Veteran PR practitioner's memoir exposes NIPR-NIPSS conflicts, questions institutional loyalty in Nigeria
Yushau A. Shuaib, CEO of Image Merchants Promotion Limited, reveals in his 205-page memoir "MNI Versus MNIPR in NIPSS: Tackling Institutional Bullying" how he personally funded ₦18.5 million for a NIPSS Senior Executive Course after NIPR nomination without sponsorship, only to face an Investigating Panel invitation from his professional body instead of support. The veteran PR practitioner, who won NIPR's President's Prize in 1992 and Kano/Jigawa Chapter PR Person of the Year in 1995, details feeling abandoned by NIPR under President Dr. Ike Neliaku during his NIPSS disciplinary proceedings. He cites incidents like being addressed as ANIPR despite MNIPR status since 1995, alleged unlawful interception of his organization's editorial emails, and the premature 2025 termination of NIPR's partnership for National Spokespersons Awards (set to run until November 2026). The memoir examines whether greater dialogue and mediation could have prevented the divisive outcome, raising critical questions about how Nigerian professional associations balance institutional reputation with member rights when controversies arise. With over three decades of service mirroring PR industry growth in Nigeria, Shuaib's account challenges readers to consider: Should professional bodies prioritize standing with members through fact-finding processes, or does protecting institutional relationships justify apparent abandonment during disputes?