Advertisement
NIPSS Memoir: When Institutions Test the Principles They Exist to Uphold
By Esther Mosunmola Ajibade
Few names in Nigeria’s media and strategic communication landscape require much introduction. Over the years, Yushau A. Shuaib has established himself as a journalist, public relations practitioner, publisher and institution builder whose work is easily traceable through platforms such as PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and Spokespersons Digest.
As the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), he has built a career anchored on a principle that consistently runs through his journalism, public relations practice and media entrepreneurship: integrity in communication.
It is therefore unsurprising that the same principle defines his latest publication, MNI Versus MNIPR in NIPSS: Tackling Institutional Bullying.
Far more than a memoir, the book is an unusually candid account of life inside Nigeria’s foremost policy and leadership institution, the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru. It offers readers a rare glimpse into the realities behind one of the country’s most prestigious leadership programmes while raising important questions about institutional culture, procedural fairness and the relationship between authority and individual rights.
Shuaib recounts his participation in the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47, a programme designed to prepare senior public officials and professionals for strategic national leadership. Yet, alongside the expected academic rigour and policy discussions, he describes what he considers another, unintended curriculum—one shaped by power dynamics, institutional rigidity and what he characterises as bullying.
Among the episodes narrated are instances in which participants were allegedly reprimanded over matters many readers may regard as trivial. A female participant, according to the memoir, was publicly criticised after an otherwise outstanding presentation because she deviated from what was described as the approved NIPSS presentation style. A senior academic reportedly attracted reprimand for resting a hand in his pocket. The Institute also introduced restrictions on the use of professional post-nominal titles after Shuaib himself was cautioned for using his.
Individually, such incidents might appear inconsequential. Collectively, however, they form the backdrop to a broader discussion about institutional culture and the manner in which authority is exercised within elite organisations.
The memoir reaches its most compelling moments in its account of the disciplinary issues that eventually led to Shuaib’s withdrawal from the programme.
Central to that narrative is his disagreement with a Directing Staff member, Rear Admiral A. A. Mustapha (rtd.), following disciplinary queries linked to media reports that Shuaib maintains he neither authored nor approved. The author recounts receiving repeated queries, pressure to produce what he describes as “sufficiently apologetic” responses, appearing before a disciplinary panel where he argues he was denied a meaningful opportunity to defend himself, receiving a Final Warning without any preceding formal warning, and raising allegations concerning unauthorised access to a private editorial email belonging to his media organisation.
Whether readers ultimately agree with every conclusion reached by the author or not, the issues he raises deserve careful reflection because they touch on principles that extend beyond one individual’s experience.
One of the strengths of the memoir is that it avoids portraying NIPSS as an institution devoid of merit.
Shuaib openly acknowledges the Institute’s intellectual depth, research excellence and enduring contribution to leadership development in Nigeria. His criticism is directed not at its academic mission but at aspects of its internal processes and institutional culture which, in his view, fell short of the standards expected of an institution entrusted with preparing national leaders.
That distinction is important.
Constructive criticism is often strongest when it recognises institutional strengths while honestly confronting institutional weaknesses.
Perhaps what elevates the memoir beyond a personal account of disappointment is the author’s response to the events he narrates.
Rather than quietly accepting what he perceived as injustice, he documented his experience, petitioned relevant authorities—including the Nigeria Police Force and the National Data Protection Commission—and pursued legal remedies through the courts.
Whether or not one agrees with every legal argument advanced, the decision reflects a journalist’s instinct to document events and seek accountability through lawful channels rather than silence.
The memoir therefore raises broader constitutional and democratic questions.
Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information without interference. Those protections extend to journalists and media professionals.
The questions raised by the memoir are therefore larger than one dispute.
Can participation in elite public institutions diminish constitutional freedoms?
How should institutions balance discipline with fairness?
Where is the line between enforcing institutional rules and suppressing legitimate professional expression?
These are questions that deserve thoughtful public conversation.
Institutions established to develop national leaders carry responsibilities that extend beyond delivering lectures and awarding certificates. They are expected to model the values they seek to instil—fairness, accountability, transparency, dialogue and respect for individual dignity.
Leadership is not taught only through classroom instruction; it is demonstrated through institutional conduct.
That is why MNI Versus MNIPR in NIPSS is an important contribution to contemporary discussions on governance and institutional accountability.
It is not merely the story of one man’s conflict with an institution. It is an invitation to reflect on how organisations respond to disagreement, criticism and dissent.
The memoir also reminds us that institutional reputation is strengthened not by avoiding criticism but by responding to it with openness, fairness and a willingness to improve.
Whether readers ultimately agree with Shuaib’s interpretation of events or adopt a different perspective, the memoir succeeds in achieving something increasingly rare: it stimulates serious conversation about power, leadership, institutional responsibility and constitutional rights.
For journalists, communication professionals, public administrators, policymakers and students of governance, it offers valuable insights into the complex relationship between individuals and institutions.
In the end, institutions are judged not only by the excellence they promote but also by the fairness with which they treat those entrusted to learn within them.
That is the enduring conversation this memoir invites Nigeria to have.
Esther Mosunmola Ajibade
Founder, The Journalism Academy Ilorin, Kwara State.
[email protected]
