Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, are among eminent personalities billed for the flag-off of the tree planting campaign of the Ogun State Chapter of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) holding on Saturday, June 1, 2024.
The campaign, which will feature the planting of 60 economic trees at a designated location within the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, is part of the activities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the NIPR.
According to a statement signed by the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Waheed Ogunjobi, and the Chapter Secretary, Kunle Olayeni, the celebration is aimed at promoting and raising awareness about a “Green Nigeria.”
“This programme is part of the Institute’s corporate social responsibility to promote tree planting and preservation as well as reduce the impact of global warming and climatic change in Nigeria,” the statement partly read.
One of the major highlights of the celebration, the organisers added, is the NIPR Diamond Anniversary Walk with the theme, “Walking for Economic Transformation.”
This colourful street walk will occur simultaneously across the 36 States’ capitals in Nigeria and Abuja on Saturday, 1st June, 2024 in line with the directive of the National Secretariat of NIPR.
In Abeokuta, the symbolic awareness Walk will be kick-started from 7:00am at the Ogun NIPR Secretariat in Oke-Ilewo through Omida, Ibara Roundabout and Panseke area, which is the endpoint.
The train will subsequently move to MAPOLY which has already designated a specific location as the NIPR Diamond Anniversary Green Park.
The choice of MAPOLY as venue of the tree planting campaign flag-off was in recognition of the significant role being played by the institution in the training and production of quality Mass Communication/Public Relations graduates over the years, some of whom formed the fulcrum of the Public Relations profession in Nigeria and beyond.
The organisers stated that the Ogun State Chapter of NIPR was delighted to partner with MAPOLY and the Landscape Horticulturist Association of Nigeria (LAHORAN) in staging the 60th anniversary celebration.
Some notable government functionaries expected at the tree planting exercise include the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide; Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi; Head of Service, Mr Kehinde Onasanya; Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya; the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Hon. Kayode Akinmade; and MAPOLY Rector, Dr Adeoye Odedeji, among others.