ASABA/Nigeria: Stakeholders in the communication sector have called for the strategic and ethical deployment of public relations as a critical tool for governance and national development. This was the consensus at the 2025 World Public Relations Day celebration hosted by the Delta State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). The event, held on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at the Professor Chike Edozien Secretariat, Asaba, featured a robust stakeholder engagement and dialogue session.
The theme for the 2025 celebration, “Building Bridges and Navigating Polarization: The Power of Public Relations in Governance and Nation Building,” provided a framework for discussants to highlight the pressing need for professional communicators to play active roles in bridging societal divides, promoting transparency, and enhancing accountability in both public and private institutions.
Participants emphasized that public relations, when practiced with integrity, holds the potential to rebuild trust in institutions and drive development, particularly in emerging democracies. They noted that while developed nations have long integrated PR into their governance architecture, many developing countries are still grappling with misinformation and a lack of strategic communication in policy execution.
In his welcome address, the Delta NIPR State Chairman, Mr. Godfrey C. Osakwe, FNIPR, stressed the foundational role of public relations in nurturing unity, public confidence, and democratic values. He urged practitioners to maintain high ethical standards and always speak the truth in their engagement with both the public and their respective institutions.
The panel session featured distinguished voices from academia and the communication sector, including Dr. Joy Erure Anho, Deputy Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku; Dr. Collins Kediehor of Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; Dr. Fidelis Chike Nwadike, Head of the Department of Mass Communication at Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku; and Dr. Harvey Egben, former Head of the Department of Mass Communication, DELSU, Abraka. Collectively, they underscored the vital role of public relations professionals as strategic intermediaries between government and the public—tasked with countering misinformation, managing crises, and promoting truthful, impactful storytelling.
Also contributing to the dialogue were Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Director-General of the Delta State Directorate of Orientation and Communications, and Mr. Felix Ofou, Executive Assistant on New Media to the Governor. They emphasized that PR advisers in government have a constitutional responsibility to ensure timely, transparent, and fact-based communication. According to them, such professionalism is essential not only for maintaining public trust but also for reinforcing the credibility and effectiveness of governance. for policy acceptance but also essential for preserving the integrity of governance structures. Both reaffirmed the importance of aligning communication strategies with ethical standards and constitutional values.
The event concluded with a lively interactive session, where students and participants engaged directly with the panelists.
