Rafiu Ajakaye, chief press secretary (CPS) to Kwara State governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has been given the distinguished spokesperson in political communication honour at the National Spokespersons Awards 2024 of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
The CPS was presented the award at an event held in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja on Wednesday.
Two fellows of NIPR who are indigenes of Kwara State, Saadu Salahu (senior adviser/counselor to Kwara State governor) and a professor of mass communication at the University of Ilorin, Saudat AbdulBaqi, the secretary of NIPR in the state, AbdulRahman Sanni, joined Ajakaye in receiving the award.
While Prof AbdulBaqi is a member of the NIPR’s governing council, Saadu is the lone member of the organising committee of the NIPR 2024 National Spokespersons Award from Kwara State.
Ajakaye was first appointed as AbdulRazaq’s CPS in 2019 and was reappointed into the position immediately the governor was sworn in for a second term of office on May 29, 2023.
Commenting on the award, Ajakaye said: “I thank Almighty Allaah for His mercies. I feel elated at the recognition, which, for me, is a tonic to double down in the business of image making in an ethical way. I am also humbled by the enormity of the challenges that come with being so mentioned on the national stage, and I ask God to guide me to be grateful to Him.
“My emergence in the NIPR’s National Spokespersons Awards 2024 as the Outstanding Spokesperson in Political Communication is deservedly dedicated to His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (CON), who gave me the opportunity and continues to support me to serve; and to my esteemed colleagues in the media team, and in the government as a whole.
“I thank the people of the state for their continuous support for the government of His Excellency and for their understanding and appreciation of his commitments and efforts to build a greater Kwara.
“My profound appreciation goes to my family in its narrowest and widest senses, especially my darling wife. I thank my colleagues and heroes in the Office of the CPS Government House, the distinguished NIPR Family in Kwara State, the Kwara Contingent to the NIPR Summit led by my sister Honourable Commissioner for Communications Bola Olukoju and Prof. Saudat AbdulBaqi Sallah, and the larger media fraternity in the state and across the country, including the digital naturals and stakeholders who have altered our understanding of media engagements and public communications.
“I especially congratulate our father Mr. Kunle Akogun of the University of Ilorin and my brother Basheer Luqman, special adviser media to Hon. Mukhtar Shagaya, for valiantly emerging in the first three in their own categories at the same NIPR Spokespersons’ Awards in Abuja on Wednesday night.
“This win, indeed, is for everyone. And I return all the glory and adoration to the Lord of the world.”
