The Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Research and Documentation, Comrade Essien Ndueso, and the Director-General of AKBC, Dr. Anietie Ukpe have acknowledged the contemporary recipes in the Public Relations Profession during a public lecture organized by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Students Association, NIPERSA, University of Uyo chapter, held at the Town campus of the university.

Speaking during the public lecture title ” Evolution of Public Relations Profession: The Shifting Skills Required in Today’s Public Relations Practice” the Special Assistant to Governor Comrade Essien Ndueso noted that Public Relations is a very serious management function in any organization.

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He urged those aspiring to become PR practitioners and those already in the field to ensure they are abreast with the latest trends in society in order to excel in their assignments.

“Anybody practicing Public Relations must be in-tune with the latest trends and must-have social media skills to be able to do better.

“Skills in photography, typing, editing photography and video and having an influential presence in social media make it possible to key into the dynamics of the global village, wherewith a press of a button, the ears of the whole world is within one’s reach.

“You must be very creative and must be dynamic in your mode of communication. You need to have easy access to the people you relate with. You must be very creative and must be dynamic in your mode of communication”.

Ndueso who is an alumnus of the department and former President of the Association in 2004/2005, also launched a scholarship scheme for indigent students of the department with a cash donation of 50,000 and pledged to always be associated with programmes in the department.

In his remarks, the Director-General, Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation, AKBC, Dr. Anietie Ukpe urged Public Relations practitioners to see publicity as a means and not the end, and must at all times ensure that every detail of their PR job is geared towards customer’s satisfaction.

He advised that they must ensure that their products or services have no defect as such could register a negative impression in the public space.

Ukpe, a former Chief Press Secretary to the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State stressed the need for PR experts to churn out truthful and inspiring stories that would capture their audience.

“Public Relations – not Publicity: Before it was all about publicity. But today, publicity should not be the end of your efforts. Everything should be wrapped around customer satisfaction.

“Publicity should be the means, not the end. Why? Because dissatisfaction spreads fast and bad news travels faster than good news. So, ensure that your product or service has no defects and works perfectly. After that word of mouth testimonies and online posts may drive it to great heights.

“Every public relations practitioner, worthy of the name, should always remember that crisis and opportunity are different sides of the same coin. That every cloud has a silver lining,” adding that “public relations is storytelling and in order to tell the right stories, you need to source, analyze and scrutinize data”.

Others at the lecture included the Head of Communication Arts Department in the University of Uyo, Prof. Peter Esuh, Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Mr. Aniekeme Finbar, Akwa State Vice-Chairman of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, Mrs. Mercy David, Chairman, Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, Akwa Ibom State, Otuekong Franklyn Isong, lecturers in the Communication Arts department, Newspaper publishers, Communication Arts, and Public Relations Students.