The Advertising Industry in Nigeria has, no doubt, come of age having produced in its trail some of the best brains and leading lights in marketing communications, not just in Nigeria but across West Africa and Indeed the continent of Africa. Amongst the industry veterans who has plaid critical roles in charting the course of growth and development of the industry and attained the peak heights in their professional calling include leading names such as; Biodun Shobanjo, Chief Akin Odunsi, Sir Steve Bamidele Omojafor, Sir Udeme Ufot, and Lolu Akinwunmi to mention a few.
The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), advertising industry’s apex regulatory body recently identified 63 additional frontline advertising practitioners, whom, in the judgement of the Council have attained the distinguishing heights in the profession and are found worthy of admission to Fellowship class of professional membership.
Recently, the new Fellows were formerly inducted during a highly colorful investiture ceremony that took place in Lagos. They were found as being deserving of the new status, having satisfactorily met the required criteria stipulated by law and attained the highest distinguished class in the profession.
The class of Fellows epitomizes the eminent fold of the highest category of membership as recognized by APCON’S enabling Act. Attaining the prestigious status imposes on the holders, corresponding responsibilities that includes principally among other things, the task of ensuring advertising and marketing communications industry in Nigeria excels in practice and profession, and in addition, to make global impacts as ambassadors of the profession. The Industry Newspaper, foremost nitch publication captures in sequence, detailed profile of the distinguished new Fellows of the Advertising profession and is highlighted in this edition.
Lanre Adisa : Ark’s man in front of the real
Lanre Adisa, the Managing Director/Chief Creative Officer, Noah’s Ark is a guru in the image-making world, be it in Public Relations, Advertising, Integrated Marketing Communication and media relations. Lanre, who started his career in 1990 as a Trainee Copywriter at MC&A: Saatchi & Saatchi, Lagos, Nigeria and established the creative powerhouse, Noah’s Ark, in 2008, has since rose up the ladder to become an authority.
Lanre has, over the years, deployed his wealth of experience to propel creative initiatives wired to promote Nigerian advertising internationally, in fact he is one of the brains that started the Lagos Advertising & Ideas Festival (LAIF), and subsequently served for over a decade on the Management Board of LAIF Awards.
Lanre’s impeccable profile as an excellent image-maker has seen him as a juror in the African Cristals Festival, 2016, in 2018 he became the first West African to serve on the Cannes Lions jury, in 2019 he was on the jury of the Loeries in South Africa, and as well served as the president of the Heritage jury of the debut Pitcher Awards.
Lanre also founded other successful agencies rendering marketing communications-related services to clients such as Integrated Indigo Limited, a public relations agency, The Red Wolf Company, a digital-first agency and Underdog Productions, a content/audio-visual production company.
In a career spanning 30 years, he has created outstanding work for some of the most notable brands in Nigeria such as Indomie Noodles, MTN, Peak Milk, Three Crowns, Virgin Atlantic and Airtel among others. In 2014, he and his wife launched Labule, a Quick Service Restaurant chain that serves Nigerian delicacies.
Lanre Adisa, a graduate of Linguistics from the prestigious University of Ilorin, once said in an interview granted that “My journey into advertising was not planned. When I was in the university I was interested in creative writing. I was into creative writing, acting, campus journalism and things to do with the arts generally. I envisaged myself doing something that involved writing. When I was serving, I ran into somebody who was in advertising. He told me about agencies, what it means to be a copywriter and stuff like that. I got to meet the Creative Director of MC&A: Saatchi and Saatchi and we got talking. He said he would like to offer me a job. He asked when I would like to start. This was in 1990. I had my last month of service left. I told him I was serving in Ibadan. He said he might not be able to wait that long. So I transferred to Lagos in my last month of service. That was how I got into advertising.”
Once asked how true it is the remark that he is the most creative person in the country, Lanre said “It is the first time I am hearing someone say that. I am not so sure if I can boldly claim that. In all sense of honesty, I cannot. I think that is assuming a whole lot of stuff. I can tell you that I am very passionate about advertising and that will never change. I am not interested in the titles. That is not what matters to me.”
After putting up considerable years in the advertising industry that starting Noah’s Ark after 18 years in the industry said that “Noah’s Ark came about as a result of my inner reflection. I thought our industry could do with a lot more competition in terms of the creative output.”
As Jenkins Alumona resilient wins it
Jenkins Alumona, CEO, Strategic Outcomes Limited, is standing among the giants in the crowded Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) space and has good nose to understanding Nigerian marketing firmament deeply.
Jenkins Alumona, the consummated marketing communication professional, established Strategic Outcomes 15 years ago to approach business operations from a different angle with a focus to principally achieve marketing objectives of clients.
Jenkins is of the view that looking at the rate of growth of the IMC, Ad and PR that “I see an industry that has great potential, has access to great talent but it is tormented by the slow growth of the economy.”
He believes that “a large population like Nigeria should have access to a huge talent pool but the challenge is that we can’t do much if the other aspects of national development are not in place. If those guys in Aba, for instance, have infrastructure such as electricity and make more shirts, distribute successfully and export, that means they will grow and have the need for expansion and also have the need for marketing communication activity. Everything is interlinked, if one thing is not working, others will not work.”
Strategic Outcomes Limited with more than 15 years in Nigeria business space as a company “is a product of a desire to make a contribution to the marketing communication industry and also a desire to fulfill a lifetime goal of empowering others”, Jerkins said, and “I took a bold step to establish the company to approach marketing communication in a different better way. The name of the company is in itself a statement that we desire to achieve outcomes that meet the strategic objectives of our clients.”
While establishing the firm he said one can be as positive as he wishes but there are other variables that affect the plan, and that one can go into anything believing that everything will go well, but you need to be in it with 99% positive mind.
“At the establishment of the company, my mind was to bring different positive approach to doing things. We are always interested in finding solution that will satisfy the objective than the payment for the job. We have retained that core essence to partner with clients across sectors from manufacturing to service industry and the public sector and we continue to provide the best for them.”
Jenkins is of the view that surmounting the obstacles besetting the image-making space said “From a broader perspective, if the economy does not grow and the number of businesses doing the same thing keeps increasing, we will get to a point when growth gets stunted. Though the economy has started growing now but not at the pace to satisfy players in the economy. Today, the business aspect is obviously not as good as it used to be and secondly, the SMEs are not transiting to medium and big companies. Thirdly, how many SMEs understand or have the need for advertising activity as their businesses are not growing.”
Strategic Outcomes, has the operational mandate to continue to exist, providing solutions to firms who will also grow, because according to him if the economy does not grow, the IMC sector will not grow, so the firm is wired to assist companies to grow for it to have the opportunity to grow too.
Temitope Jemerigbe The new kid in the bloc
Temitope Jemerigbe, a titan of advertising, with over 20 years’ experience gathered from various top agencies in Nigeria, sitting on several boards championing causes for women empowerment, gender equality, sickle cell advocacy, is the Chief Executive Officer, DKK Nigeria.
Tope, as she is simply called, does not believe in luck or chance, but in deliberate action and strategy to gain result as seen in her philosophy – keep pushing forward.
DKK Nigeria boasts of creating integrated marketing communications solutions that speak to the clients’ audience in a language they understand.
Tope, in her career trajectory, has evolved into an Amazon on the Nigerian Integrated Marketing Communications landscape having built a sterling career that has chalked up great records in all the agencies she worked, particularly her outstanding performance at DKK.
Tope has etched for herself a sterling record while working for various top agencies in Nigeria such as STB McCann, ZK Advertising, Prima Garnet Africa and Dencil Limited, and today she is an icon and a leader with indelible footprints too bold to overlook in the industry.
It is noteworthy to mention that before multi-awards winning Tope assumed as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of DKK in 2012, the agency founded in 1997 was barely struggling to stay afloat due to hard times.
As a game changer, Tope, the cerebral and go-getting Amazon took the daunting task of resuscitating the agency as a partner/shareholder. Her professional intervention paid off as the agency rebounded, expanded the reach of its business beyond the shores of Nigeria through her bold and daring moves. Partnering with GEPetrol, the National Oil Company of Equatorial Guinea, to manage a major project via a through a joint venture actually leverage the crumbling company.
Tope holds a Master’s degree in International Management from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, obtained her first degree in Mass Communication from Ogun State Polytechnic, and a member of several organizations and currently serves on the Board of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), as the Publicity Secretary.
Tope is also the Vice Chairman for the LAIF Management Board and Chairman of the Committee of Women in Advertising, a position she deploys to championing growth and equal opportunity for women in the industry.
Tope is a recipient of various awards including Female CEO of the Year 2014 and Brand Communicator’s Outstanding Female Creative Advertising Professional of the year, 2020.
She is a member of WISCAR & a member of the Board of Trustees for The LightHouse Network, both organizations focused on empowering women. In both NGOs, Temitope is actively involved, spending her time and resource.
Tope does not believe in luck or chance, but in deliberate action and strategy to gain result – to drive one’s innate ability with focus, no destination is too far.
Heading a firm that understands that to make a wholesome brand every aspect of the IMC must be deployed, dialing-up the necessary service to meet the dynamics of a brief each time and therefore not a surprise to many industry watchers as she makes the list of APCON fellows.
Kayode Olagesin Olaniyi Flies EXMAN kite
As the saying goes that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step” and exactly so it appears with Kayode Olagesin Olaniyi, a consummate gentleman with creative ingenuity who flies higher as APCON Fellow.
While celebrating and appreciating his professional attainments and contributions to the growth of the Nigerian advertising industry, Kayode Olagesin was inducted to the prestigious position as APCON Fellow – a huge, commendable and impactful honour.
Olagesin, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Towncriers Ltd., an experiential marketing company of note that offers brands the rare opportunity to give consumers tangible and memorable experiences by stimulating the five senses of taste, touch, smell, sight and sound.
According to Olagesin, the transitional journey up the ladder to becoming an APCON Fellow is a prestigious one that is only comparable with other renowned professional bodies such as SAN, ICAN and NMA.
“Being a Fellow is like the crowning glory of one’s career in any field. It is something really important to celebrate. People get awarded for so many things but this one coming from the professional body and a regulator is something that is indeed desirable and worthy of achievement,” he said.
Towncriers, as a member of ISES (International Special Events Society), is placed in a unique position to access and harness specialists resources to clients’ advantage. With its unique delivery style to deliver message directly to target consumers, exploring major trends, nuances, languages and terrain, ability to execute schemes anywhere from the highbrow area to the densely populated rural interiors, coupled with the uncommon dexterity to create excitement and memorable activities around the brand to enable high recall of the brand, Towncriers has engraved its name in gold over the years.
Olagesin is one the outspoken Ad professionals that reiterated the need to urgently come up with a new law that would be binding on both the agencies and the multinationals when practitioners under the auspices of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN) advocated for a new law that would be binding on all members on a particular fee that they should charge clients.
When most multinationals that used to pay 15% as agency fees have cut it down to between 7 and 10% while the 60 days within which the contract is signed has been extended to 150 days before payments, Olagesin noted that various moves had been made to reach out to the multinationals in order to come to terms of agreement but they have refused to adhere to the association’s demand.
“We have tried to speak to the multinationals to reach an agreement but the truth is that they don’t want to talk to us. It is high time that we formulate a law that will be binding on us. As long as we don’t have any form of law they will continue to treat us badly.
“It is a buyers’ market and that will continue to determine the terms. We also have event agencies and consultancies that are eating up into our businesses. All these are the challenges that we are facing and we must address them.”
Ijedi Philomena Iyoha keeps APCON flag flying
Ijedi Philomena Iyoha, Director General, APCON, is a seasoned advertising practitioner with over 25 years of experience.
Ijedi holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communications from University of Lagos and has demonstrated over the years her staunch commitment unbiased professionalism. As the one manning the vehicle of APCON, she daily strives to ensure that all practitioners adhere to the good tenets of advertising.
An advertising practitioner once said that the history of APCON cannot be completely told without mentioning the indelible contributions of Mrs. Iyoha whose trajectory in the establishment has been very remarkable.
Such is the sagacity of the DG, APCON, Mrs Iyoha Ijedi, who has deployed her wealth of experience over the years to piloting the agency to greater heights.
Mrs. Iyoha has breathed so much life to APCON as a regulatory body, while the ever smiling and focused lady, whose penchant for perfection comes next to nothing, always glows wherever she goes.
Evidence abound that she has discharged her duties so far to the admiration of all stakeholders including the head of the agency’s supervising Ministry of Information and Culture.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture while praising her as a reliable hand said that in spite of the absence of the APCON Council, the agency has lived up to expectation especially during the trying electioneering season.
Ijedi, thorough-bred and seasoned advertising practitioner whose vast experience spans over two and a half decades, Iyoha’s journey in APCON started on a humble note.
And over the years, she has traversed every section in the regulatory agency. Now, she could tell what exactly has happened and should have happened to the body.
Iyoha holds a Master’s of Science degree in Mass Communications from the Lagos State University, having earlier bagged a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the Bendel State University now Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State, in 1990.
She also parades other qualifications which include a National Certificate in Education from College of Education, Abraka, Delta State in 1984; APCON Diploma in Advertising in 1999.
Ijedi began her career as one of the few staffers of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, in November 1992, as Assistant Education/Training Officer, and her career then began to rise steadily.
Dr. Ken Onyeali Ikpe Erudite Industry man top the liost
Dr Ken Onyeali Ikpe is the Group CEO of Insight Redefini Group, Sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest Marketing Communications and Advertising Group.
Ken holds a Ph.D in Development Economics from the Academy of Sciences, School of African Studies, Moscow, in Russia.
An Alumni of the Advanced Management Programme (AMP), Lagos Business School and also trained at
the IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain.
Dr. Ikpe is a Life Management Coach, Business Mentor, Teacher and a Lover of Growth and Development.
He has served in different capacities; -Lectures part time at the School of Media & Communications (SMC), Pan Atlantic University.
He is Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Marketing and Immediate past President of Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN).
He served as Account Director at Insight Communications between March 1995- December 1999, Chief Operating Officer, Allseasons Mediacom, February 2000- Dec.2005, Managing Director/CEO, All seasons Zenith, January 2006 – Nov 2016, Group COO, Insight Redefini Group, January 2017- December-2018, Group Managing Director/CEO, Insight Redefini Group, December 2018-Present.
Dr ikpe is highly sought after by result driven Leaders as he is renowned for visionary business transformation, with over two decades of building successful brands and transforming businesses.
He leads by deepening what works, he embraces well researched truth and new knowledge, he builds capacity for loyalty amongst his constituents and absolutely committed to the increasing success of his team.
Ken Onyeali Ikpe is known and respected as a visionary Leader, with strong business acumen and loved for his pragmatic view to politics and governance.
EKI ADZUFEH MIPAN chief on saddle
Eki Adzufeh is currently the Chief Executive Officer and Administrator of Alphabet Media Academy Limited, A Media Advertising training institution ‘by the industry, for the industry’ in Nigeria which he co-founded in 2016 to develop talents that would improve the media advertising function in particular, and Marketing Communication function generally in Nigeria.
Eki Adzufeh is also the pioneer Executive Secretary of the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), an organization set up in 1999 to develop and improve the media advertising function in Nigeria. Eki joined the organization in 2008 as Honorary Secretary rising to the position of First Executive Secretary since 2014 to date.
A senior media professional, Eki was Business Director at Mindshare Nigeria. In his 8 years tenure with the organization he headed big brand accounts including Nestle, Multichoice ( DSTV, SuperSports, M-Net), First Bank, IBM, South African Tourism, and Virgin Atlantic among others. Before Mindshare Nigeria, Eki spent 8 years at Prima Garnet Africa, one of the leading advertising agencies in Nigeria, leaving as Group Head of Media in 2006. He started his advertising career with MC&A, a full service advertising agency, from 1992 until 1996 when he left to join Campaign Palace and later to Solutions Advertising Limited before finally pitching camp with Prima Garnet in 1998.
Before venturing into the profession of advertising, Eki had worked at Newswatch ( a foremost news Magazine in Nigeria) as a researcher/reporter; and also worked briefly as a Public Relations Officer for Boots Company Nigeria Plc ( a Body and Baby Care manufacturing company).
Eki holds a Masters in Public and International Affairs (MPIA 2014), A Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science (1987) and a Diploma in Advertising from the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria ( APCON)
He is a full member of the Advertising Profession and member of different Committee of APCON including the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) and the Registration / Regulation and Reform enforcement Committee of APCON.
Chidozie Mbanefo Another feather to Prime’s hat
Chidozie Mbanefo is the Managing Director/CEO of New Crystal Communications Limited, Executive Chairman, DLK Oil & Gas Limited, DLK Clothing Signatures Limited and DLK Engineering Limited. He is also Director Lynden Farms Integrated Limited and MCDonald Manufacturing Limited.
A seasoned Engineer with over 20 years experience, he has an outdoor advertising work experience that spans over 20years. He is a registered practitioner in Advertising and member Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE). He is a Paul Harris fellow of Rotary International and has received several awards in Nigeria and overseas foe papers delivered in Advertising Enterpreneurship and Engineering. He has also received the Nigerian Federal Government National Productivity Order of Merit Award (NPOM).
He attended Denis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS), Onitsha in Anambra state and University of Benin for his first degree in Chemical Engineering. He has MBA and has done several other courses in Advertising, Management and Engineering both in Nigeria and overseas. He is a discussant and visitinbg lecturer in many institutions in Nigeria and abroad on Enterpreneurship, Advertising and Engineering.
He holds and has held numeroius positions in the Advertising industry, notable among which are; Member of the board of trustee of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), Chairman Eastern Chapter OAAN, Publicity Secretary OOAN, and Chairman Abuja Chapter OAAN. Sir Mbanefo shares his professional experience through numerous published articles such as : Outdoor Advertising in the age of digital media, Outdoor Advertising practitioner sacrificing most for the economy, Strategies for building outdoor advertising firm.
He has also delivered thought – provoking papers at lectures, workshops both in Advertising and other areas of interest.
Yinka Adebayo Media extraordinaire
Yinka Adebayo has over 25 years experience in Marketing Communications with key focus on advertising and media. Currently, he heads the Procurement arm of Omnicom Media Group, West & Central Africa, and designated as Executive Director, Media Investments and Sponsorships. He started his advertising career with Promoserve Limited in 1989 as Intern and subsequently joined the organization as a staff in 1994. He was one of the founding members of Admix Communications in 1998, before moving to Martlink Advertising Limited as Senior Media Manager in 2001.
At Martlink, he worked very hard and rose to the position of Group Head, Client Service and Media, working on several multinational clients/ brands.
He later joined MediaReach in June 2004. His experience spans a wide range of products including FMCGs, Telecom, Banking, Automobile and Airline industries.
Yinka has been a consistent high performer, winning awards and getting rewarded in all the places he worked including MediaReach OMD where he emerged as the most dedicated and committed staff in 2006.
He has delivered several papers on Advertising, Marketing, Negotiation, Entertainment and assisted a couple of media organisations in repositioning and repackaging efforts for growth and profitability. Yinka has championed a couple of brand building initiatives via creative and effective use of the media.
He a reristered Advertising Practitioner, Exco member, Media Independednt Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), and Faculty member of Alphabet Media Academy.
Yinka is a graduate of Mass Communication. He later had his MBA ( Marketing) degree from University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. He is also an alumnus of the Lagos Business School (LBS).
Steve Babaeko: Creative Czar keeps winning
In an industry that seemed to have run out of inspirational stories, Steve Babaeko stepped in and wrote a new chapter, deploying his X3M Ideas Group, which he founded in 2012. Definitely, an usual kind of businessman, Steve has become the yardstick for a new generation of Nigerian creative enterpreneurs. Steve’s unyielding belief in looking challenges in the eye and staring them down has attracted the best talents to his firm and pulled in clients from around the world. His next stop? South – Central Africa, via Lusaka and Johanesburg, where he recently opened independent office for X3M Ideas. Before starting X3M, which has now grown to include X3M Music, and Zero Degrees Productions, Mr Babaeko was the creative director at 141 Worldwide. Over there, he sparked the fire of creativity that made that agency the trendiest for many years.
Steve began his advertising career at MC&A Saatchi&Saatchi and later moved to Prima Garnet Ogilvy. For more than 23 years, he has been helping to create some of the most iconic marketing works on the continent. You might remember the “Proudly Nigerian” campaign for British America Tobacco, the “Now You’re Talking” campaign for Etisalat, “You Need A New Bank” campaign for Diamond Bank and so many others. He continues to represent Africa on the global stage, having been a member of the jury at the NewYork Advertising Festival, the Loeries, and also one of Adweek’s Top 100 creatives in the world 2019. He was also conferred a “Visiting Fellow” of Henley Business SSchool, University of Reading, United Kingdom.
Steve holds bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. He is currently the President of the Association of Adveretising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), and member of the International Advertising Association ( IAA), Nigeria. Outside advertising, he was the former chairman, Public Relations Committee of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce.
Kayode Oluwasona: in the niche of time
Olukayode Morenikeji Oluwasona began his career sojourning in the advertising industry when he joined Insight Communications Limited in 2001 as a Senior Account Director. Within a space of four years meritorious service, he was invited to the board of Insight Communications as an Executive Director in 2005. While on the board, he, at a particular time, had the unique responsibility of combining the headship of Account Management, Strategic Planning and New Business, three otherwise independent functions, in the foremost agency. Kayode remained on the board until 2011 when he voluntarily resigned to join Rosabel Leo Burnnet as its first non-founder MD/CEO. He led the transformation of this agency for three years, strengthening its operational efficiency and boosting its creative credentials before leaving voluntarily to run his own business. Today, Kayode is the Chief Executive Officer of Brandsway Limited, a multi-channel Marketing Communications company situated in Ikeja. In his advertising career, kayode has impacted many local, national, and international brands, a few of which are Nestle Milo, Indomie, Gulder, Lucozade, Sterling Bank, FCMB, Samsung, Cca-Cola, Seamans Schnapps, Toyota, Elephant Cement, Huggies, Soulmate, International Breweries, Inlaks Limited, 9mobile etc.
As service to the industry, Kayode has been much – sought – after resource person for over a decade, facilitating training programs for APCON, AAAN, PAU/LBS, Client organisations etc. He has been an examiner in the Professional Diploma in Advertising Standards Panel (ASP). Kayode has also been of invaluable service to the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria ( AAAN), on which board he served in different capacities for 12 years. He was President of the Association between 2016 and 2018.
Today, Kayode remains a guiding light, whose voice and opinion are often sought on critical industry matters. A fellow of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, an alumnus of the Lagos Business School and a member of the Institute of Directors, Nigeria, Kayode is happily married and blessed with three sons.
Wale Akintunde: keeps trotle fire up
Hakeem Adewale Akintunde is the Founder/ CEO of Marcom Support Services Limited, a 360-integrated-marketing-communications company based in Lagos.
A fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Wale was opportune to join the integrated marketing communications world when he joined CentrespreadFCB where he worked and rose to the position of Finance Controller at the agency.
He was elevated to the position of Chief Operations Officer of the agency between 2012 and 2016, during which time he helped to revitalize the business and aided the group reposition its abilities, resources and talents. His experience in brand management cuts across major various sectors of the economy be it private or public.
An accounting graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Wale holds MBA in Banking and Finance from
the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He went ahead to study International Marketing and Law of International Trade at Export-Edge Training, Dublin prior to being an Affiliate of Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK and a full member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).
A seasoned professional, he is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Certified Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria (CIAN). He belongs to Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Institute of Data Processing Management of Nigeria and Nigeria Institute of Management.
He was the immediate past Honorary Treasurer of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and a former member of the Board of Trustee of Association of Voice-Over Artists (AVOA).
Wale has been involved in re-engineering certain businesses such as Mediamore Ltd, DKK & Associates Ltd, PR Redline and Pure Activation amongst others.
Wale is married to Grace Bosede Akintunde with children.
Uche Nworah keeps flying
Nze Uche Nworah was appointed the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS Radio /TV, Awka & Onitsha) in July 2014 to serve until March 2022. He facilitates workshops, seminars and conferences on Public Sector Reforms, Media Management, Leadership, Broadcasting, Branding and related disciplines, bringing insights backed by over 25 years of industry experience in Europe and Africa, where he served in very senior positions.
He was a Senior Consultant at Leading Edge Consulting Ltd, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. Head, Public Relations & Events at Sunrise D’Arcy Lagos, an affiliate agency of the D’Arcy, Massius, Benton & Bowles (DMBB) global advertising agency network. Visiting lecturer in Advertising and Promotions at the University of East London, London, United Kingdom, and Senior Lecturer in Marketing Communications and Business Strategy at the London Metropolitan University Business School, London, United Kingdom.
Uche Nworah Ph.D later joined Globacom, Nigeria’s second largest telecommunications network as General Manager, responsible for Out -of -Home (OOH) media/Outdoor advertising acquisitions, advertising campaign deployments and overall management of Globacom’s multi-billion Naira outdoor advertising assets.
Uche Nworah, Ph.D, FCIM , FRPA holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree in Communication Arts from the University of Uyo (2nd Class Upper), Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree in Marketing from the University of Nigeria (Enugu Campus), Certificate in German language from Volks Hoch Schule, Dusseldorf, Germany, Master of Arts (M.A) degree in Educational Research from the University of Greenwich, London, Master of Science (M.Sc) degree in Mass Communication from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degree in Marketing from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam (formerly Anambra State University).
He was Manager, Corporate Affairs, and later Group Head of Human Capital Development/Chief Learning Officer at Oceanic Bank International Plc where he headed the Oceanic Leadership Academy.
Nworah is a published author, and a member of several professional associations. He is a cabinet Chief and member of Igwe’s cabinet in Enugwu-Ukwu, and holds the Chieftaincy title of Ezeudo Enugwu-Ukwu na Umunri.
Emmanuel Ajufo Outdoor admen wins too
Emmanuel N. Ajufo is the Managing Director of Opportunity To See Limited, a thriving Out of Home Advertising company with corporate office in Lagos and three branch offices situated in Asaba, Jos and Kaduna. Before setting up OTS Limited, he worked in some of the best Out of Home Advertising Companies in Nigeria. He started as Trainee Manager with Klinsite ( now called Optimum Exposures Limited) in 1990 and rose to the position of Senior Manager before moving to Invent Media Limited where he left as General Manager to join Marketing and Media Limited which he left as Managing Director in 2008.
Mr Ajufo is a member of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigerias ( OAAN ), where he is the current president. This is after being the Vice President, General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary and Chairman, Billboard Monitoring and Compliance Committee of OAAN. He is also the General Secretary of the West African Outdoor Association.
He is a registered practitioner in Advertising and has served the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), as a member of the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) and the Professional Development and Training Committee.
Emmanuel Ajufo is a Law graduate, and has a Masters Degree in Business Administration. In recognition of the huge challenges facing the Out of Home Advertising Industry, Mr Ajufo decided to obtain a Masters Degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the National Open University of Nigeria. This will surely help him as President of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria to resolve issues concerning the industry. He is equally an alumnus of both the Lagos Business School and has attended various Trainings, Conferences and Workshops both locally and internationally.
Babajide Fagade gets his honour
Babajide Fagade is an advertising and marketing professional with over 25 years of experience that cut across diverse sectors like banking, manufacturing, telecommunications, advertising agencies, Media Agencies and outdoor Media companies. He has vast experience in marketing communications working with various Advertisers, Advertising agencies, Media independent agency and outdoor Advertising companies.
Previously, he has worked with the two pioneer Advertising companies in Nigeria, Lowe Lintas and Afromedia Plc where he once served as the chief Executive officer of E-motion Advertising Limited in 2013 and worked briefly with Globacom as the Director, Out-of-Home advertising before incorporating an Out-of –Home advertising company, ocean outdoor limited. He also served as Director General / CEO of Oyo State Signage and Advertisemnt Agency[OYSAA] between 2015 and 2016. In addition, he is the Chairman of street tools Limited, an advertising agency with AAAN and the Chairman of NIMBUS Media Limited.
He holds an MBA degree from the University of Ibadan, HND in marketing from Lagos State polytechnic and holds a post graduate Diploma in Advertising and Public Relations from Nigerian Institute of Journalism. He is also an alumnus of the London Business School, U.K and Lagos Business School of the Pan Atlantic University, Lagos. He is a fellow of the National institute marketing of Nigeria, member of the chartered Institute of marketing U.K [CIM], member institute of Directors and a full member registered with Advertising Practitioners council of Nigeria [APCON].
Babs has been contributing to the development of the marketing communications industry as publisher of OUTDOOR REPUBLIC; Nigeria’s premier out-of-Home Advertising Journal since 2007. He is also a regular facilitator at the school of media and communications of the pan Atlantic University, Lagos. He is an EX-Officio member of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria [OAAN] and was among the key speakers at the pioneer African Outdoor Advertising conference and Expo in 2014.
He is a change agent through his pet project known as Young Outstanding Undergraduates [YOU], a youth empowerment initiative that promotes entrepreneurship spirit in the next generation. This has taken him to speak at the Lagos State University, Moshood Abiola polytechnic, Yaba Baptist Church Youths, and Unscripted at The Harvest World Church amongst others. Babs is married and blessed with 3 children.
Chike Anyaonu: Adgozo man eats with the fellows
Chike Emmanuel Anyaonu is presently the chairman and chief Executive officer of Adgozo Limited, an outdoor advertising services company with offices in Onitsha, Lagos and Abuja.
Born at Onitsha in August 1957, to the family of Mr and Mrs Joseph Anyaonu of Umueze village, Isuofia in Aguata local Government Area of Anambra state, Chike Emannuel Anyaonu attented Holy Trinity primary school and Christ The King college[CKC] both in Onitsha.
He had his post secondary education at the institute of management and technology[IMT] Enugu where he obtained an HND in marketing in 1983, and post graduate studies at Enugu state university of technology [ESUT] for PGD[management] and MBA in advertising and public relations. Before and within these periods, he had served the C.Uba west Africa group variously, and started his advertising and communications consultancy business in 1988.
From 1990 to 1991, chike served as a councilor in the old Onitsha local Government council. Between 1992 and 1993 he represented Onitsha orth 2 in the Anambra State House of Assembly. He was appointed the chairman, Onitsha Main Market Management Committee in 1996. In 1998, he won election to represent Aguata federal constituency in the house of representatives but his inauguration was truncated by the sudden death of the Head of State, General Sani Abacha. In 1999 to 2003, chike held appointment in Anambra state Government as the special Adviser to the Governor on Legislative Matters.
Hon Anyaonu is a fellow of the chartered institute of Brand Management of Nigeria [IBMN] a registered practitioner in Advertising. To promote the advertising profession, his company Adgozo Limited instituted a yearly award for any final year HND student with the best result in Advertising at the Federal Polytechnic Oko,Anambra State.
He has interest in several other companies, among them, Mercury Bureau De Change Limited, Forward Micro Finance Bank Limited, West Africa Distributors Limited and Dexin West Limited. Chike loves travelling, swimming, listening to music and meeting people. He is married with children and holds the title of Ojichiemeonu [he who boasts with the Lord].
Hannah Oyebanjo – Amazon of advertising wins
With over three decades of experience in brand management, sales and marketing communications, Hannah Oyebanjo is a notable industry icon with an impressive pedigree, a multi-award winner at many levels spanning career, academics, business and social basis.
She has made a remarkable impact on the integrated marketing Communications world, leading by example across spheres.
She has added value to various industry groups, helping to raise the standard in Nigeria. For example, she was a member of Advertising Standards Panel(ASP) of APCON responsible for approvals of all communication materials.
In the course of her career journey, she successfully re-launched three (3) analgesic products between 2003 and 2004, developed a leading pioneering through-the-line TV game concept for the range as anti-counterfeit device and best Trade Marketing TMCP trade presenter for West-Africa Region and developed 2 times international award-winning communication materials for the OTC analgesic brand.
In the same organization, she grew all major products in excess of 20% and as a lead for innovation, she helped to successfully launch 13 products in 4years, which was globally recognized.
As a marketing communications expert, she assisted a business in recovery from a former loss position of previous years, to record a profit in 2years.
A John Maxwell Team certified member, Hannah has proved herself as an excellent public& conference speaker, a business coach and mentor to many. She is the founder of the Predictable Future Foundation, a girl’s development NGO. She is a writer with books such as Careerpreneur (How to Excel in Career and Business), Predictable Future, etc.,in her kitty. She is the CEO of the Republicom Group, an Integrated Marketing Communications group and also Managing Director at Redwood Consulting; an outsourced marketing outfit based out of Lagos, Nigeria.
Alaba Fadero Media guru honoured
Alaba Fadero Currently serves as Group Executive Director of Omnicom Media Group (OMG WECA) for West and Central Africa (WECA)-spanning 23 countries. Alaba has 28 years of experience in Marketing Communications with previous experience with Lowe
Lintas affiliate in Nigeria, Meryt Advertising, after graduating from the University of Jos, Nigeria, with a B.A (Hons) in History and a Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising from Nigerian Institute of Journalism.
He left Meryt Advertising in 1998 to become the pioneer Group Head, Media at TIE Communication.
Alaba joined the MediaReach OMD team led by Tolu Ogunkoya in 2020. This team set & achieved many new standards in media strategy, planning, buying & implementation that are still in-use today in many specialist media agencies in Nigeria & across West & Central Africa.
He was seconded to head MediaReach OMD Ghana operations in 2009 and was also responsible for ”other West & Central Africa countries”. By dint of divine providence, hard work and commitment, he grew the business, and the agency was no 1 in terms of billing and reputation by 2012.
He returned to Nigeria in 2013 as Executive Director/ Chief Operating Officers, MediaReach OMD Nigeria. He has been part of the management team that continues to expand the frontiers of the Trademarks in West and Central Africa.
His experience spans a wide range of products including FMCGs, Durables, Telecom, Banking and Airline industries in Nigeria, West and Central African region.
