NIPR Confers Honorary Fellowship on Nasarawa State Governor

• Stanley Ogadigbo, fnipr
• 3 days ago
• News feed
• 2 minute read

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has conferred its Honorary Fellowship on the Governor of Nasarawa State, His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi Sule.

The conferment took place on Saturday, October 25, 2025, during the 2nd Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi Memorial Lecture held in Abuja. The lecture is organised annually in honour of the late founder of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who was a Fellow of the Institute.

Performing the conferment, the President, Chairman of Council of NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, expressed profound appreciation to Governor Sule for his continuous support to the Institute. He particularly commended the governor for allowing a distinguished son of the state, Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura, to serve as the Vice President of NIPR, noting that he has brought his wealth of academic and professional experience to enrich the leadership of the Institute.

Dr. Neliaku also lauded the governor for his immense contribution to the advancement of the public relations profession, especially for making available facilities in Gudi, Akwanga Local Government Area, for the siting of the University of Public Relations and Leadership (UPRL), a landmark tertiary institution project of NIPR. The university will be the first sector-based public relations university in the world.

In his remarks, Governor Sule, who was the Guest Lecturer, extolled the life and legacy of the late High Chief Raymond Dokpesi for democratising Nigeria’s media and information landscape through the establishment of the country’s first privately owned television and radio stations.

“Today, we honour the memory of High Chief Raymond Dokpesi because he was the first visionary to pioneer the first satellite television station in Nigeria and the first privately owned radio station in the country.

“So, as we reflect on his life, I want us to ask ourselves: if you happen to be number one, or the first person to reach the finish line in a race, what do you do with that position?” he queried.

Governor Sule thanked NIPR for the recognition and for selecting Nasarawa State as the host for the University of Public Relations and Leadership. He assured that his administration remains fully committed to providing the necessary support to ensure the successful take-off of the university, which is expected to commence admission of its first set of students in November 2026.