Some participants of Senior Executive Course 47 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru near Jos, Plateau State have raised concerns over what they described as persistent bullying, excessive disciplinary actions, and unprofessional conduct by certain directing staff.
The participants, who included high-ranking public and private officials, expressed dismay over the conduct, saying the pattern of undue bullying and professional harassment is not in order.
The participants further pointed out that some of such bullying instances included verbal abuse, public rebuking, using derogatory language, among others.
“There is growing discomfort among us. Some of the most senior directors and professors here are subjected to humiliating remarks and open reprimands.
“It is demoralising and completely unbecoming of a prestigious institution like NIPSS,” one participant disclosed anonymously,” one of the participants revealed.
A source at NIPSS who spoke on condition of anonymity said that while only a few directing staff exhibit arrogance and rudeness toward participants, nonetheless such behavior warrants caution.
According to the source, the conduct of some instructors in this current course is highly unusual, and that many participants—elderly professionals, some above 50—are bitterly complaining of being treated like kindergarten children,” the source revealed.
The source added that the office of the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, should constitute a visitation panel to assess the situation and hear directly from participants about their challenges, as NIPSS urgently needs genuine reform; otherwise, some participants may even consider withdrawing from the programme.
These allegations followed the recent issuance of two formal queries within two months to one of the participants, Yushau A. Shuaib, a renowned public relations expert and participant, over media articles.
The first query, it was gathered, was owing to his publication on NIPSS’ digital transformation, while the most recent stemmed from an article on strategic communication in advancing Nigeria’s Blue Economy agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Shuaib, however, responded by trying to clarify that though he holds a strategic role as publisher of PRNigeria, he is not involved in the outlet’s daily editorial decisions and didn’t pen the first report on the digital economy’s news report.
Nonetheless, Rear Admiral Mustapha was said to have issued the queries to Shuaib on behalf of the acting Director of Studies, Barrister Nima Salaman Mann.
It was learnt also that Shuaib was reportedly directed not to identify himself as a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (MNIPR) during plenary sessions, which he (Shuaib) viewed the instruction as sort of discriminatory, particularly as other participants regularly cite informal or honorary affiliations without objection.
Shuaib eventually formally appealed for the withdrawal of both queries and called for clearer boundaries between his independent professional communications and his role at NIPSS.
Attempts to reach Mr. Yushau Shuaib for further comments were unsuccessful, as his phone line was not reachable.
However, one of the management staff who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to speak said there is no incident of bullying in NIPSS, and that it is the normal routine over the years to ensure discipline, dedication to duty and uprightness in their conducts.
“The management staff too passed through the course years back, but had to subject himself to all the rigours of the programme despite knowing the tutors and is friendly with them, but that unfortunately some of the participants come in from their different sectors and want to maintain their high profile self and comfort at the institute, which has its own rules and regulations.”
Reacting, the Director General (DG) of NIPSS, Prof Ayo Omotayo, said the institute has its rules and regulations and that so long as anyone steps into the premises, he or she must abide by the rules and regulations no matter how highly placed in the society that person is.
The DG said the institute is the Think-Tank of the nation, and so they have to abide by institute’s stipulation and standard and ensure the participants abide by it because such is supposed to be what they are expected to exhibit outside as leaders in their various rights.
According to the DG, the participants signed up to this before commencing the course, adding that the participants were also told that whatever their professions are they are not permitted to exhibit them in terms of continuing working along that line during their course at the institute, as they should purely concentrate on their course outline during that period.
On the issue of Shuaib, he said he was engaged in publishing things about the plenary, which was against the rule of the course, and that when given a query, he rather responded by saying the query should be withdrawn rather than responding, and then continued in like manner.
Omotayo said Shuaib’s suspension is already with the disciplinary committee and that his coming back would depend on their decision.
Meanwhile, he said they don’t allow any directing staff to use foul or derogatory languages against staff, saying that they act within their guide too, and that if participants under directing staff are performing badly (upon which they are often withdrawn if they performed under 70% rating), the directing staff is held responsible.