……Says No Country Can Develop in an Atmosphere of Chaos
By Njide Ezeonyejiaku
The need for peace and reconciliation in Nigeria was the focus of the 2nd edition of HRM Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe Lecture Series organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR Anambra State Chapter in collaboration with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, COOU, Anambra State.
The event themed: “Achieving Peace and Reconciliation in Nigeria: the Public Relations Approach”, held at the ETF Auditorium, COOU, Igbariam Campus was well attended by eminent personalities across Nigeria from all walks of life, government functionaries, traditional rulers, and Onitsha traditional Chiefs, Otu Odu with Onitsha Youths, including COOU students.
In his opening remark, the Chairman of the occasion, Senator Dr Ben Ndi Obi observed that celebrating a worthy personality such as Obi Nnaemeka Achebe, alive, is the greatest honour that can be confered on a living legend.
Sen. Obi described the theme of the event as critical at this moment when Nigeria is in dire need of peace, noting that a peaceful atmosphere is key to sustainable development.
Welcoming the participants, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha stated that the University has adopted the lecture series as one of its flagship events, expressing delight that NIPR is partnering the COOU to celebrate a great Nigerian icon, describing the partnership as one that aligns with the three Vs of her administration which are values, viability and visibility.
The President and Chairman of Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku in his address observed that Nigeria is not at its best in terms of reputation, hence the need for NIPR to assist the nation in singing a new song by instituting Nigeria Reputation Management Group to rebuild the nation’s reputation.
Dr Neliaku stressed the need to promote public relations as a core leadership function that can engineer effective communication between leaders and citizens to enhance good governance, as well as the need for responsible alliance to make leaders accountable for whatever they do or say.
In their separate speeches, the special guest, Hon. Aliyu Wakili Boya, who is the Chairman, House of Representative Committee on Police Institutions; and the chairman, National planning committee, Prof. Okey Ikechukwu represented by the Vice Chairman of Council, Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura noted that the theme of the lecture captured the conversation needed in Nigeria today where eminent personalities gather to speak on how to entrench peace in the country, describing Obi Alfred Achebe as an icon of peace and reconciliation in Nigeria who should be emulated by the youths for building bridges.
Delivering the lecture, the Guest Lecturer, Prof. Pat Utomi said that solving the problem of peace and reconciliation in Nigeria should begin with research to identify how the challenge manifests, establish the key stakeholders and how they contribute to the problem and design programmes that create dispositions for reconciliation.
According to Prof. Utomi, discontentment is a global phenomenon, but understanding what is fueling it is critical in prescribing solutions; adding that the nature of political parties which have evolved in Nigeria and the quality of leadership in the country have led to despondcy which requires the creation of goodwill rooted in evidence based prescriptions for a Nigeria devoid of the dysfunctions of ethno-religious and other cleavages.
The Guest Lecturer concluded with a call for an effective national orientation agency, a redesigned National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, and values-based political parties as the lee way to social reconciliation and accommodation where truth and justice count.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information, Anambra State, Dr. Law Mefor commended the NIPR and COOU for designing such a platform to fashion strategies for peaceful coexistence in Nigeria, adding that Anambra State government under Prof. Charles Soludo is creating a conducive environment for all, through massive infrastructural development.
Responding, the celebrant, HRM, Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe narrated his thirty years experience at Shell Development Company PLC where he honed his public relations practice, pointing out that peace and reconciliation are the principles of his administration.
While harping on the role of PR in peace and reconciliation with the courage to tell the truth, Obi Achebe stated that leadership matters in all aspects of life which comes with good conscience, intentional vision on the right path, and calls for a good country where everybody is treated with fairness.
The event featured award presentation, Mbem rhapsody by a student of Music Department, COOU, with a facility visit to Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Plant at Nnewi.
