From Uche Usim, Abuja
The Nigerian Public Relations (NIPR) has established a platform to tell the Nigerian story by Nigerians to a heterogeneous global audience and ultimately fix its battered image.
The special purpose vehicle is the Nigeria Reputation Management Group (NRMG), a strategic public relations engagement and institutional intervention created to comprehensively address the deficit of Nigeria’s reputation, on a sustainable basis.
Speaking on the official unveiling of NRMG, the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, who also sits on NIPR board, said the body, peopled by experts in crisis and reputation management, will pool strategies needed to address some critical reputational challenges that have negatively affected Nigeria as a country.
He said: “Reputation plays a key role in every aspect of human endeavour. Indeed, any individual, organisation, state or nation that wants to be taking seriously and be on top among peers must make deliberate effort to promote the culture of “reputation consciousness”.
“Unfortunately, the society, especially, many African nations have not recognised the power of reputation in turning their economies around.
“Though intangible in nature, reputation as a concept is so critical that if the components are properly understood, effectively planned, efficiently harnessed and well deployed, will position any country for greater value, global relevance and remarkable competitiveness,” he explained.
Adeniyi it was soothing that NRMG was a product of an Institute whose mandate revolves around reputation building and management.
“From the Committee’s Terms of Reference (ToR), I see a well-conceived initiative with the potentials of advancing the course of our nation.
“The global perception of Nigeria is poor and the impact of this is heavily felt in the nation’s economy. I believe that a renewed commitment and deliberate effort to strengthen the country’s reputation will yield the right results,” he added.
He called on all on governments at all levels, organisations, individuals and other stakeholders in the Nigeria project to give reputation matters priority attention, as every reputational error from individuals, organisations or government distorts development, affects the country’s global outlook and rating, thus retarding progress.
In his remarks, the Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace, assured the gathering that the outfit will persuasively tell the story of Nigeria in a most compelling manner across and across all communication platforms without apologies.
Terms of reference for the NRMG are; to develop the context, create content and provide the strategy for the sustainable establishment of Nigeria Reputation Management Group (NRMG) by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations; Consider and recommend appropriate operational modalities including timelines for the take-off of NRMG in Nigeria; Identify and recommend relevant partners and stakeholders to the NRMG project and advise on strategies for engaging them and Identify critical national assets, establishments, organisations and agencies of government whose activities/services impact Nigeria’s national reputation.
Others are to Consider and recommend programmes to be undertaken by the NRMG when established;Recommend vital social, economic and cultural activities that could be leveraged to boost the nation’s reputation; Plan, organise and reconvene the annual “Nigeria Reputation Summit” in October each year from 2024, as a world-class, flagship event of NIPR properly positioned to add value to government, citizens and other segments of the nation; Advise on ways and means of ensuring guided execution and well-coordinated implementation of outcomes of the annual Nigeria Reputation Summit; Consider and recommend appropriate structure and strategy for effective implementation of the proposed Nigeria Reputation Trust Fund, and recommend other ways of ensuring sustainable funding for NRMG; Advise the NIPR Council regularly on matters of national reputation and design plans and strategies for robust private sector acceptance and participation in the Nigeria Reputation project.
Some of the NRMG members are; Prof Emmanuel Dandaura, Hajia Lami Tumaka, Wale Adeniyi, and others.