Three media guru of Kwara state origin who were recently conffered with the fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Publication Relations (FNIPR) were treated to a reception in Ilorin recently. UMAR BAYO ABDULWAHB captures it.
The notion that only in his home is a prophet without honour was proved wrong recently, precisely Wednesday, September 7 2023 when three distinguished media guru of Kwara state origin who recently bagged the prestigious Fellowship of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (FNIPR), were celebrated by their constituency in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.
They are the special adviser on strategy to the state governor, Alhaji Saadu Salahudeen, former commissioner for information, Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin and incubent chairman of NIPR in the state and a Mass Communications teacher at the University of Ilorin, Dr Saudat AbdulBaki.
The governing council of NIPR, the body that licenses practitioners of Public Relations in the country, had recently admitted the trio as fellows of the institute.
The investiture of these ambassadors alongside other eminent Nigerians took place in Abuja during the 2022 Summit of NNIPR held recency.
These media guru, Blueprint gathered achieved the feat after 27 years of practice when similar impacts was made by the state’s chapter of the institute under its former chairman, Alhaji Oniyangi.
About the new fellows
Salahudeen, a Public Relations expert, ace broadcaster and veteran journalist retired as the head, Public Relations Unit at the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDS) in Abuja and currently serving as a member of cabinet of Kwara state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Adedoyin was a former editor-in- chief/chief executive officer of The Herald Newspapers and former commisssioner for information and education in Kwara state. He was also a national deputy publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Dr AbdulBaki is the incumbent chairperson of NIPR in the state and a vetran broadcaster. She started her academic career at the Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies (CAILS) Ilorin and later moved to the University of Ilorin where she now teaches Mass Communications. She had at different times worked at the Kwara State Television Service (KWTV). She had trained many journalists at both CAILS and the University of Ilorin, who are now doing well in various media establishments across the country.
In recognition of the new status attained by the trio, a reception was organised by the Kwara chapter of National League of Veteran Journalists (NALVEJ) at the Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), GRA, Ilorin where speakers after speakers showered encomiums on the awardees.
NALVEJ fetes fellows
It was a gathering of ‘who is who’ in the media industry as veteran journalists, clerics and academics poured encomiums on the awardees.
It was indeed a glorious day for the trio who have distinguished themselves in their areas of professional callings.
The event also attracted creme da la creme in the media industry , vetran journalists, technocrats and seasoned academics who poured encomiums on three media guru.
Roll calls
Those who spoke at the well- attended ceremony were the chairman Board of Directors Radio Kwara, Mr Kayode Adeyipo; chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, Lanre Ahmed; a university don, Dr Muhammed Gali Alaaya and Alhaji Bashir Adigun, senior special adviser (Political Communication) to Governor Abdulrahman.
Others include Pastor Akinola Akogun, Mrs Silifat Adeyemi, Alhaji Rasaq Adebayo, all veteran journalists, chairperson of National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in the state, Bola Olupinla and Gbenga Ishola.
Encomiums for the new fellows
Speakers after speakers at the ceremony praised the awardees for making the state proud and for being good role models to upcoming journalists in the state and country as a whole.
In his remarks, Adigun expressed delight about NALVEJ activities in the state which he said had raised the bar of journalism pracrice for upcoming ones.
He said that organisers of the event had also changed his perception about the popular maxim that, “A prophet is not respected in his home.’ He said, ” Today, you have changed my perceptiom about this profession. It is a profession to be proud of, people recognise you only when they see your by line.
“NALVEJ has been wonderful with your activities. It’s a clear departure and step higher from what NUJ is doing.”
In his remarks, Alhaji Saadu Salahudeen who thanked NALVEJ for honouring them said that vetran journalists in kwara state represents the best of journalism in the country and the world.
Announcing that the state governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is very proud of journalists in the state, Salawu urged the media men to continue to uphold the virtue of diligence and integrity in discharging their duties.
He urged the upcoming journalists to build on the solid foundation that the veterans had laid for them while praising the NIPR chairperson in the state for propelling the institute to a greater height under her leadership
“Baki has made us pround as a colleague. I want to place on record that the last time we had an experience like this was 27 years ago during the days of Oniyangi,” he said.
While thanking NALVEJ for recognising the new fellows, Salawu submitted further that, “As journalists, we celebrate others, we make others but we don’t celebrate our selves. NALVEJ has set a pace in kwara.”
The governor’s aide admonished the upcoming journalists to build on the solid foundation laid by the vetrans to ensure Nigeria retains its place as pride of Africa.
Salahudeen regreted that one of the evils of our generations today is evil of fake news and quackery which he said must be curtailed .
“It is a profession to be pround of. NALVEJ has been wondeful with your activities. Its a clear departure and step high from what NUJ is doing.
Responding, Oloriewe Adedoyin who was represented by the general manager of the Herald Newspaper, Mr Yomi Adeboye thanked the leadership of NALVEJ for the honour.
The representative of Dr Saudat AbdulBaki, Mrs Nimat Abdullahi Abdulbaki also thanked NALVEJ leadership for their kind gesture.
Earlier, the chairman of NALVEJ in the state, Alhaji Tunde Akanbi had described the fellowship award given to the honourees as well deserved, saying the recognition of three media guru by the NIPR was not accidental.
Akanbi recalled the imesurable contributions of the trio to the fields of journalism and public relations; therefore urged upcoming journalists to emulate the exemplary conduct of the awardees.
Prior to the reception, the news of the awards have been greeted with excitements and accolades from various stakeholders from within and outside the state with the state govenor, AbdulRazaq being the first to congratulate the fellows.
Similarly, the Ilorin Decedants Progressive Union (IEDPU), the apex body of all socio-cultural organisations of Ilorin indigenes had also welcomed the development.
