, his priority is human capital development, which he sees as the foundation of other developments. They are the principles that guide his selection of projects to bring to his constituency because they are projects that directly benefit his constituency’s people.

Human capital investment is the foundation of other developments. As Governor, Malam also prioritized investment in human capital development. Being familiar with the challenges of his constituency, Malam appreciates that investments in the educational and health sectors are lifelong investments that can potentially impact the lives of the people in the long term.

“My immediate priority in my constituency projects is how to improve the education sector because it is the bedrock of development. Therefore, we used the available fund allocated as constituency projects to provide some projects at primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in our zone”, the distinguished Senator said at the stewardship briefing covering the 2019/2020 legislative year.

On this note, Malam leans on global giants’ shoulders, especially when one considers his illustrious pedigree as an educationist of repute. The former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, once said that “education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development”.

Therefore, with self-satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, the distinguished senator inspected ongoing projects comprising classrooms, offices, furniture, and stores constructed and provided within the 15 LGAs of Kano Central, through the auspices of the Universal Basic Education (UBE).

Some of the projects include a block of three classrooms with office, store, and furniture at Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau Science Primary School, a block of two classrooms with office, store, and furniture at Sani Maiunguwa Science Primary School, in Tarauni and Dala Local Governments respectively.

There is a block of 2 classrooms at Garindau Central Primary School in Warawa Local Government area; a block of 2 classrooms at Sabon Gari Primary School, in Madobi Local Government; and another block of two classrooms with an office, furniture, and store at Kwalli Primary School in Kano Municipal Local Government area.

Others include a block of two classrooms with office and store at Zogarawa Primary School in Dawakin Kudu, a block of two classrooms with office and store in Dumaji Primary School in Garin Mallam Local Government area, among others.

It was the former Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Bruntland, who described health as the core of human development, a belief shared by Senator Shekarau, who places a high premium on his constituents’ healthcare. The distinguished Senator used the occasion to announce his plans to construct an ultra-modern pharmacy at the Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital as part of 2021 Constituency Projects. He also inspected the completed first phase of a long road network he initiated to improve access into and through the tertiary health institution.

The senator further assured that a 6-member technical committee which he set up, comprising of professionals, will monitor the projects to ensure they are up to standard and compliant with specifications within the required bill of quantity.

It may be recalled that soon after assumption into office as a Senator, Malam influenced the empowerment of 4,000 petty business owners from Kano Central with N10,000 from a N40 million facility sourced from the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN).

Alhaji Ahmadu Maikasuwa, a notable businessman in the community, who spoke after listening to Radio Kano’s report, described Senator Shekarau as ‘not your ordinary politician.’ “We know Malam, and Malam knows the problems of the people of the Kano Central Senatorial district. Although I appreciate his rendering a public account of his stewardship, he earned our trust long ago. While thanking him for what he is doing and for what he has promised to do, I want to assure you that we are indeed lucky to be represented by a trustworthy and truthful servant of the masses”.

Dr Sule Ya’u Sule PhD, FNIPR is Media Adviser to Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, CON, Sardaunan Kano

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