The newly released memoir MNI Versus MNIPR in NIPSS: Tackling Institutional Bullying by veteran public relations practitioner Yushau A. Shuaib delves into his legal and institutional conflict with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and his subsequent feeling of abandonment by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). The 205-page book, published by Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), examines the delicate balance between institutional authority, professional loyalty, and individual rights.
The NIPR Betrayal
Shuaib, who personally funded his participation in the Senior Executive Course at NIPSS with ₦18.5 million after being nominated by the NIPR without financial sponsorship, expected moral support from the Institute during his ordeal. Instead, he received an invitation to appear before an NIPR Investigating Panel shortly after withdrawing from the NIPSS programme. In the chapter "The NIPR Betrayal," he writes, "If the episode with NIPSS was turbulent, what followed with my own professional body was even more emotionally complex."
The author recalls that despite his three-decade-long membership, he was addressed as ANIPR instead of MNIPR in an official letter, an error that reinforced his perception of being overlooked. Though a corrected letter was later issued without any designation, the incident remained symbolic of his growing sense of alienation.
Legal and Disciplinary Proceedings
Shuaib initially hesitated to honour the panel's invitation due to a conflicting medical appointment but eventually appeared with his eldest son and management team. In a written memorandum, he defended his conduct, maintaining that he did not author or edit the PRNigeria news report that prompted the first disciplinary query from NIPSS. He further alleged that the second query, concerning a professional article unrelated to NIPSS, stemmed from what he described as the unlawful interception of a restricted editorial email—an act he equated to cybercrime.
Throughout the memoir, Shuaib insists that his petition and legal action were undertaken in his personal capacity as constitutional remedies and were never intended to embarrass the NIPR. He contends that the Institute focused more on his legal redress than on investigating his allegations of digital privacy violations and procedural irregularities.
Irony of Recognition
Another episode highlights what Shuaib regards as a poignant irony: while he felt increasingly isolated within his profession, the Director-General of NIPSS, Professor Ayo Omotayo, was conferred as an Honorary Fellow of the NIPR a few months later. Shuaib writes, "I do not begrudge Professor Omotayo the recognition. Still, I could not ignore the irony of the moment. I leave it to history—and to the reader—to judge."
Terminated Partnership
The memoir also revisits the National Spokespersons Awards, an initiative pioneered by IMPR that entered into a three-year Memorandum of Understanding with the NIPR in November 2023 for joint organisation. Shuaib claims IMPR handled conceptualisation, funding, publicity, logistics, and overall management under an agreement meant to run until November 2026. However, he alleges the partnership was terminated in 2025 without prior consultation or any allegation of contractual breach. To the author, the timing of this decision appeared inseparable from the wider controversy surrounding his NIPSS experience.
Broader Questions
Beyond personal grievances, the memoir raises important questions about institutional culture and professional ethics. How should professional associations respond when a member becomes embroiled in public controversy? Should institutional relationships take precedence over standing with members until facts are established? Can disciplinary processes coexist with empathy and dialogue? These questions extend beyond one individual or organisation.
Haroon Aremu Abiodun, an associate member of the NIPR, notes that every institution has the authority to uphold its rules, but every member deserves procedural fairness and a respectful hearing. The NIPR, which has built an enviable reputation over decades, might have benefited from greater dialogue and internal engagement to avoid a divisive outcome.
