The Ogun State Chapter of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) is set to honour four distinguished and eminent personalities at its 2023 Annual Colloquium scheduled for Thursday, August 3.
The event, which will hold at the Cinema Hall, June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, is expected to attract dignitaries, including the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who is also the Special Guest of Honour.
A statement issued on Sunday and signed by Oluwaseun Boye, Chairman and Kunle Olayeni, Secretary, the institute listed the personalities to be conferred with awards as former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Tunde Lemo, OFR; former Board Chairman, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Mrs Ronke Sokefun; Consultant to Ogun State Governor on Media, Hon. Kayode Akinmade; and property magnate, Otunba Wole Ogunbayo.
With the theme, “Pluralism and Public Opinion Management: Challenges and Prospects for a Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria,” the Colloquium will equally be a rallying point for professionals to dissect some of the problems confronting the Nigerian nation.
Prof. Adelaja Odukoya, a Professor of Political Science and current Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Lagos, is the Guest Speaker at the event which will also feature three notable professionals as panel discussants.
The NIPR National President, Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo,fnipr, will chair the important occasion which be graced by prominent traditional rulers, including the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege, and the Towulade of Akinale, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye.
The Colloquium, the statement added, will feature the public presentation and launch of “Image Maker,” the Ogun NIPR Journal which is the flagship of Public Relations journals in Nigeria.
According to the organisers, Governor Abiodun, who is the Special Guest of Honour, is expected to share perspectives on how to achieve social harmony needed to attain a sustainable democracy in the country.
The statement partly read, “Our desire is to use the Colloquium as a forum to discuss and proffer solutions on how best to arrest the growing trend of escalated ethnic, religious and political sentiments in our polity and explore the path of achieving social harmony needed to attaining a sustainable democracy in Nigeria.”
“It is expected that the outcome of this Colloquium will further consolidate on the gains of the Summit on National Integration which was initiated by the NIPR and held across the country in 2022 as part of the build up enlightenment towards a peaceful 2023 general elections in Nigeria.”
“The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) is a body established and recognised by the Federal Government Decree 16 of 1990 to set standard and regulate the training and practice of public relations in the country.”
Also, a distinguished elder statesman and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, has been invited as Guest of Honour at the event.
The Annual Colloquium is also expected to be attended by people from a wide range of backgrounds, including erudite scholars, astute professionals, government functionaries, political actors, traditional rulers, civil society, religious bodies and media communities as well as students from Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
