Lessons from the NIPSS memoir on AI crisis communication study, By Shuaib S. Agaka

Yushau A Shuaib's memoir, "MNI versus MNIPR in NIPSS: Tackling Institutional Bullying," chronicles his experience at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). A central theme is the resilience of an idea, specifically a research project on Artificial Intelligence and Crisis Communication in Nigeria's Public Sector.

The project, initially approved for Senior Executive Course 47, aimed to explore how AI could enhance crisis communication within Nigerian public institutions. Shuaib, drawing on his extensive background in journalism and public relations, developed this ambitious study. However, following his withdrawal from NIPSS due to what he describes as institutional bullying, the research project faced significant setbacks. The academic support structure dissolved, and the anticipated certificate was withheld.

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Who truly owns an idea?

Despite these obstacles, Shuaib's research project did not falter. The memoir highlights Chapter Nine, "A Blessed Disappointment," which illustrates how the idea transcended the institutional confines that attempted to suppress it. The narrative poses a fundamental question: who truly owns an idea? Shuaib's experience suggests that relevance and persistence can allow an idea to survive, even without institutional backing.

The research's relevance is underscored by Nigeria's current crisis landscape, where information warfare and misinformation are as critical as the crises themselves. From terror attacks to disease outbreaks and communal clashes, the accompanying flood of false narratives, manipulated figures, and fabricated statements makes effective crisis communication paramount. Shuaib's study, grounded in theories like Situational Crisis Communication Theory, examines AI's potential to combat this pervasive issue.

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outlived the controversy