Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, APRA President, who gave the advice in a statement on Monday, noted that since inception, the need for Africa to stand together could not be over emphasized than now when the continent faced a global pandemic that left every part of the world struggling for its own survival.

Badejo-Okusanya said that rather than brood over the present situation, this was an opportunity for Africa to look inwards by developing its own homegrown solutions in terms of medical equipment and innovation to cures.

“African leaders working together offers the opportunity to break away from the preconceived notions and mindsets that have held us bound for too long.

“This year’s theme for Africa Day ‘Silencing The Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development and Intensifying the Fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic’ is quite apt.

“In the words of the founding father of African Unity, the late Dr Kwame Osageyefo Nkrumah, we must unite now or perish.

“We must recognise that our economic independence resides in our African Union and requires the same concentration upon the political achievement, “he said.

Badejo-Okusanya said that “if we must silence the guns and create conducive conditions for the development of Africa by jointly fighting this pandemic, communication was key.

He noted that APRA would continue to create a positive narrative for the continent and its people.

“We will create synergies with other professions, governments and organisations to achieve this goal,” he said.

Badejo-Okusanya noted that APRA had set up a post COVID-19 advisory team made up of respected professional colleagues from across the continent to advise the association.

He said that the team was charged with the responsibility of giving Africa and APRA a voice on issues of governance, leadership and development.

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At the continental body’s 28th Annual General Conference held in Calabar last week, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, Managing Director of CMC Connect Buston-Marsteller, was elected President after serving as Secretary General since 2012.

In a statement by John Ehiguese, PRCAN President, the association said that Badejo-Okusanya’s elevation was an attestation to his unwavering commitment and contribution to the growth of the Public Relations practice and the successes he had recorded in other leadership roles over the years.

Badejo-Okusanya had been two-time chairman of Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and national council member of the Institute.

“This being the first time a member of PRCAN will be tasked with a continental leadership position, it gives us additional reason to rejoice with you and wish you a successful tenure,” Ehiguese said.

PRCAN also congratulated the APRA leadership for the successful hosting of this year’s APRA International Conference held for the first time in Nigeria. It noted that the conference provided a huge platform for Public Relations practitioners across Africa to converge and create an enabling environment for accurate perception, engender goodwill and deepen understanding of effective performance of Public Relations practice in Africa.

“We believe that your tenure will bring the desired progress needed to propel the growth of the profession, foster unity among practitioners in Africa, and promote African unity and co-operation especially as consultant body to the African Union and its various agencies,” Ehiguese further said.

He then expressed gratitude to APRA for giving PRCAN the opportunity to partner and collaborate to host the first PRCAN Consultants’ Day at the just concluded APRA 2016 Conference.

“We are glad to support and further collaborate with APRA in order to drive initiatives that will add intrinsic values to the institutions we both represent and our professional colleagues across Africa,” the PRCAN president pledged.

Founded in 2008, APRA is the successor body of the Federation of African Public Relations Associations (FAPRA).

PRCAN is chartered by NIPR Bye Law No 3 of 1993, to cater to the interests of the consultancy side of PR practice in Nigeria.

Membership is exclusive to consulting firms whose key executives must be members of NIPR and registered to practice public relations in Nigeria. It currently has a membership of 51 PR firms providing services across at least 21 PR practice areas.

Its primary objective is to promote professional reputation management in Nigeria within the public and private sectors. It is also committed to maintaining professional standards and discipline among members and providing facilities/professional capacity for the public and private sectors to meet their PR consultancy needs.

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Ike Ogbonna, the first defence witness said he worked as a journalist with the defunct Triumph, Champion, New Telegraph (as deputy managing director) and Thisday, from where he was appointed Media adviser to ex-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Dr. Okwesileze Nwodo.

Ogbonna said after a presentation by CMC Connect’s MD Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, Jonathan was pleased and urged Metuh to provide an account details for image laundering fund.

“At that point, the President told Chief Metuh that he has done a good job, but that the real job is still out there to put these into action and told him to bring a corporate account to him for mobilisation and action,” Ogbonna said.

When asked if he knew how the Office of the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, headed by Metuh, was funded, Ogonna said: “The extent that I operated as Media adviser there and as a political journalist that is familiar with political activities, I am aware that the funding of the Office of the National Publicity Secretary come mainly from the party and leader of the party, who happened to be President Goodluck Jonathan at the time,” Ogbonna said.

Under cross-examination by the prosecution, Ogbonna said he was not privy to the source of the money paid for the job they did, but “Chief Metuh told me that the President called him and said the money had been paid. I was not paid as an individual.’’

Further hearing resumes on April 20.

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