OAAN celebrates with BOT Chairman as daughter weds
Operators in the outdoor industry in Nigeria had another reason to celebrate when a former President and now the Chairman, Board of Trustees of their umbrella body, OAAN, Chief Babu Akinbobola, gave out his daughter in marriage on September 23, 2017 in Lagos. The event was a gathering of people from all shades and segments of human endeavour. The huge crowd, some of who had flown in from the United Kingdom where the couple live and work, was mainly a confirmation of the influence and respect that Chief Akinbobola commands both in the Out of Home (OOH) industry and the religious circles.
For an industry that has in recent times been buffeted by several crises, most especially regulatory challenges, the lavish traditional marriage ceremony between Motunrayo and her heartthrob, Prince Olarenwaju Oluwole, of the Onikan family, was an escape from the unpleasant realities of the sector.
The event was actually the climax of a nuptial journey which the young couple started two years back in London, United Kingdom where they were solemnly joined together in a church wedding at the New Covenant Church, Edmonton, London.
The classy ceremony offered a short moment for practitioners to wine and dine and celebrate the beauty of love without the hassles of the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) or the irritation of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens (LASPARK) officials.
But it also provided an opportunity for operators to show their love and appreciation for the contributions and impact which Chief Akinbobola, Chairman of Media Link has made in the industry over the years. He is credited to be one of the pillars of the outdoor advertising industry in Nigeria and a major reason why the industry is still standing despite its myriad of challenges.
One of the OOH operators who spoke to MARKETING EDGE at the ceremony, Churchill Nkiagwu, Managing Director of Spreadout Media noted that Chief Akinbola was a mentor and a father figure in the industry, adding that the industry has chosen to honor him with its presence at the wedding because he has given so much to the OOH segment.
“I want to thank God for the life of Chief Akinbobola and the family; and for the grace of God for him to witness a day like this, because he is a man that has given so much to humanity, most especially when it comes to mentoring and leadership in the outdoor advertising industry. That is why you could see that everybody in the outdoor industry is here today to honour him.
“Words cannot express how happy the OAAN family is, today. He has given so much to the industry. He has left some indelible landmarks. We pray that God will continue to sustain his health and keep him alive to continue to lead us in the struggle because without people like him maybe this industry will head into extinction.”
Some of the other OOH operators that registered their presence at the ceremony are the immediate past OAAN President Charles Chijide, Managing Director at Charella Ltd., Ladi Sole, MD of Unik Sites and Adebayo Ogundoja, of Biocolours Limited. A number of the operators who could have graced the event, headed off to Osogbo, the capital city of Osun State, where another member of the OOH family was having a burial ceremony.
Mr. Akinbobola, 67, has over 43 years of cognate corporate experience which has taken him through Media, Advertising and Communications Industries. He established Media Link alongside his friend and partner ’Kole Ademulegun in September 1983 after they both resigned from Grant Advertising, which was then one of Nigeria’s top advertising agencies. Media Link has now turned out to become a leader in the outdoor business Nigeria.
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