Out-of-Home advertising Csar Ben Ilo of New Crystal Communications exit is one that will remain indelibly in the minds of many.

“When a great Iroko tree falls, the forest does not only shake, it weeps.

The birds lose their home, the breeze changes direction, and every leaf mourns its absence.”

Today, the industry weeps. Hearts tremble as practitioners in the Nigerian Integrated Marketing Communications Sector lose one of its finest and richly experienced members.

It is yet unfathomable why death comes calling for this easy-going, soft-spoken, humble, and humane thorough-bred professional of no mere repute.

For over two and a half decades of Ben Ilo’s chequered advertising career which he dedicated to serving New Crystal Communications, the foremost out-of-home advertising firm in Nigeria, Ben Ilo stood out as the go-to practitioner in solutions provision.

He helped clients solve problems with unwavering dedication.

He offered assistance without hesitation and stood by his colleagues through countless projects.

He was ever ready and on hand to help.

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How do you capture in mere words the depth of a soul so kind, the warmth of a man so full of light.

Not only that, the legacy of someone whose very presence brought calm, courage, and comfort to everyone around him?

How do we say goodbye to someone who never truly left us because everything he touched now carries his essence?

Today, the sky seems dimmer, the air heavier, and the hearts of many across Nigeria’s Integrated Marketing Communications space shattered.

A rare gem, a towering figure, a soul so superbly good and gracious, has answered the final call.

Ben Ilo, the gentle giant with a golden heart, has passed unto glory.

Indeed, our loss, now heaven’s gain. Although the silence he left behind is deafening.

The echoes of the good life he lived while on this side of the terrestrial divide continue to ring loud, clear, and unforgettable.

Ben Ilo was not just a man. He was a spirit, a force, a shelter for many.

His presence radiated kindness, humility, and wisdom.

Moreover, he lived as though he knew his time here would be measured not by length, but by the light he could shine on others’ paths.

He brought calm to every room he entered.

Ilo guided those around him with clarity and genuine care.

Where others saw barriers, Ben saw bridges and opportunities.

Where some hesitated, Ben led.

Where many withheld, Ben gave always, without question, without bias.

He was quintessentially unique and unassuming.

At New Crystal Communications, his name became a compass.

As one of the longest-serving pillars of that institution, Ben Ilo did not just serve.

However, the OOH professional remained a strong force in building the agency that has become the most innovative and avant-garde OOH company, not only in Nigeria but across the African continent.

He nurtured relationships with sincerity and transformed acquaintances into allies.

The business thought leader poured love, honesty, and consistency into every partnership.

For him, vision and integrity were the foundation on which successful partnerships were built, partnerships that continue to bear fruits even after his transition.

To know Ben was to know excellence without arrogance.

He was the epitome of professionalism, a master of marketing and advertising, a strategic thinker with a human touch.

Within the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), his voice carried weight not because he demanded attention.

This is  because he earned respect through quiet brilliance and genuine concern for the industry’s growth.

He was not just part of the industry’s journey alonehe helped shape it.

And his legacy will continue to guide it.

There is no doubt that his passion for humanity extended far beyond boardrooms and business meetings.

Ben was a father to the fatherless, a brother to the lonely, and a counselor to the weary.

His office, his home, his heart were open.
He welcomed everyone with warmth and made them feel seen.

Many walked in broken, and left whole, thanks to the soothing balm of his presence.

He did not ask your tribe or religion; he saw the humanity first in every individual that came his way.

That heart, full of grace and generosity, touched lives in ways words may never capture.

No one can forget his infectious laughter, the way he remembered your name, the way he checked on people without being asked.

At MARKETING EDGE PUBLICATIONS, we have lost a great friend.

We have lost a rare gem and a rare breed.

Indeed, we have lost a good business partner.

He was never too busy to care. And even in difficult times, he was the calm in the storm, the voice of reason, the rock you could lean on.

Ben Ilo reminded people of their worth and made them believe again in themselves, in kindness, in second chances.

The truth is, Ben Ilo taught us all that leadership is not in title, but in example.

He led with humility and gave others room to shine.

The late industry expert gave people the space to grow, to shine, to find their own strength.

His mentorship lives in the careers he helped launch, the lives he uplifted, and the souls he restored.

As we grapple with the pain of this loss, we hold tightly to the legacy he leaves behind.

These are nothing but legacies of purpose, of people-first leadership, of love that never asked for anything in return.

His impact ripples across the IMC landscape, from Lagos to the far corners of Nigeria.

He was more than a colleague he was the soul of a system, the silent architect of many successes.

Ben Ilo was truly the great Iroko Tree steadfast, nurturing, rooted in values, towering in greatness.

And like that mighty tree, his fall shakes the very ground we stand on.

His absence is not just felt; it is grieved.

We mourn a giant, but we also celebrate him.

Because to live in the hearts of those who loved us and whom we have left behind is not to die.

And Ben lives on in every life he touched, in every project he led, in every soul he helped lift higher.

Gone but not forgotten, for you are forever in our hearts.

Thank you, God, for gifting Ben Ilo to humanity.

And thank you too for calling him back home now, because only you know why you called Ben home at the prime of his life.

We dare not query nor question you, dear God.

Ben, you can now rest peacefully in the bosom of our Lord as we pray the good Lord to comfort us and members of your immediate family.

May God  grant us all the courage and fortitude to bear your untimely but painful exit.

Adieu!

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