On an otherwise ordinary afternoon in Kaduna, a meeting took place that carried a message far bigger than the room itself. Ahmed Maiyaki, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Information and Culture, sat opposite the leadership of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Kaduna chapter, who had come on a courtesy visit. Their purpose was simple: to speak about an upcoming international conference in Abuja and to raise awareness among residents through a road walk. But from the earliest moments of the conversation, it became clear that the discussion was not about schedules or logistics. It was about the soul of Kaduna. The commissioner chose his words carefully and then delivered a striking verdict. In his view, fake news and misinformation are a greater threat to peace than insecurity. This is a powerful statement from a man whose state has known real security challenges, and he did not make it lightly. He explained that misinformation has the capacity to inflame tensions, deepen mistrust and undermine all the efforts being made to promote peace, both in Kaduna and elsewhere in Nigeria. He added that if Kaduna is to be marketed properly, the focus must shift away from confrontation and toward the truth of what the state truly is: a place of people, resources, culture and possibility. The statement was not a denial of reality; it was a demand for balance. The commissioner was not saying that security problems do not exist, but rather that the stories told about those problems can sometimes do more damage than the problems themselves. In a state that has often been reduced to headlines, he wanted to remind everyone that there is far more to Kaduna than the news cycle suggests, and that the first step toward healing is to be honest about what is true, what is false, and what is being deliberately twisted.
To appreciate why the commissioner would rank misinformation above insecurity in the list of dangers, consider how false narratives operate in a society like Kaduna’s. Kaduna is a meeting point of many ethnic, religious and cultural communities. It is a place where coexistence is not just an ideal but a daily practice. Yet it is also a place that has experienced violence and mistrust. In such an environment, a single lie can travel faster than the truth. A malicious message shared in one group chat can be forwarded into hundreds of others within minutes. A doctored photograph can confirm the worst suspicions of people who already feel vulnerable. A headline can damage the reputation of a whole community, scare away investors and deepen the divides that peacebuilders work so hard to close. Maiyaki’s statement is therefore not an exaggeration; it is an observation about the way modern conflict works. Armed attacks kill people, but false information can destroy the connections that keep a society alive. It makes people see enemies where they once saw neighbours. It makes communities defensive and suspicious. It makes dialogue almost impossible. The commissioner said, “In order to market Kaduna the way it should be marketed, instead of reporting confrontation, we believe very strongly that insecurity is not just a threat to peace, but fake information and misinformation is a greater threat, as seen in Kaduna and Nigeria.” In that sentence lies a philosophy: if you can control the narrative, you can protect the peace. If you allow lies to multiply, no amount of security can save you. In other words, the battlefield of peace is no longer only in the bush or on the street; it is in the palm of every hand, on every phone screen, and in every message we choose to send or ignore.
The Kaduna State Government, according to Maiyaki, is not prepared to sit back and let negative narratives define the state. It is looking for allies, and one of its most important allies is the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. The commissioner said the government was committed to working with professional bodies such as NIPR to promote responsible communication and improve the image of Kaduna. This is more than a polite statement of support. It is a recognition that communication is a professional discipline, not an afterthought. When the NIPR holds its upcoming international conference in Abuja, Kaduna intends to be present, not as a passive observer but as an active participant. The conference will provide the state with an opportunity to showcase its cultural heritage, investment opportunities and other achievements to a wider audience. Kaduna will bring its culture, its creativity and its business case. It will take part in exhibitions and display the things that make the state attractive to visitors, researchers and investors. The commissioner specifically mentioned mining as one of the sectors with enormous potential. Under the administration of Governor Uba Sani, who came to office in 2023, the state has already recorded significant investment inflows. The government wants to build on that record and show the world that Kaduna is open for business. This is not about hiding problems; it is about telling the whole story. Kaduna, like any other place, has its challenges. But it also has strengths that are often drowned out by bad news. The NIPR conference is a chance to turn down the volume on fear and turn up the volume on fact. The partnership with NIPR will go beyond the conference too. The government wants to strengthen professionalism, responsible public relations practice and effective communication in every sphere of life, from the work of public officials to the conduct of the media and the behaviour of ordinary citizens online.
There is already evidence that this strategy can work. Maiyaki recalled that Kaduna hosted the NIPR Week earlier this year, and the event did something that no number of official statements had been able to do: it changed perceptions. Before the event, many participants were hesitant. They had heard stories about insecurity in Kaduna and were not sure they should attend. Some of them were afraid to travel to the state. The commissioner understood their concerns. He knew that the fear was not necessarily rooted in personal experience but in the constant repetition of negative stories. Yet those who put aside their fears and made the journey discovered a different reality. They arrived, took part in the programme, engaged with the people and saw Kaduna with their own eyes. Their successful participation in the event demonstrated that the state was open and accessible. It also, according to Maiyaki, contributed to discussions that resulted in increased air connectivity to Kaduna. That is a reminder that perception is not merely emotional; it has economic consequences. When people are afraid to fly into a city, airlines reduce services, businesses stay away, and opportunities are lost. When those same people experience a place for themselves, they become ambassadors for it. They go home and tell their colleagues, friends and families that Kaduna is not the place portrayed in rumours. They begin to see it as a place with potential. The NIPR Week was not just a gathering of public relations professionals; it was, in many ways, a turning point. It proved that the fear surrounding Kaduna was not fully based on fact, and it showed that personal experience is one of the most powerful weapons against misinformation. People may doubt official statistics, but they cannot doubt what they have seen with their own eyes and felt in their own hearts.
The lesson the Kaduna State Government is drawing from these experiences is clear: positive projection must be intentional. Maiyaki said the state government would continue to use opportunities like the NIPR conference to project Kaduna in a good light, rather than allowing negative narratives to dominate public discourse. But he also made it clear that this work cannot be left to government alone. Every citizen plays a role. In a digital age, people are not just consumers of information; they are distributors. Each time someone chooses to verify a story before sharing it, they are helping to protect peace. Each time someone chooses not to spread a rumor, even when it favours their own group, they are building trust. Each time someone speaks up in defence of truth, they are making it harder for misinformation to succeed. The government can create the conditions for peace, but it cannot force people to believe in one another again. That takes time, honesty and repeated acts of good faith. This is why the planned partnership with NIPR is so important. Public relations, in the hands of trained professionals, is not about pretending everything is perfect. It is about communicating reality clearly, responding to crises with integrity, and ensuring that accurate information reaches the public before lies take root. The commissioner’s emphasis on professionalism, responsible practice and effective communication should be taken seriously by every institution in Nigeria, not just those working in government. The task of improving Kaduna’s image is not a short-term campaign; it is a long-term commitment that will continue long after the conference in Abuja has ended. It is a task that belongs to everyone who has ever forwarded a message without checking it, everyone who has ever repeated a rumour without proof, and everyone who has ever allowed fear to silence the truth. The road to a better Kaduna is paved not only with roads and bridges, but with accurate words, balanced reporting and a shared refusal to let lies win.
Earlier in the proceedings, Mohammed Abdullahi, chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of NIPR, put the matter in its broadest context. He said the road walk was part of the institute’s efforts to sensitise residents ahead of the international conference scheduled to hold in Abuja in November. Then he offered a definition of public relations that was both simple and profound. Public relations, he said, is not merely a profession; it is a tool for building trust, promoting development and connecting people. Those words captured the spirit of the meeting. Trust is the foundation on which all other progress rests. Without trust, communities break apart, investors turn away, and leaders cannot lead. With trust, even difficult challenges become manageable. Abdullahi expressed his appreciation to the commissioner for receiving the delegation and assured him that the institute would continue to partner with the state government in promoting effective communication and peaceful coexistence. He also urged members of the public and communication professionals to support every effort aimed at building trust and ensuring that accurate information prevails over misinformation. It was a fitting conclusion to a conversation that was never only about the NIPR or about Kaduna. It was about the kind of society Nigerians want to live in. The meeting in Kaduna offered a simple but urgent message: lies are dangerous, truth is precious, and public relations, done well, is a public service. As the November conference approaches, Kaduna is preparing to tell its story to the world. But the real story will be written in the daily choices of every citizen, in every message they send, in every claim they check, and in every opportunity they take to speak the truth in love. If that story is told well, Kaduna will not only be safe and strong; it will be trusted. And trust, in the end, is the greatest peacebuilding tool there is.