Chedi’s legacy lives through relationships, mentorship — NAN MD
Lecture
By Hussaina Yakubu
Kaduna Aug. 29, 2026 (NAN) The Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali M. Ali, has described the late Bashir Adamu Chedi as a natural leader whose legacy continues through relationships.
Ali spoke on Saturday in Kaduna at the maiden Bashir Adamu Chedi Annual Memorial Lecture organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Kaduna State Chapter.
He said his relationship with Chedi dated back to their university days, where they were basketball teammates at Bayero University, Kano.
Ali recalled Chedi’s leadership as captain of the Bayero University basketball team, describing him as a talented player who inspired teammates to achieve remarkable victories.
He recalled their victory over the University of Benin, then reigning NUGA champions, saying the team secured an emphatic 10-1 victory under Chedi’s leadership.
According to him, their basketball journey continued after graduation, with both men later reunited in Kaduna, where they regularly played at the Nigerian Defence Academy basketball court.
Ali said Chedi’s influence extended beyond professional relationships, describing their friendship as one that endured through different stages of their careers.
He said Chedi sent him a final WhatsApp message shortly before his death, adding that the message indicated that the late PR practitioner was aware his time was near.
Ali said the memorial lecture would ensure that Chedi’s memory remained alive while challenging professionals to uphold integrity, teamwork and commitment to professionalism.
Also speaking, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, described Chedi and other senior professionals as mentors who shaped his career.
Ndace said he was invited to the event not only as VON Director General, but also as a mentee of Information Minister Mohammed Idris and other senior professionals.
He recalled serving as Idris’ personal assistant when the minister chaired the NIPR Kaduna State Chapter, saying the experience gave him valuable exposure and professional guidance.
Ndace urged younger professionals to learn from experienced practitioners, stressing that possessing a university degree alone was insufficient without mentorship and practical experience.
He said Idris significantly influenced the direction of his career after university, when he initially intended to join the military.
Ndace said his career opportunities largely came through recommendations from senior professionals, particularly Idris, whom he credited with changing his professional trajectory.
He urged established professionals to deliberately mentor younger people, saying their achievements should not be viewed as products of chance.
The guest speaker, Dr Nkechi Ali Balogun, Chairperson of the Association of Public Relations Consultants, said relationships constituted the greatest legacy of public relations.
Balogun presented a paper titled “Enduring Relationships: The Greatest Legacy of Public Relations,” in honour of the late Chedi.
She described Chedi as a longtime friend whose relationship endured despite periods of distance and disagreements.
She said his illness rekindled their friendship, demonstrating that genuine relationships could survive difficult periods and reassert themselves when circumstances demanded.
Balogun said Chedi’s greatest legacy was not merely his professional achievements, but the relationships he built with friends, colleagues, mentors and stakeholders.
She argued that public relations professionals should focus beyond reputation management to cultivating enduring relationships founded on trust, integrity, authenticity and mutual value.
According to her, reputation may attract stakeholders, but enduring relationships retain them and provide resilience during periods of uncertainty and crisis.
She introduced the concept of “relationship capital”, describing it as accumulated trust, goodwill, credibility, reciprocity and shared purpose developed through sustained ethical engagement.
Balogun said relationship capital strengthened over time and could become decisive when organisations faced crises.
She noted that stakeholders were more likely to withhold judgment or show understanding during crises when organisations had established strong, positive and longstanding relationships.
The guest speaker said the digital era had transformed public relations, with individuals now able to reach large audiences instantly through smartphones and social media.
She said artificial intelligence had further increased the need for trust because organisations could now produce polished messages rapidly and cheaply.
Balogun said the future relevance of public relations would depend less on producing messages and more on building genuine relationships capable of surviving crises and organisational changes.
She urged practitioners to invest in relationships before crises occurred, saying relationship capital could not be manufactured retrospectively.
She also called for truthfulness, action, stakeholder listening, anticipation, organisational responsibility and employee involvement in building sustainable relationships.
Balogun said Chedi’s enduring legacy would ultimately be measured by the trust, friendship and relationships he established during his lifetime.
She urged practitioners to honour his memory by recommitting themselves to building relationships founded on integrity, trust and professionalism.
HUM/ YMU
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