Category: Featured

A Voice Behind the Scene: Celebrating Mrs. Olusoji Olufunso’s Impactful Journey at NYSC By Lukman Laleye Babalola

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”. — Mahatma Gandhi   In the corridors of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), there are individuals who quietly shape the institution’s public image, ensuring that its story is not only told but told well. One of such individuals is Mrs. Olusoji Olufunso, a Deputy Director in charge of Publicity at the NYSC Headquarters, whose distinguished career comes to a graceful close on April 19, 2025, as she bows out of active service.   Mrs.…

Public Relations: Shaping Perceptions and Building Relationships By Afolabi Olajuwon

Emporium Reporters

In an era characterized by rapid information dissemination and heightened public engagement, the role of public relations (PR) has become increasingly important. As both a strategic communication process and a management function, PR significantly influences perceptions and facilitates the development and maintenance of relationships between organizations and their publics.       I will be discussing the multifaceted dimensions of public relations, highlighting its critical importance in shaping perceptions and building meaningful relationships.       Public relations is often defined as the strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial…

The Money We Forgot: How NCC Plans to Protect Your Unused Airtime By Lukman Laleye Babalola

Lukman Laleye Babalola

It started innocently maybe your SIM card goes bad. Maybe you switch to a new number, or maybe your phone got stolen and you never bothered retrieving the old line. For months, it sits there: unused, inactive, forgotten. But what happen to the airtime you recharged the money you never spent?   That question has nagged millions of Nigerian telecom subscribers for years. And finally, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has decided to ask it out loud and answer it, too.   On April 8, 2025, the NCC hosted a…

Alhaji Ibrahim Idris @ 76, Tributes from Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim Idris

Emporium Reporters

When people from all walks of life , creed , religion and extraction eulogises your better half , year in year out on his good will to the generality of Nigerians not minding religion , tribe or extraction, it is not out of place to buttress such good omen . From me , Her Excellency, Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim Idris, the Giwa Matan Lokoja, Omiakele Ogohi onu Anyigba, and the dearest wife to Jakadan Sokoto , His Excellency, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris CON, I count my self lucky to have married not…

David Mark: Author of Doctrine of Necessity @ 77 By Paul Mumeh

Emporium Reporters

David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark, a retired Army General and President of the 6th and 7th Senate (2007-2011 & 2011-2015), Federal Republic of Nigeria, is 77 (April 8, 2025). He is unarguably an accomplished soldier and a successful politician.   As a soldier, he rose to the commanding height of his chosen profession; a Brigadier-General and Director of Signals, Nigerian Army and as a politician, he rose to the position of President of the Senate, ranking as number three citizen in Nigeria.   There are very few men and women in…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at 73: A Legacy of Leadership, Resilience, and Nation-Building By Lukman Laleye Babalola

Lukman Laleye Babalola

As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marks his 73rd birthday on March 29, 2025, Nigerians reflect on the journey of a political strategist, astute administrator, and dogged democrat whose influence has shaped Nigeria’s political and economic landscape for decades. His life is a testament to resilience, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to progressive governance. From Corporate Success to Political Leadership Born on March 29, 1952, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s journey into leadership began in the corporate world. He studied Accounting at Chicago State University and worked with global firms like Arthur Andersen,…

Birthday Reflections on a World Gone Soft, by Frank Tietie

Emporium Reporters

“A World Gone Soft” was the title of a feature article in one of the editions of The Economist that I came across while studying law at the University of Benin during the tech boom of the 1990s led by Microsoft.   The article wasn’t solely about Microsoft, if I remember correctly. Instead, it discussed how software would shape the future or how nearly every aspect of our lives would become so digitally “soft,” much like software. This was in 1997.   I was born in Ughelli in the early…

A Tribute to My Dearest Mother, a Princess of Oyo Kingdom

Emporium Reporters

March 15, 2019, will forever remain one of the most painful days of my life—the day I lost my beloved mother, a true princess of the Oyo Kingdom from the noble Ladigbolu descendants. Though six years have passed, the memories remain fresh, and the pain of her absence still lingers. That day, I was at the National Merit House, Abuja, with my colleagues from Save The Consumers Initiative (STCi), marking World Consumers Day. It was supposed to be a moment of celebration, but fate had a different plan. My phone…

NIGERIA UNION OF JOURNALIST (NUJ) @70 A Tribute to Courage: Upholding Justice and Protecting Press Freedom in Nigeria By Shua’ibu Usman Leman

Emporium Reporters

As we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists – NUJ from 15th March 1955 to 15th March 2025, it is imperative that we pause to acknowledge and honour our fallen colleagues, tragic victims of impunity. Every act of violence against journalists – be it intimidation, harassment, or murder – constitutes a fundamental assault on the very principles of democracy and freedom of expression that we hold dear. As the esteemed journalist and advocate for press freedom, Anna Politkovskaya, astutely observed, “Without journalism, there are no freedoms.”…

International Women’s Day: A PR Professional’s Guide Dr. Afolabi Olajuwon

Emporium Reporters

International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, serves as an important moment to recognize women’s achievements, advocate for gender equality, and address the systemic barriers women face worldwide. I intend to provide public relations (PR) professionals with a comprehensive guide to effectively engage in the celebrations and conversations surrounding IWD, enhancing brand presence and demonstrating social responsibility while supporting gender equity.   As a PR professional, March 8 offers not just a celebration of women but also a unique opportunity to amplify messages of empowerment and societal change.…