A Toast to Uncommon Public Relations/Media Manager

MUSA BASHIR USMAN eulogizes Dr. Kennie Obateru (FNIPR), on his retirement, describing him as a gentleman par-excellence

Birthdays are a special time of the year we are reminded of how fast we are growing older, how far we have come and ultimately a big day for celebration. But in the case of a professional friend, a quintessential public relations and media manager, Dr. Kennie Obateru, another remarkable and historic event occurred on his birthday this year, September 24, 2021. Besides being his birthday, Dr. Obateru hit a milestone in his working career, a day he retired from the NNPC having clocked the mandatory retirement age of 60 and putting in 29 years of meritorious service for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

I heard about Dr. Kennie Obateru from friends before our paths crossed and all the good things, I heard about him; I was able to confirm them myself. I met Kennie, as we fondly call him, immediately after he was appointed Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division (GPAD), i.e Official Spokesperson of the NNPC in March 2020. Few days into his appointment, I received a call from him. He told me he actually called to introduce himself to some strategic stakeholders whom he would work with in his new assignment. I congratulated him for his new role and promised to pay him a visit in his office. I fulfilled my promise as I later visited him.

My first encounter with him in his office was revealing of who really Dr. Obateru is. I was able to figure out this gentleman’s love for his country, his aspiration to see NNPC grow, his loyalty to his boss, his desire to do things professionally, his obsession with ethical principles, and above all, his respect for people which he displays through courtesies.

Before I left his office that day, we agreed that we would work together to make NNPC achieve her new set objectives championed by his boss, the Group Managing Director, Mal. Mele Kyari which is Transparency, Accountability, & Performance Excellence (TAPE). I am glad to say that we have worked harmoniously together towards achieving this. Dr. Obateru spent the last 18 months helping to enhance the positive visibility of the NNPC brand through the TAPE vision.

One thing that Dr. Obateru has done that many don’t know is how he managed his boss’ relationship with other people be it individuals or institutions, particularly the office of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. When he came in as the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, as a thorough-bred professional, he undertook a review of negative incidents that led to the corporation having bad press in the past. One of them was the age-long friction that usually played out between almost all the past GMDs and their supervisory ministers. It had almost become a usual occurrence that embarrassed the nation whenever it happened.

For Dr. Obateru, he sees it as an avoidable thing and he vowed that it will not happen during his stewardship. Hence, he deployed his Public Relations tactics in filling the communication gaps that might likely trigger the misunderstanding between the two important offices in the management of the nation’s hydrocarbon. He worked closely with his counterpart in the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (HMSPR) office, another great media personality, Mal. Garba Deen Muhammad who coincidentally is taking over from him as the new GGM, GPAD. For the above feat alone, Dr. Obateru deserve accolade from all the stakeholders in the oil and gas industry.

The trajectory of Obateru’s life, work experience and excellent academic qualifications is enthralling and engaging. It is also distinguishing and distinctive. These are factors that must have equipped him to achieve this important feat highlighted above.

Dr. Obateru joined the NNPC in 1992 and held many important positions in the Public Affairs Division. Between1993 and1998, he served at least two Ministers of Petroleum Resources, as a Protocol and Consular Officer between 1992 and1993. His journalist skills and expertise worked to his credit when he was appointed Editor, NNPC News, a monthly publication of the Group Public Affairs Division from 1998 to 2000. From 2001 to 2005, he was Supervisor, Budget & Planning in GPAD, and he held the position of Supervisor, Audio Visual, between 2000 and 2001.

He served as team member in Project PACE-SMS, CP Core Process Teams between 2005 and 2006; Deputy Manager, Media Relations in GPAD between 2006 and 2007. Obateru was also Manager, Media Relations in the Group Public Affairs Division from 2007 to 2008. Between 2008 and 2010, he was Manager, Public Affairs Department, Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC). Just before he was appointed Group General Manager, UK office, a position prior to his appointment as NNPC’s spokesman in March 2020, he was Manager, Public Affairs of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), a corporate service unit of the NNPC between 2010 and 2015.

I am proud to say that I witnessed the event of his conferment as Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) by the NIPR at its last Annual General Meeting which held in Bauchi earlier in the year. Also, a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC), Obateru remodeled communications and reputation strategies for NNPC, building a high-responsive and effective communications and public relations division.

He is an alumnus of many prestigious institutions locally and overseas, including the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos; University of Ilorin and University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom, where he respectively obtained a Certificate in News Reporting, a B.A. (Hons) Performing Arts and M.Sc. in Public Relations.

In 2012, he was awarded a doctorate in Management [Honoris Causa], by the Commonwealth University, Belize. Dr. Obateru is also a member of the International Public Relations Association and senior member of the Africa Public Relations Association as well as a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management, NIM. He has attended numerous professional courses and conferences at home and abroad, including three International Public Relations Association Conferences, five World Petroleum Congresses (WPCs) and 15 OPEC Ministerial Conferences, among others.

Those who have had the opportunity of working with him in the NNPC attest to his excellent human relations and good character. We will all miss the warm and harmonious working relationship with Dr. Obateru even though we will still be together at professional engagement levels.

It is a new beginning for him, a new journey, the time everyone calls “retirement”, the time that is for all those hobbies and activities he didn’t have time to do during his active working years at the NNPC. It will be an anxious but exciting transition for sure, as his career has been a passion for him all these years. Dear, Dr. Obateru, appreciate this new lease of life which is now available to you. This is the time your spouse, children and surely grandkids will introduce you to all sorts of new leisure activities because you have the perceived free time!

As you enter another glorious phase of your eventful life, may you continue to find grace and favour of God now and always. I wish you happy retirement and I would like to tease you by saying goodbye to tension and hello to pension!