NOA To Partner NIPR On Spokespersons Summit, Rebirth Nigeria Initiative

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has expressed its willingness to partner the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in its key programmes aimed at reviving the country’s reputation for socio-political and economic advancement.

The Director General of NOA, Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu made the pledge on Friday when the NIPR President, Dr. Ike Neliaku, paid a courtesy visit to the agency’s office in Abuja.

Speaking on the new initiatives and reforms towards reorientation in the country, the NIPR boss said the institute has deliberately designed viable programmes to reclaim the nation’s dwindling reputation, assuring that the institute is ready to partner with relevant organisations to create a new narrative for Nigeria.

Neliaku who sought the partnership of the NOA in the forthcoming maiden edition of the National Spokespersons Summit, pointed out that the programme is part of strategies towards building the capacity of spokespersons that will emplace the culture of development communication.

“We realised that in the course of nation-building, narratives are critical. If you don’t design your narratives, the opposition will design narratives and impose on you,” Neliaku, who was inaugurated a few weeks ago, said.

He pointed out that, “We now have a situation where everybody talks from his own perspective, which has encouraged the prevalence of violent communication.

“We must find a way to deconstruct the concept of violent communication and reconstruct the kind of communication that is meant for development”, he stated.

Neliaku emphasised that the REBIRTH initiative of the Institute is aimed at value re-orientation that would entrench deep sense of patriotism among Nigerians, saying that the acronym, REBIRTH, stands for Reinventing the Essence, Beauty, Integrity, Resourcefulness, Tradition and Heritage of Nigeria.

Welcoming the delegation, Issa-Onilu described NOA as a public relations organisation that can achieve a lot for the country in partnership with the NIPR.

He said NIPR is well positioned to be the first body the NOA could rely on in delivering its mandate.

“We would ensure that we work together on all issues, not as in someone leading and another following, but we will do an assessment, put everything on the table, harmonise the ones we need to harmonise and roll out together and deliver for the country”, he assured.

Issa-Onilu emphasised that the issue of reputation is very germane to the policies and programmes of the President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, noting that nothing can be achieved without genuine attitudinal change.