Neliaku vs Ali-Balogun: How PR Interns Rate Flyers of NIPR Presidential Aspirants Ahead ‘2023 AGM’
A perception survey independently carried out by Spokespersons’ Digest, a publication of Image Merchants Promotions (IMPR) Limited, has evaluated the frontline candidates aspiring to become the next National President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
The tenure of incumbent President and Chairman of the NIPR Governing Council, Mallam Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo, will come to an end soon.
Dr. Ike Neliaku and Mrs. Nkechi Ali-Balogun are the major NIPR members vying for the office of the President, to succeed Sirajo.
Spokesperson, a sister publication of PRNigeria reports that Neliaku and Ali-Balogun will be locking horns on August 24, 2023, at this year’s ‘Annual General Meeting’ of the NIPR, where one of them will hope to emerge as the next helmsman of the Institute, together with other excos.
Respondents of the survey done by Spokespersons Digest, about 25 undergraduates of Mass Communication with interest in PR who are doing their internship with PRNigeria Centres in Abuja and Kano, basically assessed the soft copies of the campaign flyers of the two NIPR presidential aspirants.
The students observed that the flyers of Nkechi Ali-Balogun appear more captivating aesthetically, owing to the choice of posters’ background colour, use of a simple quotation and its simplicity. They, however, said that the flyers did not contain any vital information about her, unlike that of her opponent.
“Even her names on her campaign posters were abbreviated, which is not supposed to be. From afar, one will not notice that her full names are deep beneath the bolded acronyms of her name.
“Likewise, Mrs. Ali-Balogun didn’t reflect on her campaign flyers’ words that describe her personality and could market her candidature for the NIPR President’s office,” one of them said.
On the other hand, while the interns agreed that the campaign flyers of Dr. Neliaku will showcase his capacity, aspiration visions, and personality traits, they concluded that the graphic of the posters are too wordy.
According to one of the students, “The NIPR presidential aspirant had alluring words on his posters, with a good campaign message on why he is the candidate to beat.
“But while some of my colleagues, especially the females who participated in this perception survey endorsed Ali-Balogun because she is one of them, the majority of us generally still believe the messages on Neliaku’s campaign flyers have the potential to captivate those who will be participating in the NIPR general meeting”.
While some of the respondents endorsed Neliaku’s two campaign flyers, others pitched a tent with that of Ali-Balogun.
Those who showed interest in Dr. Neliaku’s posters mainly identified the messages of persuasion and brief personality profile about the NIPR presidential aspirant, which were clearly embossed on the flyers, as what piqued their interest.
As for the respondents fascinated by Ali-Balogun’s posters, they identified the non-usage of ‘flamboyant catchphrase’ on the flyers of the female NIPR presidential candidate, as ‘unique and strategic’.
According to them, the fact that Mrs. Ali-Balogun did not embellish her flyers with ‘enticing’ vote-seeking messages like Neliaku, means she is not exhibiting the traits of ‘typical’ Nigerian politicians with intimidating personality profiles’.
The communication students, however, agreed that how each of the two aspirants markets his/her candidacy will determine who emerges as the next Chief Executive of the foremost umbrella body of Nigerian image-makers, at the ‘2023 NIPR Annual General Meeting’.
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