NIPR President Rules Out Tenure Extension, Seeks Strong Legacy
The President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, has ruled out any plan to seek an extension of his tenure, saying his focus is on finishing well and leaving a strong institutional legacy.
Speaking during an annual dinner with journalists covering the Institute in Abuja, Neliaku said he was not contemplating tenure elongation but was committed to concluding his leadership with impact, integrity and lasting reforms.
“I am not in any way contemplating extension of tenure. What I need now is the prayer to finish well,” he said, noting that leadership should be judged not only by how it begins but by how it ends.
The NIPR president said journalists covering the Institute are part of his leadership team and urged them to work with the council to ensure that the current administration delivers meaningful outcomes that can be remembered years after.
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He also announced that the Institute would mount a professional training programme for journalists working with NIPR, free of charge, as part of efforts to deepen collaboration between the media and the public relations profession. According to him, the training will be designed based on areas identified by the journalists themselves to ensure it is fit for purpose.
Neliaku further highlighted the global relevance of the public relations profession, noting that NIPR membership confers international recognition across 156 countries through the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.
He used the occasion to outline the Institute’s major programmes for 2026, including the unveiling of Nigeria’s first national reputation perception survey in January, the Nigeria Reputation Summit, the introduction of the Public Relations Innovation, Creativity and Excellence Awards, and the hosting of the Nigeria Public Relations Week in Kaduna.
Other planned activities, he said, include the Nigeria Spokespersons Summit, national lecture series on peace, reconciliation and leadership, the inauguration of the NIPR national secretariat, and Nigeria’s hosting of a global public relations forum expected to draw participants from over 120 countries.
The NIPR president said the initiatives are aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s reputation management framework and positioning the country as a hub for responsible global communication.
He urged Nigerians to rise above ethnic and religious divisions, stressing that effective nation-building depends on shared identity, strong leadership and the ability to manage national narratives responsibly.
