He is a worthy septuagenarian, having lived those years serving man and country.

The history of APRA will be incomplete without filling the gap with the visionary role of Dr. Adamolekun as a leading light of those who came to its rescue at the most challenging times.

It was he (with the support of other people, especially enablers like Mallam Kabir Dangogo (of blessed memory, his immediate predecessor), who re-established the foundations of APRA, emplaced structures for the sustainability of the secretariat following the decision to make Nigeria the  new secretariat of the continental body of public relations practitioners and professionals.

It was uncle Wole who essentially prevented a reoccurrence of the dormancy APRA hitherto suffered for over 5 years as he and Dangogo facilitated the registration of APRA in Nigeria and he never wavered since then.

A man of immense sense of gratitude, Dr. Adamolekun almost caused me to cry with his account of how the late Kabir Dangogo and Chief Larry Williams nudged and supported him to become Secretary General of APRA at the Johannesburg Conference of the Association in 2006.

He would continue in the tradition of mentorship as he also mentored Chief Yomi Badejo-Okusanya (YBO) to succeed him. A man under a special grace, YBO, is possibly the only Secretary General of APRA who became president and perhaps the longest-serving official of APRA. I have had the fortune of coming under the tutelage of these men mentioned in this  narrative.

For Adamolekun, the brass tacks for today, long after his tenure lapsed, he continued to participate in APRA programmes with passion and commitment, bringing on board rare values.

Besides attending all APRA forums, he serves as a reviewer, alongside others, particularly his colleague, Peter Munywoki Mutie, former President of APRA, to review abstracts for paper presentationAPRA conferences.

A member of the APRA Board of Trustees, Dr. Adamolekun is on the African Regional Council of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (GA), serving concurrently as a member of the Governing Board of the Global PR body. He is the Chair of GA’s Academic and Research Council, a central arm of GA shaping knowledge production and sharing.

Scholar, practitioner, and administrator, Dr. Adamolekun is a stickler to ethics, professionalism, and value as the central organizing principles of public relations.

He was the pioneer head of communications, information, and public relations at the Mass Mobilization for Self-Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery (MAMSER), the forerunner of the National Orientation Agency. Anyone familiar with the works of MAMSER would recall the impeccable communication campaigns rolled out by the agency in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Adamolekun started his career in communication management as a freelance journalist at the defunct DAILY SKETCH and has traversed the gamut of communication practice including team-leading corporate relations in the public, banking, and the oil & gas sectors, where he was central to the design of people-centric decisions, especially during his tenure as the Deputy Executive Secretary of Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).

Married to an amazing woman who will equally turn 70 in May, Dr. Adamolekun has been a fellow of NIPR since 1989 and fellow of APRA as well as the Nigerian Institute of Management.

He is also a member of the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE), member of the Board of the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) in Washington, D.C., the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), Chartered Institute of Public Relations, London, and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

I join thousands of our professional colleagues globally to wish Dr. Adamolekun a happy birthday celebration, and I invite you all, dear friends, to enlist in the celebration of a wondrous Nigerian patriot.

*Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, Secretary General of APRA, wrote from Abuja

Every day is public relations day. This is because the business of strategy and planning, communications and positioning never sleeps or stops. March 8, International Women’s Day, a day set aside to celebrate women, is a good time to recognize the role of women in public relations practice and the opportunity for growth. 

You would agree that public relations is an exciting and challenging field, one that offers a variety of opportunities for women to grow and thrive. It is equally engraced and enriched through the practice of women.

While it is true that women in public relations face unique challenges, there are also many opportunities for women to contribute, excel and make a significant impact.

My goal is to explore opportunities for growth in the field of public relations for women, with a particular focus on the skills and qualities that women bring to the table.

One of the biggest opportunities for growth in public relations for women is the increasing demand for diverse voices and perspectives.

According to a recent survey by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), diversity and inclusion are among the top trends that are shaping the public relations industry.

This means that companies and organisations are looking for public relations professionals who can bring a fresh perspective and a diverse range of experiences to their work.

Also, the reality is that women are uniquely positioned to meet this demand for diversity and inclusion in public relations. Women bring a range of experiences and perspectives to the table, and they are often skilled at building relationships and communicating effectively with a variety of stakeholders.

These skills are particularly valuable in the field of public relations, where building and maintaining relationships with the media, clients, and other stakeholders is essential.

Another opportunity for growth in public relations for women is the increasing focus on social media and digital communications. According to a report by the Pew Research Center, women are more likely than men to use social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

This means that women in public relations are well-positioned to help companies and organisations navigate the complex world of social media and digital communications.

In addition, women are skilled at storytelling and creating engaging content, which is essential in the field of public relations. Women are often natural storytellers, and they have a talent for creating content that resonates with their target audience.

This skill is particularly valuable in the digital age, where creating compelling content is essential for engaging audiences and building relationships with stakeholders.

Furthermore, there are many opportunities for women to take on leadership roles in the field of public relations. According to a recent report by PRWeek, women make up a significant portion of the public relations industry, but they are underrepresented in leadership positions. This means that there is a significant opportunity for women to step up and take on leadership roles in the field. Many women are already taking up this challenge.

Aside from everything else, women tend to excel at multitasking, managing multiple projects and clients simultaneously, and navigating complex situations with tact and diplomacy.

These skills are essential for success in the public relations industry, where professionals are often juggling various responsibilities and work in high-pressure environments.

Undoubtedly, with a focus on developing leadership skills and taking advantage of the opportunities available, women in public relations can achieve great success and make a meaningful contribution to the industry.

As we celebrate the achievements of women today, it is also a call to action to create more opportunities for women to succeed as entrepreneurs, leaders, and changemakers.

I salute every woman in public relations. Thank you for your contributions. Specifically, I’ll love to mention the best public relations strategist that I know, Funmi Onajide.

She is a teacher, mentor, and coach. Thank you for ALL that you do.

Happy International Women’s Day 2023!

Elvis Eromosele, a Corporate Communication professional and public affairs analyst lives in Lagos.