{"id":3989,"date":"2026-03-27T22:35:51","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T22:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stakebridgeirpr.com\/media\/?p=3989"},"modified":"2026-03-27T22:35:51","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T22:35:51","slug":"ibietan-calls-for-rethink-of-communication-practice-in-attention-driven-era","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stakebridgeirpr.com\/media\/ibietan-calls-for-rethink-of-communication-practice-in-attention-driven-era\/","title":{"rendered":"Ibietan Calls For Rethink Of Communication Practice In Attention-Driven Era"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Olumide Johnson<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations recent induction ceremony in Abuja, Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, communication scholar, public relations practitioner, and policy strategist with a strong footprint in both academia and professional practice, delivered a goodwill message urging newly admitted professionals to rethink the foundations of communication practice.<\/p>\n

Dr. Ibietan, who currently serves as Secretary-General of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), where he is involved in shaping public relations standards and discourse across Africa, posited that communication is no longer \u201cmere transfer of information,\u201d but fundamentally the sharing of meaning shaped by attention, context, and human interaction. The remarks followed an orientation lecture by Barr. Ini Ememobong, former Commissioner for Information in Akwa Ibom State.<\/p>\n

The intervention positioned communication within a changing ecosystem defined by attention scarcity and behavioural interpretation.<\/p>\n

DECISION HIGHLIGHT<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations platform is being used to push a conceptual shift in communication practice, from information transmission to meaning construction within an attention-driven environment.<\/p>\n

DECISION MEMO <\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Ibietan\u2019s intervention reflects a broader recalibration of communication theory under contemporary conditions. The assertion that communication is no longer \u201cmere transfer of information\u201d directly challenges legacy models that treat communication as linear and transactional.<\/p>\n

The reference to attention as a commodity is analytically significant. In an environment saturated with information, the limiting factor is no longer access but attention allocation. This shifts the role of communication professionals from disseminators of content to managers of perception, meaning, and engagement.<\/p>\n

His rejection of earlier definitional frameworks, including those associated with Dance and Larson, signals a deliberate departure from classical communication theory. The critique is not entirely new, but its application within a professional induction context suggests an attempt to reshape practitioner mindset at entry level.<\/p>\n

The emphasis on \u201cshared intentionality,\u201d drawn from scholars such as Michael Tomasello, introduces a cooperative dimension to communication. His reframing positions communication as a relational process grounded in mutual understanding rather than unilateral messaging. It aligns with contemporary models in behavioural science and strategic communication, where outcomes depend on alignment of intent rather than volume of messaging.<\/p>\n

The assertion that \u201cevery behaviour\u2026 is a communicative action\u201d extends the scope of communication beyond verbal expression to include silence, posture, and context. This has practical implications for public relations professionals, particularly in high-stakes environments where non-verbal cues and institutional behaviour influence perception as much as formal messaging.<\/p>\n

However, the argument also exposes a gap between theory and practice. While the call for collaborative, human-centred communication is conceptually sound, the operational environment, particularly in political and corporate contexts, often incentivises control, persuasion, and narrative management rather than mutual understanding.<\/p>\n

The warning that humanity will remain \u201cin chaos\u201d without reimagining communication underscores the normative ambition of the argument. Yet, it risks overstating the role of communication relative to structural factors such as power dynamics, economic conditions, and institutional trust deficits.<\/p>\n

The intervention is therefore both corrective and aspirational. It updates the theoretical lens of communication but does not fully resolve the constraints of its real-world application.<\/p>\n

DATA BOX<\/strong><\/p>\n