…..Says Mentorship, Truth and Reforms Are Key to Bridging Generational Divide in NIPR
By Mahmoud
The Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, FNIPR, has charged public relations practitioners to place truth, credibility and integrity above publicity as Nigeria navigates rapid changes in technology, governance and public discourse.
Speaking on Saturday, 29 August 2026, at the maiden Bashir Adamu Chedi Annual Memorial Lecture and AGM of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Kaduna State Chapter, the Minister said the real business of PR in the age of Artificial Intelligence and social media is the building and protection of public trust.
Platforms will come and go. Artificial Intelligence will become more sophisticated. But the foundations of our profession must remain: truth, credibility, integrity, responsibility and respect for the public,” Idris told the gathering of senior and young practitioners in Kaduna.
The Minister, speaking under the theme “Bridging Generations: Strengthening Public Relations Through Mentorship,” paid tribute to the late Mallam Bashir Adamu Chedi, describing him as a mentor who lived his professional values and invested in younger practitioners. He urged established professionals to deliberately guide the next generation, warning that no profession can survive if every generation starts from scratch.
Idris linked the ethics of communication to governance, declaring that restoring public trust in government communication is a central commitment of his stewardship. He said this requires government to communicate honestly, explain decisions clearly, acknowledge challenges, and listen to citizens.
Defending the administration’s reforms, the Minister addressed the removal of petrol subsidy, calling it a difficult but necessary decision by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to end an unsustainable regime. He added that government’s responsibility now is to ensure gains translate to better infrastructure, stronger public services and improved living conditions, including through the expansion of Compressed Natural Gas buses to reduce transport costs.
On security, Idris said President Tinubu has given momentum to the national conversation on State Police, arguing that Nigeria’s security architecture must evolve. He noted that bringing policing closer to communities can strengthen intelligence and response, provided constitutional safeguards ensure accountability and prevent abuse.
With another electoral cycle approaching, the Minister warned practitioners against becoming “merchants of falsehood.” He urged them to verify information before communicating, correct misinformation without suppressing dissent, and defend professional ethics regardless of who employs them. “Criticism must be based on facts, just as government communication must be based on truth,” he said.
Idris concluded by praying for the repose of Bashir Chedi and expressed hope that the memorial lecture would grow into a national platform for mentorship and ethical reflection. “May the life of Mallam Bashir Adamu Chedi continue to remind us that our most enduring legacy is often not what we achieve for ourselves, but what we deposit in others,” he said.
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