By: Charles Ikedikwa Soeze,
In beginning this write-up, I wish to quote Chief Matthew Okikiola Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo popularly known as “OBJ” or “Baba Iyabo”, one-time military head of state and two-time president under the democratic structure “…mutual understanding and respect are indispensable conditions for the efficient running of our government…”. Also worthy of mention is Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher nee Roberts, (of blessed memory) who was a British politician and was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. She was the longest-serving British Prime Minister at the 20th century and was the only woman to have held the office. A Soviet journalist called her the “Iron Lady”, a nick-name that became associated with uncompromising politics and leadership style. As Prime Minister, she implemented policies that have come to be known as “Thatcherism”. She said “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win
it”.
To this end therefore, I think and believe that for the survival of any nation through public relations (PR) practice these two quotations should be vigorously, religiously and jealously guided by the professional public relations practitioner. It is certain that the reason for PR practice is to cordially create avenues for the maintenance and sustenance of mutual understanding between a nation or organization on the other hand and its publics. This will only be achieved if the professional public relations practitioners are genuinely prepared to pave the ways for good image of their country. In order to achieve this, some strategies must be adequately put in place. Whatever the case may be, the basic tasks of the PR practitioner in government are to inform and educate the mass audience of government’s activities using relevant media (print and broadcast inclusive). The simple tasks of informing and educating makes the practitioner to always be
factual, honest, credible, articulate among others bear the professional designation “image maker” of a nation. It is a truism to say that the PR practitioner’s ways are built on the solid foundation of honesty; as a result, he will not be apologetic in whatever circumstances he finds himself in the face of the publics. Odetoyinbo (1996).
Consequently, the objectives must be clearly stated for the nation or organization to see, discuss, weigh in terms of cost benefit and approve. The PR practitioner will be expected to do his thorough investigation before formulating any objective. He must initially appreciate the situation or ‘status quo’ of the nation and go further to prioritize his priorities. According to Frank Jefkins (1978), five ways can be applied, the importance of the objectives compared with others, timing can it be stated into the overall programme; is there a reassure able chance of achieving the objective or is it a mere wishful thinking, availability of means of communication, can the desired publics be reached and if so, is it economical; budget, always there is the question of time and money, the size and resources of the PR Department in an organization, in the case of a nation, the Ministry of Information.
Furthermore, Jefkins pointed out that a realistic PR programme will set achievable objective where enough effort and technique in other words strategies can be expanded in order to attain a successful result while on the other hand, an unrealistic PR programme tends to attempt anything and perhaps everything with “too little time and money” amounting to no success. On the other hand, if the total budget is well spent on the programme with well-planned strategies a lot of success would have been achieved. From observation, this is the situation that unqualified PR persons have found themselves. However, where a well-qualified PR person is available, the fault usually lies with the management who many at times fails to understand the nature, practice and responsibilities of PR. This has been the problem of many commercial oriented organizations including nations. Some of these organizations tend to dump the functions or responsibilities of PR
with perhaps marketing or advertising forgetting that these trios so referred to (Odetoyinbo, 1998) are mutually exclusive in their functions. Whatever the case may be, if left to function well separately, one will observe that each achievements propels the other into action and for eventual positive corporate image goals.
No doubt, PR wets the ground by providing adequate information and education to the mass audience of any nation or relevant publics of an organization waiting to know latest government activities or wanting to perhaps sell a product. It implies that PR prepares the ground for smooth acceptability and accessibility for marketing to penetrate the market. Marketing on its own with its strategies too places, gives the right prices and the product to the consumers who are already aware of the organization and its products through the ground work done earlier by PR.
However, it is pertinent to give relevant examples of PR objectives to an organization as well as a nation, maintain and sustain goals and aspirations, maintain good community relations/corporate social responsibility, correct and sustain good image; explain from time changes in policies, to keep relevant publics abreast or informed about projects among many others.
A PR practitioner will be most strategic if he strives strictly towards informing and educating its organizational or nation’s publics internally and externally. These, will eventually earn him credibility and respect. This is because honesty and factuality will always be his guiding words in the discharge of his duties. He should know how information is going to be gathered. This has to do with selecting and administering the right research survey type in order to get enough data about organization’s responsibilities to the environment or nation. In other that findings may not be based on prejudicial results, it may be appropriate to engage a PR consultant to lessen the burden of the in-house PR.
This Article is published in memory of, Dr. Charles Ikedikwa Soeze, fhnr, fcida, fcai, fscam, cpae, chnr, emba, son, ksq, is a mass communication scholar from first degree to doctoral level and Public Relations Consultant. He was one of our mentor and contributor.
