Public Relations is an evolving profession in Nigeria, although many practitioners would not embrace this fact. However, the vibrancy, acceptance and profitability of the profession are pointers to this. In many professions, especially communication, issue of ethics is a subject of debate and contention among practitioners and society. In Public Relations, this is subtle, unlike journalism that occupies a pride of place the world over.
Is it not surprising that Public Relations is often lumped together with advertising when discussion arises. To some of us who are both PR and Media consultants, we do know there is a wide disparity between the two. This also explains why they have different regulatory bodies.
In all this, has the code of ethics of the profession been helpful in the practice of Public Relations? We shall attempt to explain and answer this shortly. But suffice it to say that different names are being labeled or associated with Public Relations world over. Nigerians in particular are not helpful. Terms like Public Affairs, Media Relations, Promotion or Sponsorship, Corporate Affairs et al. Public Relations as a term is an abused concept. Just anybody can wake up; offer assistance to anybody and refer to it as Public Relations. Therefore, Public Relations is often applied in different circumstances by different people in expressing different actions.
In the strictest professional terms, it has been defined by different scholars. Canfield (1968) defined Public Relations as a social philosophy of management expressed in policies and practices which are communicated to the public in securing its understanding and goodwill.
Public Relations is more than just cultivating contacts. It is about devising and implementing strategic campaign, reacting to crisis, and ensuring that an organization is always correctly and positively represented. It is a management function that determines the attitude and opinion of the organization policies, identifies its policies with the interests of its publics, and formulates and executes a programme of action to earn the understanding and goodwill of its publics.
What has now come to be the popular definition of Public Relations was given by the British Institute of Public Relations. The institute defined Public Relations as:
” The deliberate, planned, and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between organization and its publics”.
This definition is commonly quoted by practitioners. A cursory look at the definition revealed that PR is not sudden or haphazard. It is a planned effort toward a particular goal(s).
To this practitioner, Public Relations is not new. What is however new is the modern method of accomplishing it. In an article, he wrote: Priests were believed to be endowed to persuade and mould public opinion. As a result, kings and queens consulted them before any major decision was taken or before any important ceremonial events took place. They served as kind of Public Relations advisers to rulers and they produced all the literature, hymn of praises, lamentation and edicts for the people. Even in ancient Egypt, Public Relations projects were undertaken. In Greece, the ruling class staged special events as the Olympics games to attract attention and to develop national spirit and sense of unity.
The first organized form of Public Relations in history was during the reformation and counter reformation period. The reformation was a religious revolution of the 17th century, which divided Western and Eastern Christendom into two camps, namely Catholics and Protestants. The movement stressed the rights of individual conscience. The reformation opposed the absolute authority of the Catholic Church and separated itself from the mainstream.
In a manner similar to insurgency and counter insurgency, the Catholic Church launched a counter reformation body. Under the auspices of Pope Gregory VIII, a committee for the propagation of the faith was established to forward seminaries, print catechism and publish religious works in foreign countries. Pope Gregory VIII appealed to the opinion of the congregation, which he termed propaganda.
What exactly did Pope really have in mind when he used the term Public Relations? He was just interested in informing the people, persuading them to reconsider the faith and preserve the unity of the church. The propaganda movement’s activities were to establish good understanding or goodwill for Catholism.
During the first and second World Wars, not much could be said about the development of Public Relations in Nigeria. But from available records, Nigeria, which was part of Her Royal Majesty’s empire, was known to participate in the Empire Exhibition in 1924 under Major C.T Lawrence. This event led to the establishment of the first information office in Lagos, with the primary aim of disseminating information. In 1944, as a result of increased activities of the office, its name was changed to Public Relations office in order to disabuse erroneous impressions and opinions of members of the public who regarded it as a war information office and centre for espionage. The new office (PR office) was headed by Mr. D.C. Fletcher, with the main aim of exacting a favourable image to the outside world.
By 1947, following the adoption of Richard Constitution, Public Relations Office was changed to Public Relations Department, and in the same year, a regional office was opened in Ibadan, followed by another in Kano and Enugu in 1948 respectively. From then onward, PR activities increased, as members of the press and the public could make inquiries about government activities.
In 1954, the original aim of the Public Relations Department was changed to monitoring and interpreting social policies events as well as economic matters affecting Nigerians and foreigners alike. One of the indigenous employees at that time was Ben Enwonwu. Later Mr. E. Esua (MBE) and Rev. Bishop Kale were to join the Public Relations Department.
There was improved information management and various advisory committees were constituted among others. The activities of these people led to the emergence of the Press Club by Lagos journalists. NIPR emerged from this.
This code was approved at the extra – ordinary general meeting of the institution held at Bristol Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria in January, 1981.
Section 3(v) of the Constitution of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations provides for code of ethics that is recognized as declaration of principles for the guidance of members of the institution in the practice of their profession as follows:
Every member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations shall:
(I) Respect the moral principle of the ”Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and freedom entrenched in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the performance of his or her duties.
This provision is meant for every member of NIPR. My concern however is what would happen to those practicing Public Relations, but are not members of the institute. How many members of the institute know the provisions of the ”Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Again, how many Nigerians, let alone registered members, are familiar with the letters and spirits of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Personally, I had cause to argue with people that part of the problem facing Nigerian people is the fact that they lack constitutional knowledge. You cannot be a stranger to a document meant to protect you.
(ii) Recognize that each person has the right to reach his/her own judgement by him/her.
(iii) Respect the right of parties in a dispute to explain their respective points of view.
(iv) Encourage the free circulation of public information and preserve the integrity of channels of communication
(v) Put truth and honesty of purpose before all other considerations:
From the foregoing, it is established that NIPR, as a body, boasts of a good code of ethics. But typical of Nigerian people, we only have good document, but lack enforcement. Professional codes are meant to guide, inculcate good attitudes to advance the profession. For this present NIPR to move forward, this policy must be enforced. To achieve this, awareness of the profession and its activities must be created.
Nothing stops the institute from initiating TV and Radio programmes to propagate its activities. A professional body like NIPR will get sponsorship for such initiatives. Since PR is needed by every individual regardless of vocation, creed, religion, sex et tal, it cannot be out of place having as part of the curriculum of secondary schools PR as a subject, where patriotism will also be learnt by the students. Allow the professionally trained PR person rise up to the highest cadre in any organization. They are not less intelligent.
– Pastor Kunle Yusuf , Media and Public Relations Practitioner , can be reached on 08023423396 or [email protected].