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Strategic Use of AI Tools in PR Campaigns and Reputation Management

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  By Ishola Ayodele In an era where perception is the currency and reputation is the central nervous system of organizational survival, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become more than just a tool, it is a strategic oracle. Much like a skilled drummer in a Yoruba talking drum ensemble, AI decodes the rhythm of public sentiment and helps organizations respond in pitch-perfect resonance.   The words of Dr. Edward Bernays, the father of modern PR, still echo with relevance, “Public relations is the attempt by information, persuasion, and adjustment to engineer public support for an activity, cause, movement or institution.” Today, AI supercharges that engineering process by adding precision, speed, and predictive intelligence. This is how   1. Listening at Scale: AI-Powered Social Sentiment Analysis The first strategic advantage AI offers is machine-powered listening. Imagine standing in the middle of Lagos’ Oshodi market trying to capture one conversation, you would be dro...
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Why Stakeholder Engagement Must Never Be an Afterthought: A Lesson from the Owo Cenotaph Crisis

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By Ishola Ayodele                                                          Source: Sunday Tribune Newspaper  1. Background On June 5, 2022, a tragic terrorist attack at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa Street, Owo, Ondo State, claimed over 40 lives and shook Nigeria’s conscience. In response, the then-Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, initiated the construction of a Memorial Park, a cenotaph, to honour the victims. The project, built near the Olowo’s palace, was meant as a public expression of grief, remembrance, and state solidarity with the victims’ families. However, despite its noble intentions, the location of the cenotaph became a source of deep-rooted tension. The structure was sited close to the traditional palace of the Olowo of Owo, an act that many considered a violation of Yoruba cultural norms which ...
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Galvanizing Public and Private Stakeholders to Address Nigeria’s Food Crisis: Public Relations as a Key Driver

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By Ishola Ayodele Nigeria’s escalating food crisis is not just a statistic; it’s a national emergency. With food inflation reaching a staggering 40.66% in May 2024 (National Bureau of Statistics, 2024) and the United Nations predicting a continuation of this trend, the time for reactive, short-term interventions is over. Hunger is no longer an issue of charity or welfare; it’s a ticking time bomb that threatens national security.   Addressing complex issues like food insecurity demands collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Stakeholders are individuals, groups, or organizations that have a vested interest in, or are impacted by, the issue. In Nigeria’s food crisis, these stakeholders include small-scale farmers, corporations, government agencies, and NGOs. However, to fully understand their roles, it’s essential to differentiate between public and private stakeholders. Public stakeholders, such as government bodies and state institutions, represent the interests of society as a ...
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