When I received copies of MNI versus MNIPR in NIPSS: Tackling Institutional Bullying and AI in Crisis Communication in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects, both authored by Yushau A. Shuaib, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), I expected two very different books. One appeared to be a memoir of institutional conflict; the other, an academic work on emerging technology and crisis communication.

Having read both, I discovered they are, in many respects, companion volumes. Together, they tell the story of how personal adversity can become intellectual opportunity, and how an interrupted academic journey can ultimately produce work of lasting national and international significance.

As Associate Editor of Spokespersons Digest—the publication behind the National Spokespersons Awards—I was naturally drawn to Chapter Eight of the memoir, “The NIPR Betrayal,” spanning pages 139 to 161. Having covered the activities of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) for several years, I approached the chapter with professional curiosity. What I found was an emotionally compelling account that raises broader questions about institutional relationships, professional loyalty and the delicate balance between organisational discipline and support for members.

According to the memoir, shortly after his withdrawal from the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Shuaib was invited to appear before the Ethics Panel of the NIPR Council over actions arising from the dispute.

For someone whose professional life had been closely intertwined with the Institute for more than three decades, the experience was understandably painful.

Shuaib traces his relationship with the NIPR back to his undergraduate days at Bayero University, Kano, where he specialised in public relations and, in 1992, became the first recipient of the NIPR President’s Prize for the Best Graduating Public Relations Student. Three years later, he was honoured as the Kano/Jigawa Chapter’s Public Relations Person of the Year.

His career subsequently expanded beyond Nigeria through advanced studies, including a Master’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Westminster, London, professional research in online public relations, and affiliations with international organisations such as the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA). Under his leadership, IMPR also earned multiple international recognitions, including SABRE Awards Africa and IPRA Golden World Awards.

Against this backdrop, one seemingly minor incident in the memoir becomes symbolically significant. The invitation from NIPR reportedly addressed him as “ANIPR” rather than “MNIPR,” the professional designation he had used for many years and which, according to him, had previously appeared in official correspondence from the Institute.

At first glance, it appears trivial. Yet anyone familiar with public relations understands that titles, professional designations and institutional language often carry symbolic meaning. They communicate recognition, identity and belonging.

Shuaib writes that after drawing the Registrar’s attention to the issue, another invitation was issued, this time omitting any professional designation altogether.

Whether intentional or not, the incident deepened his perception that his decades of contribution were no longer receiving institutional acknowledgement.

Equally striking is the memoir’s account of the National Spokespersons Awards.

The book explains that the initiative was conceived in 2019 during the tenure of Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo as President of the NIPR. Its inaugural edition was independently organised by IMPR in 2021 with the Institute’s endorsement before both organisations entered into a formal partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding in 2023.

The awards have since grown into one of Nigeria’s foremost platforms for recognising excellence in strategic communication, honouring spokespersons, public information managers, corporate affairs practitioners, military communicators and crisis communication professionals.

According to the memoir, however, the partnership was terminated before the expiration of the agreement by Dr. Ike Neliaku led NIPR.

What surprised me further was when the institute, following the termination, introduced another awards platform under a different name.

Reflecting on the episode, Shuaib writes: “Organisations can withdraw endorsements. Partnerships can be terminated. Titles can be withheld. But one’s name—carefully built over decades—must remain answerable first to conscience, history and truth.”

That statement captures the emotional centre of Chapter Eight.

If that chapter represents the wound, Chapter Nine—”A Blessed Disappointment”—represents the healing. In my view, it is the memoir’s most inspiring chapter.

Rather than dwelling on conflict, it chronicles how an interrupted academic journey became the catalyst for some of the author’s most significant professional achievements.

Shuaib begins by acknowledging the personal toll of the crisis.The combined effects of the NIPSS withdrawal, the NIPR investigation and the ensuing legal battles resulted in something he had never previously experienced—hypertension.

His opening reflection is both simple and profound: “As someone who had spent decades helping individuals and institutions navigate reputational crises, I suddenly found myself at the centre of one.”

Yet the chapter is far from a catalogue of grievances. Instead, it documents how adversity redirected his energy towards new opportunities.

One source of encouragement came from his family, whose support inspired him to take a restorative vacation in Canada. Equally moving were the visits and messages from graduates of the Young Communication Fellowship, many of whom travelled long distances simply to encourage their mentor.

These moments reinforced one of the book’s enduring messages: “True success is not measured by certificates, titles or institutional recognition. It is measured by the positive impact one leaves in the lives of others.”

The memoir also recounts how the NIPSS experience unexpectedly strengthened his vision for expanding the Young Communication Fellowship.

Inspired by the residential model at NIPSS, he developed plans for hostel facilities at the PRNigeria Centres in Kano and Ilorin. During a visit to the Kano Centre, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, President of MAAUN, asked whether similar facilities existed in Abuja.

When Shuaib explained that such a project was beyond his financial capacity, Professor Gwarzo donated a large building in Lugbe, Abuja, to serve as a training and residential centre for the Fellowship.

It is an extraordinary example of how one setback unexpectedly created room for another opportunity.

Perhaps the chapter’s most compelling narrative, however, concerns the research project that eventually became “AI in Crisis Communication in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects.”

Originally approved as a research proposal during SEC 47 at NIPSS, the study was titled “Artificial Intelligence and Crisis Communication in Nigeria’s Public Sector: An Assessment.”

Following his withdrawal from the programme, the institutional framework supporting the research disappeared. Many scholars would understandably have abandoned the project.

Shuaib chose otherwise. Driven by professional conviction and encouraged by colleagues at the Centre for Crisis Communication, he completed the study independently within three months.

The findings proved remarkably relevant. The research identified what he describes as Nigeria’s “awareness-adoption gap.” While many communication professionals are increasingly familiar with artificial intelligence, institutional use remains largely limited to drafting documents, monitoring media content and generating reports.

More advanced applications—including predictive analytics, crisis forecasting, sentiment analysis and misinformation detection—remain significantly underutilised.

The study also highlights a “trust paradox.” Although AI improves speed and efficiency, communication professionals remain cautious about relying on it during crises because of concerns over deepfakes, misinformation, algorithmic bias and the irreplaceable role of human empathy and judgment.

Its central conclusion is both balanced and timely: artificial intelligence should enhance human decision-making, not replace it.

Beyond diagnosis, the research identifies structural barriers to AI adoption, including inadequate digital infrastructure, inconsistent electricity supply, limited broadband penetration, shortages of specialised expertise, weak institutional coordination and underdeveloped policy frameworks.

Importantly, the work did not remain confined to academia. It informed discussions at the Centre for Crisis Communication and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), contributing to the National Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Crisis Communication held at the National Defence College, Abuja, in November 2025.

One outcome of that symposium was the establishment of the Crisis Communication Hub (CCHub), a multi-stakeholder platform aimed at improving crisis management and combating misinformation in Nigeria.

The research subsequently evolved into the 200-page book “AI in Crisis Communication in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects,” endorsed by NITDA Director-General Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Major General Chris Olukolade (Rtd), Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu and Professor Abiodun Adeniyi.

Its most remarkable achievement came when the book was shortlisted as a finalist for the 2026 International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Awards in Athens, Greece.

There is considerable irony in this outcome. A research project interrupted within one institution ultimately gained wider relevance beyond it.

Had it remained solely an academic exercise at NIPSS, it might have concluded as another research paper in an institutional archive.

Instead, it became a national symposium, a published book, a catalyst for policy conversations and an internationally recognised work.

That is perhaps the memoir’s greatest lesson. Institutions undoubtedly create opportunities. They nurture ideas, shape careers and provide platforms for scholarship. But ideas, once fully developed, often transcend the institutions that first gave them life.

The enduring strength of MNI versus MNIPR in NIPSS lies not in its recounting of institutional disagreements but in its demonstration that resilience can transform disappointment into lasting contribution.

The closing reflection captures this beautifully: “Institutions may grant opportunities, but they do not own ideas. Once knowledge becomes a mission, it acquires a life of its own. No withdrawal letter can take that away.”

That single sentence summarises not only Chapter Nine but also the relationship between the memoir and its companion volume on artificial intelligence.

Together, they tell the story of an interrupted journey that ultimately reached destinations far beyond where it first began.

Kabir Abdulsalam is Associate Editor of Spokespersons Digest He can be reached via kbabdulsalam03@gmail.com.

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TECHDIGEST – Economic Confidential, a publication of Image Merchants Promotions Limited (IMPR), is set to host its first public lecture as part of efforts to encourage discussions around the country’s economic future in a political transition period.

The maiden public lecture according to the organisers is instituted to bring high-impact leaders in public and private sector to discuss issues of economic development and good governance.

The lecture with the theme, “Economic Diversification in an Evolving Cashless Society,” is scheduled to take place at Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja on Tuesday 9th of May, 2023.

While the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, will be the Guest Speaker, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mohammed Shehu, will serve as Chairman of the occasion.

The lecture promises to elevate the conversations on economic diversification while advancing digitalisation and pursuing the lofty goals of a cashless society.

Two books titled “Pantami: The Trials and Triumphs of a Digital Economy Maestro,” by Yushau A. Shuaib and “eNaira Revolution: A Peep into Nigeria’s Cashless Future” written by Abdulrahman Abdulraheem will also be presented to the public on that day.

The Chairman Board of Commissioners of Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), Professor Adeola Akande and the ICT Director at Central Bank of Nigeria, Hajia Rakiya Mohammed provided the Forewords for the books resoectively.

Similarlt, the publisher of Daily Nigerian, Mallam Jaafar Jaafar and Abuja Chairman of Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN), Mr. Nduka Chiejina will be the Book Reviewes at the event.

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TECHDIGEST – To say I was shocked or devastated by the striking story of the killing of Sule Matthew, is an understatement. He was said to have been gruesomely killed with other passengers by “unknown gunmen” at Ekwulobia in Anambra State.

Sule did not only graduated with a First Class Information and Media Studies (IMS) from the Bayero University Kano (BUK), he was the best student of the pioneer set of the IMS department that was carved out of the old Mass Communication in the present Faculty of Communication of the institution.

He was killed on that fateful day while travelling to Anambra state alongside other passengers. Sule happened to be part of the many innocent people who lose their lives, almost on daily basis, in the hands of these blood-sucking monster terrorists masquerading as unknown gunmen or bandits.

Our paths with him first crossed in 2019 when he, alongside four of his classmates enrolled for an Penlight internship Programme at the then newly built PRNigeria Centre in Kano, which I was privileged to be its pioneer Manager.

All the set are brilliant, to the extent that I thought that time, the department chose the best of its students to send to our centre for the internship. This really made my coaching and mentorship of them very easy as they quicky grab whatever they were taught as they delivered on given tasks sometimes, even beyond expectations.

I remember, the first day they came, our boss, Mallam Yushau A. Shuaib (YAShuaib), said I should inform them that everyone must be tasked to write at least one opinion article weekly that should make it to any of the national dailies.

Before they rounded up their eight weeks stay at the PRNigeria Centre, Sule was among the interns with highest number of articles published in about six national dailies. He was simple, calm jovial, hardly could you spot him in any unnecessary argument.

Though an Igala by tribe and Christian by faith, most of Sule’s friends as far as I know, were Muslims. A distinctive quality implying his accommodating character of respecting people’s identities. I have never heard any of his colleagues complaining of anything bad about his character towards them.

He was the co-founder of HOS Tutors, a Nigeria social enterprise platform that focuses on making learning in formal and vocational education accessible and affordable for everyone by connecting all categories of learners with best-fit tutors.

Sule was also on a 6-month non-residential fellowship program that trains, and mentors young citizen activists to push for democratic reforms – Gidan Yanci. He was also the Senior Project Manager of BUK Enactus Team – a delegation that performed wonderfully under Sule’s watch, to the extent of putting his institution as one of the three worldwide to get mention of the United Nation for their outstanding performance. He was also a volunteer at Sunbook and a member of World Literacy Foundation, among several other accomplishments.

What a loss of a human resource!

He died with a lot of dreams waiting to be accomplished. So, when I first heard of the tragic incidence, I became devastated and terrified, for his likes are rare to find. He distinguished himself wherever he went as intelligent.

Unfortunately, Sule was killed a week before he was to report to the Orientation Camp for the forthcoming National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.

I cannot imagine the pains his family are currently going through, especially after losing his father in July last year, just a month before his graduation from university.

His death is a loss not only to his family or his Ayangaba community in Kogi state, but also to his department, faculty and BUK in general. May God give all of them the fortitude to bear his loss.

And to his killers, may they never know peace in their lives for the same pain they inflicted on his family and the society that would have benefited from him – if he had lived longer.

Until we meet to part no more, good night Sule Matthew.

Sani Ibrahim Paki was Manager PRNigeria Centre Kano and currently with the Daily Trust Newspapers

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By MohammedDahiru Lawal

TECH DIGEST – It was indeed a most thrilling moment for me when I became privy to the news that Nigeria’s Image Merchants Promotions (IMPR) Limited, publisher of both PRNigeria and Economic Confidential titles clinched the highest ranking in a rating of the most creative Public Relations Agencies in the 2020 Global Creativity Index (GCI) by PRovoke, in its ninth edition of their landmark survey into creative excellence in the PR industry worldwide.

Incidentally, around the time the ranking came, I was privileged to have been on a call with the ever-dynamic award-winning Crisis Communicator and IMPR’s founder, Yushau A. Shuaib, whose vision, rarity, and exceptional dynamics serves as pivotal instrument to the firm’s many trailblazing wins.

Alhaji had placed me on suspense when he started reeling out the ranking from bottom top. At the time he mentioned that UK’s Tin Man came 14th, I made up my mind that IMPR must have clinched the 13th position but that was not to be as it was another UK firm Manifest that clinched it. As my mind hovered around the possible place of IMPR in the ranking, Alhaji kept reeling out the firms which are Orange 360 (Peru) in 13th position, Trigger (Norway) in 12th position, IN.FOM (Singapore) in 11th, Seesame (Slovakia) in 10th position, AKA Asia (Singapore) 9th position, and The Romans (UK) in 8th position. As my adrenaline rushed with wide expectations and marathon anxiety, I thought IMPR must have been 7th position but no, it was Tribeca, a South African PR firm. By the time the roll call got to the top two and IMPR still was not second, I knew instantly that the multiple award winning IMPR has again done the only it knows how to do best, winning!

It is noteworthy that while other countries like the UK, USA and Singapore had at least two winning firms on the ranking, Nigeria had only one and that was IMPR.

The renowned multiple-award winning IMPR which was weighted on staff size along other competing global PR firms, scored a whooping 1400 points when the runner up, Finland’s Kurio who scored 933, trailed behind the very wide 467 margin given by IMPR, whereas there was not much margin in between subsequent winners as the third position, United States’ Joy Collective who scored 727 was given a 206-point margin by Kurio.

This is not only outstanding, but remarkably fascinating and an event of national pride.

The point that a small African, nay Nigerian PR firm could submerge gigantic PR Corporations in Europe, America, and across the world in terms of dynamics and solutions driven creative possibilities, should catch the awe and fancy of any progressive mind, a feat which in itself is a representation of the very idea that patronage of foreign products and services is more and more becoming a wild goose chase, especially when we have firms that can exceed expectations and satisfy needs.

In particular, our commercial businesses and politicians should see clearly from this that they do not need to launder stashes of hard currencies into foreign lands just to pay lobbyists exorbitant charges for an image make-up when home-based firms could deliver double on the bargain.

The IMPR ranking did not come as a surprise, it has won several local and global awards from revered institutions back-to-back and the uniqueness of its campaigns are just magnificently awesome especially the referenced “NAF’s Women of War” and “CBN on Fire; WhatsApp to the Rescue” Campaigns.

This is among other overt and covert campaigns it has championed for national interest none of which has ever failed.

Founded by award-winning Crisis Communicator, Yushau A. Shuaib, Image Merchants provides PR advisories to financial sector and critical institutions including military, security, intelligence and response agencies in Nigeria and it is indeed a remarkably outstanding PR firm from the past, in the present and for the future!

Long live IMPR!

God bless Nigeria!!

Mohammad Dahiru Lawal is Campus Journalist of the year 2020 and Convener/Managing Editor, Arewa Agenda for sustainable development.

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