NIPR President Urges Youths to Place National Interest Above Personal Gains

The President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, has tasked youths in the country to focus on serving the country as against personal gains as a way of leaving legacy for the next generation. 

Speaking on the topic, "Effective Public Sector Leadership: Tools, Styles & Public Relations Techniques" at the third edition of Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI) in Abuja on Thursday, Dr. Neliaku said the country's development has been largely stunted on the account of personal gains above national interest. 

"Our nation is the way it is today because only few persons serve from the interest of nation. As persons who will occupy leadership positions tomorrow, I am appealing to you to be that exceptional leader our country yearns for. No nation moves forward where those in leadership positions only think of what benefits them, their religious organizations and their ethnic communities. We must place Nigeria first as those who want to be successful leaders in the nearest future", he noted. 

The NIPR boss while highlighting factors that have hampered the growth of leadership in Nigeria also challenged influential traditional and religious leaders to encourage their subjects in leadership positions to do the right things, rather than arm-twisting them to take decisions that do not serve the general interest of the country. 

While encouraging the participants at the event to do away with selfishness, ethnicity and religious considerations, Dr. Neliaku further challenged them to imbibe resilience, knowledge, effective communication and emotional intelligence as leadership tools.