Edosomwan: The Public Relations Industry is Yet to Attain Maturity Status

In this interview with Ugo Aliogo, the Founder of London School of Public Relations Nigeria (LSPR), Charles Edosomwan, spoke on the need to upscale the growth of public relation and reputation building in the industry, and the commitment of LSPR Nigeria to train professionals on courses in public relations, brand and reputation management, crisis and risk, presentation skills and marketing communications. Excerpts.

Nigeria is one of the leading countries in Africa given the economy and education levels of the population, but it still carries a somewhat negative image overseas. Do you think the country could do more to raise its reputation on a global scale?

The main issue is that public relations and reputation building is not a quick-fix approach. It takes time and robust effort to change and enhance the reputation and this is something the government needs to address. A long-term plan of action needs to be developed to identify key and secondary stakeholders and secure the support and understanding of Nigerian citizens.

What would you recommend if you were heading this initiative?

Qualified public relations professionals should administer the plan reporting directly to senior government officials in public affairs. Clear and achievable objectives should be identified and a sensible timeline put into place. This effort should receive endorsement and involvement from the President of Nigeria.

Please tell us about LSPR Nigeria?

London School of Public Relations Nigeria is a franchise of the London School of Public Relations in London. Like our London counterpart, we will deliver courses in public relations, brand and reputation management, crisis and risk, presentation skills and marketing communications.

There is a definite need for such trainings in Nigeria as the economy grows and people realise the need for career and professional development. We want to train high-quality professionals that would go into the industry and make a change by leading solution-driven campaigns that would win global recognition.

How would you assess the Nigerian PR industry currently?

It is very developed but not at the maturity stage. The maturity stage would mean that there are more specialized PR fields like Lifestyle, Beauty, Fashion, Medicine, and Aviation. Effective public relation would be public relation that can cascade to these areas and have a good ecosystem where talents can thrive and be employed to create award-winning solutions to problems.

The social media space in Nigeria is growing rapidly, do you think public relation can help curb or reduce the negative impact?

Yes, that is one of the core jobs with respect to public relations. Crisis management can help with this as brands are getting into crisis constantly these days. The role of public relations would be to help them modify their strategies and adapt to the local environment they are dealing with.

Can you proffer solutions to some of these challenges?

There is currently a high demand for public relations skills both at home and abroad. Training good professionals to produce better quality services in the industry. That way, they would be able to come up with better strategies and award-winning campaigns.

LSPR Nigeria is a Franchise of LSPR. What courses are you launching with?

Yes, we are a full franchise. At present we offer training in public relations, brand management, crisis and risk management, personal branding, presentation skills, executive presence.

What impact do you think LSPR Nigeria will make in the PR Industry?

We hope to achieve several objectives over the next 2-3 years: To raise the level of awareness around public relations and reputation; to train and develop professional public relations practitioners; to support Nigerian businesses in their communications and reputation-building efforts; to broaden the scope and reach of the London School of Public Relations in sub-Saharan Africa. We already have another franchise in Ghana and will look to expand also into Kenya and other countries.

Is there a certain requirement to take these courses and Who qualifies to enrol?

There are no specific requirements but we would expect course participants to be in the workplace or shortly entering it. They are likely looking at careers in public relations and communications or are already working in that area and wish to enhance their skills and learn best practice processes.

What is the pricing like and are there any early bird discounts?

We offer a range of courses ranging from public relations to crisis and risk management, personal branding and so on. The prices vary depending on the course or the package, we have discounts on some of these courses and all the pricing details can be found on our website at lspr.ng.

Any upcoming programme from LSPR?

Yes indeed, we have a couple of programmes coming up and we’re very excited about them. On the 8th July, we will be delivering a workshop focusing on Personal Branding and Executive Presence, delivered by Susan Croft, Director of Programmes. This will be in person. John Dalton, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of London School of Public Relations Global will hold a virtual training on 7th July focusing on Crisis Management and Navigating Uncertainty. Registration for the workshops is available on our website and social media pages.

Also, we would be organising short courses that will better equip people for the digital economy. We plan to do a short course on politics considering its current relevance in shaping the economy and the critical point we are as a country. More information on these courses and any other programs in future can be found on our website at lspr.ng and social media pages @lspr.ng.