PERENNIAL crises and inter-ethnic clashes in the past coupled with its determination to mitigate such crises are the bedrock on which the Military, Police and Paramilitary Public Relations Officers Forum (MILPOPPROF) was formed.
Explaining this recently during a visit to the President and Chairman of Governing Council, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr Rotimi Oladele, at the Institute’s Corporate Secretariat, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos, Mr Steve Okonmah, a Chief Superintendent of Customs, the leader of the delegation said there was the need to synergize and form mutual cooperation among the security agencies and the civilian populace for a harmonious society devoid of conflict and acrimony.
He explained that within the last 10 years the forum was formed, it has recorded modest achievements in the area of conflict resolution adding that the ugly incidents of clashes and skirmishes at Ojuelegba Lagos Area sometimes in 2005, which led to bloodshed, destruction of properties and bad image to the country necessitated the formation of MILPOPPROF.
He said, “It was against this backdrop that MILPOPPROF was formed to mitigate the clashes, promote sense of camaraderie and re-establish the primordial espirit-de-corps among the various security operatives through a well-articulated orientation programmes like joint workshops, seminars and conferences.
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“Over the years, the Public Relations Officers especially in Lagos Area have worked very hard to close ranks and have built stronger synergy through the activities of the Forum.”
In his response, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council (NIPR), Dr Rotimi Oladele, expressed sincere appreciation for the MILPOPPROF delegation. He promised that as the institute’s incumbent president, he would partner with them in its noble objectives towards fostering harmonious and solid cooperation amongst all security agencies as well as other public organizations.
The president, whose tenure has re-engineered the NIPR for greater efficiency by introducing several positive and beneficial reforms, commended the idea behind the formation of MILPOPPROF. He also eulogized the strict discipline adopted by the facilitators that prevented the forum from being hijacked and derailed for selfish intentions.
The Secretary General of the Forum, Mr Igwe Hosea Chibueze added that apart from using MILPOPPROF as a platform for synergy and integration, it would soon extend its tentacles to other African countries; especially in those volatile areas facing some security challenges.