Communication is National Security, Not Just Media Work – NIPR President
The President and Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Governing Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, has said that communication is a matter of national security and development, not merely a media activity.
Speaking at the second “Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture” in Abuja, Dr. Neliaku emphasised that communication is the heartbeat of every nation’s progress, and without a coherent national narrative, a country cannot achieve stability or development.
The lecture, themed, “Communication and Development,” was organised by NIPR in collaboration with DAAR Communications Plc to honour the late media icon and founder of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Dr. Raymond Dokpesi.
Dr. Neliaku described Dokpesi as a pioneer who saw communication as a force for connection and transformation. “He understood that communication is about meaning—giving meaning to life. It is not merely about speaking but about connecting people to truth, leaders to citizens, and nations to the world,” he said.
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Highlighting Nigeria’s upcoming hosting of the 2026 World Public Relations Forum, Dr. Neliaku said the event, expected to attract delegates from 126 countries, represents “a global endorsement of Nigeria’s leadership in communication, ethics, and innovation.”
“The theme, “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World,’” aligns perfectly with the ideals that Dokpesi stood for. When communication is guided by ethics, knowledge, and empathy, it becomes a tool for peace and progress,” he noted.
In his remarks, Raymond Dokpesi Jr, Chairman of DAAR Communications, said the country must treat communication as a strategic national asset.
“A nation that cannot trust its own communication cannot mobilise itself towards progress or any form of national development,” he said.
He stressed that Nigeria’s future depends on credibility and truth in the information ecosystem, warning that paywalling free-to-air channels would “undermine Nigeria’s information sovereignty and civic participation.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, who also spoke at the event, announced the approval of funding for the NIPR University, an initiative he said would “cultivate ethical and visionary leaders from the grassroots up.”
According to him, “We are doing that because we believe that one of the problems of Africa, and indeed Nigeria, has been leadership. Once you have the right leadership, everything picks up.”
