The Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar, will serve as one of the royal ambassadors of the 2026 Global Alliance World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) scheduled to be held in Abuja.

Usman Datti, former President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), disclosed this at an event organised by the NIPR Niger chapter to sensitise practitioners ahead of the global forum.

Mr Datti said the Etsu Nupe, who is also the chairman of the Niger Council of Traditional Rulers, would lead the cultural aspect of the forum, providing an opportunity for Niger to showcase its rich cultural heritage to participants from different countries.

He urged the Niger government and public relations practitioners to use the forum to project the state’s culture, tourism, and other potential to the international community.

According to him, the WPRF, being hosted in Nigeria for the first time, will bring together public relations and communication professionals from across the world, making it an opportunity to showcase Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage.

“Niger will feature pre-eminently in respect of culture; the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, is part of the ambassadors of the global convergence in Abuja.

“He is leading the charge on the cultural aspect of the World Forum,” he said.

Mr Datti also urged young public relations practitioners to uphold ethical standards and responsible communication in their workplaces, stressing the need for professionalism in the practice.

The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Obed Nana, urged practitioners who were not yet full members of NIPR to enrol, stressing that membership in professional bodies strengthens professionalism.

Also speaking, Abu Nmodu, chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Niger Council, urged public relations practitioners to educate their principals on the difference between publicity and strategic image building.

Mr Nmodu said that while social media could create publicity, strategic engagement with mainstream media remained important for building and sustaining a credible organisational image.

The chairman stressed the need for practitioners to uphold professional and ethical standards.

(NAN)