This year’s edition of ‘The Industry Summit/Awards’ held on Friday, March 31 in Lagos, had some distinguished marketing communications professionals and brands in the country recognised and honoured with some highest awards for their contributions to the growth of marketing and marketing communication in Nigeria
The year’s award looked at the performances of 2022 and the top winners include the Chairman, STB-McCann, Sir Steve Bamidele Omojafor, who was recognised and honoured with The Industry Award for the ‘Doyen of Advertising’, while Felix King Eiremiokhae, Chief Executive Officer of MABISCO/Oracle Experience won the ‘CEO of the Year’.
Also honoured at the event were Steve Babaeko, CEO X3M IDEAS; Adedayo Ojo, CEO Caritas Communication; John Ehiguese, CEO Meadiacraft Limited; Bridget Oyefeso-Odusami, Head Marketing & Communications, Stanbic IBTC Bank; Olugbenga Victor Afolabi, CEO GDM Group; Rotimi Bankole, CEO SBI Stagwell; Charles Azu Chijide, CEO Charella Nigeria Limited; Anthony Chiejina, Chief Brand Officer, Dangote Group Plc; Nkechi Ali-Balogun, CEO NECCI; Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, Director General, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), who all won the Industry Star Awards.
Speaking during the award ceremony, the Chairman of the award committee, Clara Okoro who is also the Chairman, Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) said that the categories represents every aspect of the industry, from Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), banking, drinks and beverages, and telcos others brands.
She said, “The scrutiny was very tied, and the parameters is that we were able to arrive at the brands that are reflective of engaging the consumer in the right way and if you have been nominated and win an award, you can be rest assured that you have passed through a thorough and deliberate process to arrive at that.”
“I want to commend the work that is been done by the convener of the Industry Summit/Awards, Goddie Ofose and his team to make sure that the industry is truly represented. Everywhere in the world brands outlived government, government come and go but, brands stay, so brands are the real wealth creator of every economy,” she added.
Chairman of the occasion, who’s also the Chairman of STB-McCann, Steve Omojafor stated that, “the morning session was a huge success considering the papers that were presented, and we all agreed that data is life, data is blood, and data should be taken into cognizance when it comes to government planning and implications.”
“Another area we discovered during the morning session is the shift in government policy, and what such policy is doing to our businesses. Government wakes up in the morning and comes up with a policy without caring to know how it affects our businesses. A typical example is the recent currency redesign by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),” he added.
In his welcome remarks, the convener of The Industry Summit/Awards, Goddie Ofose, specifically thanked the partners of the Industry Summit/Award 4.0, saying “without you this event will never be a success.
“When I finished my tenure as the Chairman of the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) in 2019, having worked for several organisations, I felt it was about time I started something for the industry, and I met a few people who gave me their support and today we have the first marketing and marketing communication newspaper in Nigeria.”
“In the morning, we had a session of intellectual engagement that was thought provoking, and we are here this evening to say thank you to some brands and individuals who have done well so that they will continue to do well,” he added.
Speaking on this year’s event, Ofose stated that notwithstanding the several challenges faced by businesses last year, IMC organisations have continued to hold their ground as well as sustain the high standard occasioned by digitalization and technology.
“Professionals – individual, corporate, and product brands deserve to be celebrated at the time because to whom much is given much is expected.”
According yo him, Omojafor, an accomplished marketing and advertising practitioner was unanimously voted ‘The Industry Doyen of Advertising’ for 2022, a category won by Dr. Biodun Shobanjo last year for the 2021 Awards.
Omojafor, a former Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc has unarguably accomplished in a career span over four decades.
“Coincidentally, he chaired this year’s summit, which parades some of the best brains in the industry that discussed issues in data management and government policy as it affects the manufacturing sector,” Ofose enthused.this
