By YUSHAU SHUAIB

“My father died a while ago! Janaza will be at Sultan Bello Mosque Kaduna after Jumuat prayer Insha Allah”.

This was the sombre message that greeted me on my phone from Sadiq Kabir Dangogo, son of the legendary Mallam Kabir Dangogo, as I awoke for the Ramadan Sahur at 4:00 AM on Friday, March 7, 2025. For a moment, I was paralysed by disbelief. I pinched myself to ensure it wasn’t a nightmare and sought further confirmation. The reality soon sank in: the man who had inspired countless African public relations professionals was no more.

Mallam Kabir Dangogo was not just a name in the field of public relations, he was an institution. His contributions to the profession were monumental, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of PR practitioners.

My first encounter with Mallam Dangogo was through his writings during my early years in PR. However, it was an unforgettable honour to share a podium with him when we were both recognised as PR Personalities of the Year by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Kano/Jigawa Chapter exactly 30 years ago. The event, held on August 5, 1995, at Daula Hotel in Kano, was graced by dignitaries such as the NIPR President, Alhaji Sabo Muhammad; former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Ali Saad Birnin Kudu; and my boss Alhaji Abu Gidado, then Minister of State for Finance, who was the Special Guest of Honour.

That moment marked the beginning of a mentorship and professional relationship that profoundly shaped my career. Mallam Dangogo’s towering presence in strategic communication opened doors to numerous opportunities and networks. His establishment of Timex Communications and Training School after his retirement further cemented his commitment to nurturing the next generation of PR professionals.

As a revered authority in financial public relations and reputation management, Mallam Dangogo’s expertise transcended borders. On February 21, 2019, we had the privilege of hosting him at the PRNigeria Centre in Abuja for a mentorship session with our interns, mostly Mass Communication students. Unbeknownst to him, we had orchestrated a surprise 70th birthday celebration in his honour.

At exactly 4:00 PM, as I led him into our conference room, the staff and interns erupted into a melodious rendition of “Happy Birthday.” The look of surprise on his face was priceless. The celebration deepened as calls began pouring in from top PR practitioners across the continent. The first was from the President of the African Public Relations Association, APRA, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, followed by the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Mr. Mukhtar Sirajo, and many others, all extending heartfelt wishes.

In his remarks that day, Mallam Dangogo admitted that he had long forgotten his birthday, which he rarely commemorated. With a sense of nostalgia, he reflected on the golden days of public relations, when decorum, ethics, and professionalism were the guiding principles of the profession. He lamented the current state of PR in Nigeria, emphasizing that the profession was not merely about crafting grammatically impeccable press releases or delivering eloquent speeches at press conferences. He urged young practitioners to be hardworking, diligent, and steadfast in upholding the ethics of the profession.

Born on February 21, 1949, Mallam Kabir Dangogo was a scholar and a trailblazer. He earned academic degrees from Ohio University, Athens, in the United States in 1981, and the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom in 1987. Mallam Dangogo’s illustrious career began in journalism, where he worked at the New Nigerian newspaper and the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA. He actually served as the Managing Editor of New Nigerian newspaper between 1988 and 1989, a Senior Lecturer at Kaduna Polytechnic in the late 1980s, and the Press Adviser for the United States Information Service in 1990.

He later transitioned into public relations, serving as a Public Relations Officer at the Bank of the North Limited and Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. He was the founding President of the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks, ACAMB. He served as Secretary-General of the Federation of African Public Relations Associations, FAPRA, (later known as APRA), while also being the Chairman of the Nigeria Chapter of the International Public Relations Associations, IPRA, between 2002 and 2006, bringing pride to Nigeria on the continental and global stage.