The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Directorate of Public Relations and Information, on 22 August 2017, held its Annual Public Relations and Information Conference with the theme “Social Media in Modern Public Relations Practice”.
The Conference was aimed at re-strategizing and developing the capacity of information personnel to leverage on the use of social media to further project the image of the NAF.
The occasion also witnessed the launch of a booklet and posters to remind every NAF personnel why they should be resolute in the fight against insurgency in the country. The booklet and posters would be distributed to NAF personnel in the frontline as well as all NAF units across the country.
Declaring the one-day Conference open, the Guest of Honour, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, acknowledged the unique role of the Directorate in projecting the image of the NAF. According to him, “the Public Relations Specialty in the NAF is a more dynamic and active specialty that now plays a significant role in the day-to-day running of the NAF”. Air Marshal Abubakar further stated that the NAF was now better positioned to project air power in an effective, efficient and timely manner towards meeting the nation’s security imperatives.
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While promising to consolidate on the efforts to build the capacity of NAF Public Relations and Information personnel, the CAS added that he would continue to provide the needed equipment and the enabling environment for the Directorate to perform more efficiently and effectively. The CAS, therefore, urged the participants to utilize the advantages of the knowledge gained from the Conference to project the activities of the NAF via the social media.
While delivering his welcome address, the Chief of Administration, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Lawal Alao noted that the Conference was among series of activities to reposition the NAF into a highly disciplined and professional force by the current leadership. AVM Alao thanked the CAS for the support given to the Directorate to function effectively and urged the participants to learn more on how best to use the social media to the advantage of the NAF.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya said public relations is about creating value to generate awareness instead of creating awareness to generate value. “You should never let anyone else tell your story because you are always the best positioned person to tell your own story.
While still relying on the traditional media for information dissemination, the NAF strives to tell its own story via its social media platforms”, he said. The keynote lecture, which was centred on the strategic usage of the various social media platforms to project the NAF activities, was delivered by Mr Wole Olaoye, a seasoned and experienced Public Relations practitioner.
OLATOKUNBO ADESANYA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force
