African PR practitioners tackle continent’s challenges through communication
As various stakeholders and economists discuss the best possible strategy to unleash the African potentials for faster development, public relations practitioners in the continent will attempt to approach the solution through communication at the African Public Relations Association (APRA) annual conference scheduled for Calabar, Nigeria in May this year.
Africa is regarded as the last economic frontier with exciting opportunities which are yet to be tapped for positive impact on the African economies but APRA believes that communication is key to the challenge of Africa. It is on this premise that the theme for the 2016 annual conference is ‘Leapfroging Africa: The role of communication’
“When we look at the issues of economic emancipation, infrastructural deficit, improved governance, citizens’ engagement etc, communication has a most significant role to play and it is against this backdrop that we have chosen to discuss and proffer solutions”, the APRA Secretary General Yomi Badejo Okusanya told BusinessDay recently.
He said APRA Calabar 2016 conference in May 24- 27 will parade an array of renowned speakers, including Erastus Mwencha, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission; Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Group; Bart de Vries, the President of International Public Relations Association (IPRA), Maxim Behar, President International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) and five major PR networks namely; Weber Shandwick, Fleishman Hilliard, Hill & Knowton, Grayling and Burson Marsteller.
Other speakers include Robyn de Villiers, Chairman and CEO of Burson Marsteller Africa who has well over 25 years of strategic communications experience advising clients across multiple sectors including privately-owned companies to multinationals, NGO’s and government bodies.
Nigeria’s President , Muhammadu Buhari is expected to declare the international conference open while the former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo is scheduled to Chair the opening ceremony while Aliko Dangote will deliver the Keynote Address
Yomi Okusanya also announced Kate Henshaw, popular actress as APRA Calabar 2016 identity. “We have carefully selected her for many reasons which include her firm belief in the Unstoppable Spirit of Africa which resonates with our philosophy and her passion for entertainment in Africa which she has been able to develop into an admirable and exportable craft, hence, her face is well known across the continent. Her responsibility as the representative of the Cross River State Governor in Lagos, her intellect and least of all, her charming beauty are all attributes that we truly admire her for”.
Okusanya said APRA Calabar 2016 is not only for professionals in public relations but also for those in advertising, branding, broadcasting, publishing, film making, print journalism, news media and related fields. He believed that at the end of the conference, participants will be better equipped for optimal performance and we would have raised the bar of the PR profession.
Daniel Obi