Nigeria Back To Military Era – Okogie – TheNigerialawyer

A former Catholic archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Okogie, has said
that Nigeria was back to the era of military dictatorship.

In a statement on Friday, the outspoken Catholic priest said
that the country needed leaders, who would be interested in
listening to the people and entertaining their views no matter how
critical it may be.

Okogie, who condemned the now usual disobedience of court orders
by President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, added that it was important
for citizens’ rights to be respected for Nigeria to make progress
as a democratic society.

He said, “If the executive disobeys court rulings, and if it
intimidates and humiliates the judiciary, then we are back to the
era when a military junta made laws and interpreted them without
any regard for fundamental human rights.

“In a democracy, those who govern are chosen by the people to
represent the people. And if they are to represent the people, they
must listen to the people. Not only do true democrats listen, they
also are not afraid of dissenting opinions.

“They do not arrogate to themselves the power to accuse, arrest,
prosecute and convict. But can we candidly say we have democrats at
the helm of affairs in this country at this point in time?

“How can we claim to live in a democracy when presidential
spokespersons tell us the presidency is always right?

“We have returned to a sinful past when citizens could be
abducted and locked up in detention without trial under the pretext
of acting in the interest of national security.

“But Nigerians do not want military rule anymore.”

Since the invasion of the Federal High Court on December 6 by
operatives of the Department of State Services to forcefully
rearrest pro-democracy campaigner and journalist, Omoyele Sowore,
less than 24 hours after he was released from detention, the
Nigerian Government has been slammed by prominent individuals and
groups from all around the world.

Sowore was first arrested on August 3, 2019 by operatives of the
DSS in Lagos for calling on citizens to take to the streets in
peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from Buhari’s
administration.

In charges that have been described as baseless and laughable by
observers around the world, the government is accusing Sowore of
insulting Buhari and planning to bring down his government.

But despite two court orders directing his freedom on bail, the
48-year-old journalist remains in detention – a glaring breach of
his fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the Nigerian
constitution and several conventions the country is a signatory
to.

NIPR bestows 2019 Presidential Awards on CBN,
Outstanding PR Gurus
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has presented its
Presidential Awards to Corporate organisations and outstanding PR
Practitioners in Nigeria at a colourful “2019 Presidential Dinner
and Awards” in Sheraton Hotel Lagos.

The President of NIPR, Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo said the awardees
were honoured in recognitions of their sterling PR qualities and
outstanding contributions and support to the ideals of the
Institute.

Topping the list of recipients of Corporate PR Ambassador Awards
are Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Julius Berger Nigeria Plc,
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Breweries Plc,
and the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited.

Dr Ike Neliaku
FNIPR

Individually, Mr. Yemi Owolabi, a founder of Red Carpet
Communications Limited, an independent television production and
Commissioner for Information and Tourism in Ondo State bagged the
“2019 NIPR Gold Award,” while Dr. Ike Neliaku, a Fellow of NIPR,
African Public Relations Association (APRA) and Institute of
Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) bagged the Presidential
Award and Certificate of Excellence.

NIPR President Mukhtar Sirajo presents PR
Personality of the Year to Mr Yushau Shuaib of PRNigeria^[1] at Sheraton Hotel Lagos

Ten other eminent Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and acclaimed
PR experts also received the “Personality of the Year Award.” They
include Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor of CBN; Mr. Jordi Borrut Bel,
Managing Director (MD)/CEO of Nigerian Breweries Plc; Dr. Taiwo
Afolabi, Group Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of SIFAX Group; Mr.
Bolaji Abimbola, the MD/CEO of Integrated Indigo Limited and Mr.
Yushau Shuaib, Founder of PRNigeria^[2] and Economic
Confidential and

Aliyu Umar
Aliyu of BPSR

Other award winners are Mr. Aliyu Umar Aliyu, the immediate-past
Vice Chairperson of NIPR, FCT Chapter, and Editor of Public Service
Reformer Magazine; Mr. Karibi T. George, Head of Legal and PR
Services in the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board
(RSUBEB) and Fellow of NIPR; Prof. Gregory Iyke Ibe, a renowned
Business Executive and celebrated scholar; and Dr. Abdullahi Idris,
the Executive Director Services of Kaduna Refining and
Petrochemical Company (KRPC) and Mrs. Thelma Okoh, Principal
Consultant/CEO of Winstarbel Investment Limited.

NIPR
Presidential Award 2019

Brooks and Blake Nigeria Ltd, XLR8 (a leading communication
consultancy in West Africa), Africa Practice (an Africa-focused
strategic advisory firm), Indigo Integrated Limited, and Caritas
Communications, all received the “Corporate Practitioner of
Excellence Award”.

The Lagos, FCT, and Cross River State Chapter of the NIPR were
announced as the “Best Performing Chapters”.

While the Delta, Edo and Bauchi State Chapter of NIPR each
received the “Most Improved Chapter of the Year Award”.

By PRNigeria^[3]