December 03, (THEWILL) – Public relations expert, Dr Phil Osagie, speaks with IVORY UKONU about his career and sundry issues. Excerpts:
What have you been up to lately?
Doing what I know how to do best: Public relations. I have learnt to move with the times over the years. To his end, we floated some new initiatives, one of which is luxury public relations and we do that for luxury sport marketing.
Luxury Public Relations is simply helping luxury brands who have carved out a unique niche for themselves, reach a small network of people who value exclusivity, quality, and status. We help to create a sense of exclusivity that can make customers feel unique and important by offering limited edition products, personalized services, or hosting invite-only events. It is a new niche in the public relations space in Nigeria.
How well is that aspect doing?
Very well I must say
Your public relations firm, JSP Communications, is based in Nigeria. Why do you run it from outside the country?
It is becoming a cliché to say that the world has become a global village. Nowadays, with the way businesses are run, the factory is the brain, not necessarily the space you occupy. So, in my opinion, certain services aren’t dependent on where you are located, but on what you have to offer. It doesn’t matter where I am to offer the service that I do. What matters is the quality of what I have to offer.
Why did you decide you wanted to be a public relations practitioner?
I had a choice of doing both public relations and advertising because of my background. I once worked at Insight Communications, one of the leading advertising firms in Nigeria. While I was there, I was doing two jobs for the price of one; advertising and public relations. I felt that public relations was more niche, more personalised, more individualistic, fresh and it resonated better with me. The advantage I had was the fact that I understood advertising and marketing, but I chose to specialise in public relations. It is difficult to do both under one umbrella as you have to make a choice. But if you understand both, you can make a choice and do it well. Who knows, maybe one day, I just might form an advertising agency or something of that nature.
Considering that many other public relations agencies have been unable to survive infancy, what has kept JSP Communication going for almost 30 years?
Well, we go through challenges like any normal business, but I think what keeps us going is the fact that we are not transactional by nature; with the people we deal with – the media, our clients and suppliers. What we have with them is real, authentic and as a result of that, our clients trust us enough to remain with us. We hardly lose clients and those we have lost, over the years we have been operational, is an insignificant number. We probably have the best crop of clients. Our clients trust us because we don’t make promises we can’t keep. They find us authentic because we are not flashy, so to speak. We are a little bit conservative and ethical. With my staff, we take care of each other and look out for each other. Even when things are tough, we stick around. Most of my staff have been with me for a long time, they are like family to me and even when things are tough, we suffer together and when it’s rosy, we enjoy together. So, these are some of the things that have kept JSP Communications going.
Some public relations agencies lack the required certification or membership of professional bodies to provide some sort of authenticity. Why is this so? Can a PR company operate without membership of a professional body?
Membership of professional bodies, such as Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) the regulatory body for the practice in the country or Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), a prestigious group for
agencies responsible for laundering the image of corporate bodies and political groups – is a good thing.
With NIPR, one has to take some exams just so you have a basic understanding of what Public Relations is. PRCAN offers training from time to time. What that does is that it offers a bit of protection to both clients and practitioners. There are basic standards that must be met before one can join these professional bodies, such as the quality of graduates one must employ, the number of departments a standard public relations agency must have – client service, accounting etc. These standards must be met and kept. Unfortunately, these standards are hard to enforce which is why you have a lot of agencies practicing Public Relations without certification. Membership of these professional bodies doesn’t necessarily give one more business, but it helps as it offers some sort of authenticity.
What if one is a member of these two professional bodies and desires to practice without opening an office?
I think it can be worked out. One can have a virtual office. It happens a lot abroad. But to appear credible, you must have an office. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate one anyway.
Being a veteran in the game, are you into mentorship?
I do, but I want to do more of it because I believe I have a responsibility to make others better. I am involved in a lot of charity work. Judging by my background, I consider myself extremely fortunate which is why I want to lift as many people as I can. I do not like to brag, but in Nigeria’s public relations industry, it’s hard to see people rise in an organisation the way they do in JSP Communications. We have had people who joined as cleaners and have risen to become managers. Here anyone who comes becomes better because the environment compels you to be. I don’t only encourage them to be smart, but to be smarter than our clients because you can’t serve someone and not be smarter than them. Not in a competitive way, but in a way that the client will respect you. I don’t have the time to mentor too many people, but I give my time to as many people as possible.
What do you find most challenging in your line of work?
Being a Christian in a field where some of the most foundational ethics are constantly being compromised. When we started, we told ourselves there are some things we won’t do and there are some businesses we won’t take, even if you offer us a billion dollars. We have lost some businesses because we refused to do some things that are not ethical. But that’s okay, better to get things on merit. I keep two things in mind: God is the most important factor in all that we do; and then for the kind of clients that we service, I know that what’s important to them is to get results. They want a partner that can help them achieve their goals. If we can make ourselves be that partner, then all is good.
And so far, I think we’re constantly scoring high.
What was it about your growing up years that prepared you for a life of entrepreneurship?
My parents influenced my life. They weren’t rich; my dad was a school administrator and my mum was a petty trader. They sold almost all they had to send me to university in the United Kingdom. My dad had an old car he sold to pay for my first year in school. At that time, university education in the UK cost a lot of money. Subsequently, I worked to pay my way through school. When I finished, I came back home and wanted to go back for a Master’s degree.
My dad wanted me to take a break, but my mum agreed with me, closed down her business, sold her allocation for distributorship which was my entire school fees and gave me the money.
My mum isn’t educated formally, but she is smart and very wise and I do everything she says. I used to work in Kaduna as a journalist. My mum just told me one day to head to Lagos because she felt that Lagos would be better for me, being the federal capital in those days. I did and that was how my life changed.
I came to Lagos, I didn’t know anyone. I was going from company to company in search of a job; newspaper houses, advertising agencies etc. With advertising agencies, when I walk in, if I like the atmosphere, I stay and ask to see the person in charge. Sometimes I got lucky, other times, not so lucky. And if I don’t like the atmosphere, I don’t bother to say anything, I just leave.
So, I went to Insight Communications and asked to see the Managing Director. I was obliged. It was the founder, Biodun Shobanjo and I began to tell him about myself and what I was capable of doing for about an hour. The position I was given was going to be advertised, but he took a chance with me. Advertisement for the position got cancelled and that was how I began work there.
While at Insight, I fine-tuned and sharpened my communication and Public Relations skills and when The Quadrant Company, the first full-fledged Public Relations Consultancy in Nigeria was founded years later, I became the pioneer general manager. So, basically, my mother, parenting, influence of things I read, self-belief, all helped to shape me into who I am today.
I have always believed that God has a special plan for me. I know I am a special person, not in an arrogant way but I always believe that no matter where you are, it is not your final destination. That is my philosophy in life and that helps me go through life with less stress. When I do so well at any point in my life, I am always of the belief that I can do better as that isn’t the best of me or if the reverse happens to be the case, I do not believe that is the end of life. That always keeps me going. I am always looking out for new horizons. So the story of my life is just so remarkable because where I was coming from was totally unbelievable and where I am now could only have been propelled by God.
Did it ever cross your mind to try politics?
If I have to go into politics it would be to play behind the scenes, maybe in an advisory capacity, but not to aim to be governor or any frontline thing. I don’t like the headlines too much. But I always say in life, never say never.
How do you unwind?
I like to read the bible; I wish I could read it more. I love basketball, too. I used to play a lot of basketball, but now, I just enjoy watching it. I also like to play golf. I also like to take care of plants.
If you weren’t a public relations expert, what else would you have found joy doing?
Perhaps any other area of communication or work with a foundation as I love to help people. Or, perhaps, be in real estate business.
You are obviously fulfilled with what you do
Oh yes, very much so and I have bagged some awards and commendations from far and near for exhibiting exemplary leadership qualities in this field. Besides plying my trade in Nigeria, I am also a Public Relations consultant to World Business Forum in New York and the Academic Association for Surgeons, International Conference (AAS) among other notable institutions.
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