Sir Steve Omojafor recalls Nigerian advertising’s golden age
By Felicia Nwosu
It was a night steeped in nostalgia, an evening where time rewound itself, bringing back echoes of a golden era when advertising in Nigeria was not just a profession but a movement, bold, audacious, and revolutionary.
The occasion was the 80th birthday celebration of Dr. Abiodun Shobanjo, hosted by MARKETING EDGE, Nigeria’s leading brand-focused media platform. It was a rekindling of memories that stirred emotions and ignited wistful longing for what once was.
Amid the camaraderie and shared reflections and standing before both the older and younger generation of professionals, was Sir Steve Omojafor, former Chairman of Zenith Bank and co-founder of Rosabel Advertising Agency.
With the weight of history behind his words, he transported the audience back to a time when the industry was raw, pulsating with unfiltered creativity and unrelenting ambition.
“This industry was built on the backs of young men who dressed like Wall Street bankers but thought like creative revolutionaries,” Omojafor began, his words painting vivid images of fresh-faced graduates, suited to perfection, striding into advertising agencies that became both battlegrounds and proving grounds.
The stakes were high, the competition fierce, but the camaraderie was unbreakable. In the day, they sparred over ideas and strategies; by night, they gathered in Surulere’s vibrant spots, swapping stories over pepper soup and cold beer, their minds always brimming with the next big campaign.
Surulere was the cradle of Nigerian advertising, a neighborhood that became synonymous with ambition, talent, and the rise of industry icons. It was in these streets that young visionaries carved their paths, where agency doors swung open to fresh talent eager to leave their mark.
The district’s energy was electric, creative minds clashing, collaborating, and reshaping the landscape of marketing communications in Nigeria.
“Biodun was a mystic guy,” Omojafor recalled, his voice thick with admiration. “In Yoruba, we say ‘eni mo oko, eni ko omo.’ He had an uncanny understanding of the game, of people, of the industry.
He was born to win, and he had the will to win.”
Shobanjo was a man who did nothing in half measures. From his formative years at NBC under the guidance of industry greats like Christopher Kolade to his groundbreaking work at Grant
Advertising, every step he took was marked by audacity and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence. When he struck out on his own to establish Insight Communications, he did not just build a company, he built an empire, one that redefined marketing communications in Nigeria.
Beyond constructing a formidable network of agencies, he built people. “Look around today, and you’ll see the most successful agencies in this country were founded by those who learned under Shobanjo,” Omojafor noted with pride.
“He gave them the best training, and when it was time to go, he let them go, knowing they had been equipped to succeed.”
Omojafor’s voice softened as he touched on Shobanjo’s role in mainstreaming the industry with his tenure on the Nigerian adaptation of ‘The Apprentice.’ “We all remember that show,” he chuckled.
“Biodun, in his usual style, fired people on screen as if he did it every day. But in reality, he was more of a mentor than a ruthless boss. One thing was clear, he always knew how to spot and nurture the best talent.”
As the evening wound down, the air was thick with gratitude and reverence. Omojafor turned to his old friend with a knowing smile. “Bibi, at 80, it’s time to slow down.
But knowing you, even retirement won’t silence that mind of yours. You will always think, always strategize. It’s who you are.”
The golden era may have faded into memory, but its echoes remain immortal, carried forward by those who once walked in the footsteps of giants.
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