The Future of Public Relations in Nigeria in a changing world: The journey in the Nigerian Federal Civil Service

By Otunba the Venerable Olufemi Oyawale, retired, FNIPR

The Future of Public Relations in Nigeria in a changing world: The journey in the Nigerian Federal Civil Service

 (BY OTUNBA THE VENERABLE OLUFEMI OYAWALE, retired, FNIPR).

The government is big business. And it is significant because it affects the lives of millions and the fortunes of a country for good or ill. Its sheer complexity makes it imperative for the government to be close to the people’s hearts by being responsible, responsive, open, and ACCEPTED. These, indeed, are grave responsibilities that are pretty difficult to discharge. But discharge them government must, or it loses its legitimacy, particularly in a parliamentary democracy.

A major way by which the government executes its responsibility to the governed is Public Information otherwise known as Governmental Public Relations. Its role is premised on the concepts that the government is responsible to the entire citizenry of its country, and that the citizens have the RIGHT (NOT privilege) to know how they are governed.

This leads us to the definitions of Public Information and Public Relations. “Public Information is the international, planned and continuous endeavour of Government to build up and maintain mutual understanding and confidence to bring about adjustment and integration at home and acceptance abroad”. Simply, it is the deliberate effort by the Government to win and retain the people’s confidence at home and to be accepted. As for Public Relations, according to the British Institute of Public Relations, it is “the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its publics”. There are scores of other definitions which all point to the fact that Public Relations is deliberately power-packed good human relations. It is noteworthy that the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations is minting its definition.  

ROLE OF GOVERNMENTAL PUBLIC RELATIONS

It becomes clear, therefore, that the role of Public Relations in government is two-fold:

(i). To keep the people informed promptly, fully and candidly of government’s policies and operations and to secure their understanding and cooperation.

(ii). To keep the government informed promptly, fully and candidly of the views and likely reactions of the people to government policies and actions.

WHY INFORM THE PUBLIC?

Although the Government can function successfully to a certain extent without telling the public what it is doing or plans to do, experience shows that an “open” government wards off rumour-mongering, lack of understanding, and accusations of inactivity by the public. When the public is taken into confidence and appropriately informed at a safe but early stage of decision-making or policy implementation, it becomes much easier for the Government to secure the good understanding and cooperation necessary for trouble-free governance.

For example. Public information or Government Public Relations campaigns mounted during the change-over to Right Hand Drive; Naira and Kobo; “Operation Feed the Nation”; Civic Registration and the IMF Loan Debate secured much-needed public cooperation for Government policies.

Getting Government views safely across to the masses to secure the desired results is a difficult job. This is because of the average citizens’ natural adoption of the “Them and Us” syndrome. “Them” refers to the Government, government functionaries, highly placed, and otherwise privileged citizens, while “Us” refers to the “common people” – the ordinary citizens. Any “Them” action is automatically open to suspicion and indifference and sometimes stiff opposition. This is why Public Relations officers must master the art of enlightening the public without being accused of spreading propaganda or even subjected to open hostility.

It must be emphasized that TRUTH is the hallmark of Public Relations. PR does not and cannot make a bad product or service good nor can it make a bad government acceptable. What PR does is seek the best and most honest way of emphasizing the qualities of a product, service, or government while also seeking ways of identifying weak points and ameliorating them?

What everyone must know is that nobody can successfully deceive all of the people all the time. It is therefore worth considering what Edward Bernays (he is regarded as the Father of Public Relations) said on the importance of the people element: “No significant institution can survive, much less flourish if its policies and practices (or its products or services) fail to meet – or are perceived as failing to meet – the legitimate expectations of the “publics” it seeks to serve.

“Public opinion is based on information and belief. If it is wrong, it is wrong because of wrong information and consequent erroneous belief. It is not only right but the obligation of all individuals who come before the public, to see that the public has full and correct information”. (Public Relations Quarterly, Fall 1979, p.3)

THE NIGERIAN SCENE

In Nigeria, the main executor of Governmental Public Relations is the Federal Ministry of Information which is replicated in varying degrees at the state and local government levels.

EVOLUTION OF GOVERNMENTAL PR IN NIGERIA

The British colonial government saw the need in 1940 (during World War II – 1939 to 1045) for organized PR to counter Adolf Hitler‟ ‘s formidable war propaganda machinery and it promptly established an outfit that in 1944 became the Public Relations Office in a bid to refurbish its “detective” and “propaganda” image. That Office grew into a Department in 1947 after the adoption of the Richard‟s Constitution.

The P.R. Department soon became a virile and authoritative press relations force with the opening of Regional Offices in Ibadan (1947) and Enugu (1948).

Newsmen thus had official sources where they could seek direct informal enquiries. The department’s “Saturday Press Conference” enabled newsmen to mix and discuss freely with government officials and distinguished visitors.

The erstwhile Public Relations Department has since grown into the giant Federal Ministry of Information, Black Africa‟s largest employer of government Journalists/ Public Relations Officers, numbering some 800, an appreciable number of whom are university and/ or professional college graduates who can be found in all states of Nigeria, Abuja, and selected oversees countries like Britain, the U.S.A., West Germany, France, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.

It is, of course, obvious that state ministries of Information are replicas of the Federal Ministry of Information except that they do not engage in external (i.e. foreign) publicity and their scope of operations is narrower.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF INFORMATION

The Federal Ministry of Information is the PR base of the Federal Government of Nigeria. It constitutes the most extensive communication network in Africa and is one of the largest in the world. Its available “machinery” includes about 800 PROs many of whom are posted to The Presidency, various ministries and parastatals; 58 Information Centres nationwide and 8 overseas; the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria; the Nigeria Television Authority; the News Agency of Nigeria, Voice of Nigeria, Nigerian Film Corporation; the Federal Film Division; and the Federal Government Press. Add to these the “New Nigerian” newspaper group fully owned by the Federal Government, the “Daily Times” group in which the F.G.N. has the major shares, and the National Institute of Public Information, Kaduna, which provides in-service training for Information personnel on GL. 04 – 12 from all over the Federation, and officers of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy.

HOW IT WORKS

In executing its Public Relations functions, the Federal Ministry of Information issues factual and current press releases daily and provides feature articles and commentaries on government and national events.

It also:

(a). Accredits foreign journalists working in or visiting Nigeria;

(b). Produces films and video tapes (documentaries and newsreels) on Nigeria;

(c). Publishes magazines, handbooks, booklets, newsletters, folders, etc. on a quarterly and annual basis, some of which are printed in local languages;

(d). Engages in exhibitions and trade fairs;

(e). Conducts newspaper, radio and TV interviews;

(f). Conducts and publishes public opinion surveys and other research;

(g). Involved in diplomatic PR;

(h) Organizes national/International conferences and seminars;

(i). Back up of professional bodies e.g.: the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and the Association of African Communication Educators.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Apart from the constantly visible Publicity, Public Enlightenment, and Public Relations successes of the Federal Ministry of Information, its achievements in the last few years include the:

1. National Communication Policy;

2. National Cultural Policy;

3. Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria;

4. The Media Council Decree; and

5. The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Decree, 1990

CONSTRAINTS:

Although the Federal Ministry of Information discharges its role creditably, it is not without serious constraints and pains.

I like to identify the following:

1. Inadequate funding;

2. Square pegs in round holes in several places;

3. Insufficient staff motivation;

4. Lack of free hand to operate within stipulated guidelines;

5. Non-involvement of most officers in the decision-making process;

6. Insufficient appreciation by the authorities of the role of Public Relations in government;

7. Lack of well-articulated short-term and long-term Public Relations action plan;

These and allied problems must be properly addressed and redressed if Government Public Relations in Nigeria must move ahead to the 21st century.

A LOOK AT PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Before concluding, I consider it necessary to look briefly at Public Affairs which is often confused with Governmental Public Relations.

Public Affairs is concerned with meaningful relations with Government and political leaders (knowing them well and being well known by them) to foster genuine and effective communication.

According to former President Ronald Reagan of the United States of America, “Public Affairs is most acutely aware of the responsibility business and industry have to our society as a whole. It is the link between the private sector and Government.

It must be the interpreter of business‟ ideas; goals, problems, and plans to government and at the same time must communicate and interpret government’s thinking to business” (special Report on “business and government in the 1980‟s; Public Affairs Council, 1981).

Richard A. Armstrong, writing in “Public Relations Quarterly, Fall, 1981 p. 26, explains thus: “Public Affairs is also issues management. The corporate public affairs practitioner seeks to anticipate problems, on the basis of study and analysis, and he recommends courses of action to be taken by his company before these problems become key public issues which could adversely affect his firm”. Government Public Relations and Public Affairs may overlap and crisscross in some areas but they are two distinct aspects of Public Relations.

PARLIAMENTARY LIAISON

This is the aspect of Public Relations dealing with the government’s relations with members of Parliament. It involves lobbyists providing factual information to MPs and persuading them to vote/act in a desired way that suits the lobbyist’s sponsors/clients/cause.

CONCLUSION

It is essential to stress that Governmental Public Relations is the only way to ensure a peaceful governance. Crises are most likely to be few and far between, and to be quickly and fairly resolved if Government operates with the constant thought that it holds power in trust for the people, that the people have a right to know at all times, and that after all said and done, the people factor is supreme.

Government‟s tasks in this regard become easier if Public information officers or Government PROs perform their duties with zeal, dedication, and candour.

They can only do this if the Government itself motivates its PROs and involves them in the decision–making processes.

The days of “Fire Brigade Public Relations” are well and truly over.

This is the era of the articulate, thoroughly professional, well-remunerated, ICT-skilled and fully involved Government PRO.

This, indeed, is the dawn of effective Public Relations for Government.

THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

AUTOMATION: In a fast-changing and competitive world,  Public Relations has to move with the times. Professionalism is the in-thing. Automation will dominate the future. So PR professionals have to gear up for job losses as machines will dictate the pace and fewer human beings will have to do more work. PR. Departments and outfits will per force have Chief Executives and their immediate juniors operating the machines with very scanty ancillary staff. Those who cannot cope with automation will be flushed out and replaced with competent and computer-savvy chiefs.

THOROUGH PROFESSIONALS

PR. Practitioners in government, commerce, industry, education, the church, the armed forces, etc will have to be trained and retrained for acceptable performance. They now have to master the modern media working relentlessly on social media, corporate websites, coding, and robotics. Dependable feedback machinery must be put in place. Digital PR is the future’s mainstay and must be mastered NOW. Diploma, First and Second degrees alone will not suffice. Therefore universities and other institutions offering Public Relations, Communication and Journalism courses will have to upgrade or be phased out.

THE NIPR COLLEGE

The founding of the NIPR College is a very welcome development. With proper planning, adequate funding, and world-standard faculty in place, the college should be a citadel of sound Public Relations education and training. Collaboration with the Communication departments of Universities would be essential.

The Federal Government should make Public Relations educational certification from the NIPR College mandatory for grade levels 12-17 career progression. Similarly, all Government Public Relations, Information, Publicity, Press Officers, and Special Assistants to Ministers must be registered members of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. This means that the NIPR Decree monitors must redouble their efforts to stamp out quackery and defiance of the law.

INCLUSIVENESS

Conscious of the fact that Public Relations started in the heavenly realms when God said in Genesis 1:26 “Let us make man in our own image, in our likeness…….” God had created alone everything on the earth but when it came to creating the human being, he embraced inclusiveness. He joined hands with his heavenly Court. Public Relations of the future will therefore create room for inclusiveness. That is, widen its scope by working in tandem with relevant persons and institutions to achieve greater success.

In the Nigerian case, let the NIPR chart out paths for Federal civil servants of various educational and professional persuasions to become Public Relations professionals and promoters. Here I must commend the outgoing Federal Head of Service, Dr. Mrs. Folasade Yemi-Esan, CFR, who promoted Public Relations practice in Nigeria by helping to push at the topmost levels the creation of the Public Relations Officer cadre in the Federal Civil Service. Her name is proudly enshrined in the annals of Public Relations in Nigeria.

I urge the incoming Head of Service, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, to please cooperate with the NIPR in all ways she can. One way I propose is to make it mandatory for Federal Civil Servants to pass a paper on Public Relations as a condition for promotion to Grade Levels 16 and 17.

PR INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION MAKING

To make Government plans, decisions, and actions more acceptable to the citizenry and avoid unnecessary misunderstanding and chaos in the polity, Government at all levels should ensure the participation of their Public Relations staff in planning and decision-making. Thus they would be able to discharge more efficiently their strategic planning and public Enlightenment Responsibilities. The standard PR executive shall no longer be an errand folk for a Minister or CEO of a government agency

FUNDING

There is no gainsaying the fact that Public Relations of the present and the future require adequate funding for enhanced national and international understanding, respect, and cooperation for the Federal Government of Nigeria. Nothing good comes cheap. Public Relations Officers/Functionaries should be well-remunerated and provided with the requisite tools for optimum performance.

Money should be made available for training, re-training, attendance at relevant conferences, workshops and seminars, and professional journals subscription. Rather than stop subventions to the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and the payment of NIPR membership dues of PR/Information Officers, the Federal Government should budget adequately for these.   

RECOMMENDED READINGS

1. Epelle, Sam; Public Information in Nigeria: Rules and Roles (A review): Federal Government Press, 1974

2. Nolte, Lawrence W; Fundamentals of Public Relations, 2nd ed; Pergamon, 1979.

3. Ogilvy – Webb, Marjorie, The Government Explains: A study of the information services, London, Allen &Unwin, 1965.

4. Lee, John, ed; Diplomatic Persuaders, John Wiley & Sons Inc; 1968.

5. Herbert, Ray Eldon & Spitzer, Carlton, E, eds; The Voice of Government; Wiley.

6. Cutlip, Center and Broom; Effective Public Relations; Prentice Hall, 1989.

7. Haywood Roger; All About PR; McGraw – Hill, 1984.

8. Oyawale, Olufemi; Effective Communication With The Rural Masses: The Nigerian Federal Information Perspective; paper delivered at the Command and Staff College, Jaji, July 1, 1987. (Senior course)

A BRIEF ON OTUNBA THE VENERABLE OLUFEMI OYAWALE, FNIPR. Trained in Journalism and Public Relations in London, U.K. and in Public Information, and Training of Journalists in West Berlin, Germany in the 70‟s and 80‟s.

 Pioneer Public Relations Lecturer at the College of Journalism, Fleet Street, London, 1975 – 1977.

 Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Public Relations at the National Institute of Public Information (NIPI) Kaduna where he doubled as the Institute‟s Public Relations Officer/Student Affairs Officer 1982 – 89.

 Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, Kaduna State Chapter and member of the NIPR National Council, 1985 – 87.

 Opened up Kano, Minna and Jos to professional Public Relations leading to the formation or resuscitation of NIPR Chapters there.

 Became the first Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Information and recruited over one hundred Federal Information Officers and PROs of some parastatals and the private sector into the NIPR, many of whom eventually became Fellows of the NIPR.

 Head of the Minister of Information‟s Office, February – May 1991.

 Information Attaché (Senior Counselor grade)/Head of the Nigerian Information Services Centre at the Nigeria High Commission, London, May 1991 – November 1993.

 Public Relations Officer of the old expansive Anglican Diocese of Kaduna, 1985 – 89.

 Anglican Bishop of Kaduna‟s Commissary London and Lagos, 1989-93

 Presented professional papers in London, Berlin, the University of Maiduguri, the Command and Staff College, Jaji; and The Polytechnic, Calabar.

 Instituted the „FEMI OYAWALE PUBLIC RELATIONS PRIZE at the College of Journalism, Fleet Street, London, and at the National Institute of Public Information, Kaduna.

 Paper presented on Education and Training to the Seminar on National Mass Communication Policy at ASCON, Topo, Badagry, is embedded in the Policy.

 Made inputs to the papers submitted for the promulgation of the NIPR Decree 16 of 1990.

 Lecturer at several NIPR National Body courses and workshops in Lagos, Abeokuta, Kano, etc.

 Member, Institute of Public Relations, London, 1978.

 Serial Guest Lecturer on Public Relations at the meeting of the Rotary Club of Kaduna and Kaduna South, 1985 – 89.

 Fellow of the NIPR, 1988.

 Won the NIPR Presidential Award for Outstanding Contributions to Public Relations Practice, 1989.

 Author of chapters in Mass Communication books and journals.

 Author of 29 books including “Effective Communication – A Guide for the Church, Media, Students and Others”, ISBN 978-30254-4-9 (2001)

 Listed in Africa Who‟s Who (ISBN 0-903274-14-0), London, 1981.

 Listed in Who‟s Who‟ In the Commonwealth, (ISBN 0 -900332-70-0), Cambridge, 1984.

 Officially presented to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, London, 5th August 1992.