Advertising Industry holds first Colloquium, harps on capacity development
By Oghale Mafuru
As part of efforts to reposition the advertising and marketing communications industry, herald a paradigm shift through knowledge optimization and talent development, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has held its first Colloquium today.
The event, which was held at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, was declared opened by the Hon. Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, represented by Mr. Sunday Baba, Director of Communication and Media, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
The minister, while lauding the initiative, stated that the convergence of academia and industry practitioners will deepen the professional knowledge needed for the economic development of the country.
“Advertising has come a very long way in contributing and advancing the growth of Nigeria’s economy, massively. The role of advertising in academia, businesses and in our day-to-day life cannot be neglected or underestimated by any economy that genuinely seeks to develop and sustain the development of her economic progress.
“I am delighted to see the progress the Council has been making to ensure that the advertising and marketing industry in Nigeria is ethically and professionally practiced as it should be. The industry has recently witnessed a series of reforms and other developmental strides aimed to keep it consistent with the dynamic demands of the sector,” he said.
“This colloquium, we trust, will give factual insight to the peculiarities of the systems in the academic ecosphere, that is in actual course of business and practice, and the effects of the regulatory structures on them,” he added.
Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, Director General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria ARCON, who spoke on the efforts made to bridge the knowledge gap in the industry, affirmed that the colloquium is primarily organised to boost stronger synergy and promote effectual congruence between academia and the practitioners in the advertising and marketing communications industry.
“During the programme, the uncommon challenges and elations on both divides are expected to be conversed, harnessed, and put to mutual benefits. There are always additional ideas and trends to learn and to share in an ever dynamic industry like ours.
“While we appreciate the contributions of academia to the body of knowledge, the sharpening of the skills set that makes up the body are also interrogated from time to time, to meet or exceed societal demands in line with best global practices,” he said..
In his keynote, Idorenyen Enang, President of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) and CEO, Corporate Shepherds Ltd, who spoke on the theme: “Changing Trends in Advertising Education and Practice in the Era of Globalization: The Nigerian Perspective”, stressed on the need for stakeholders to prioritize the fundamental knowledge of marketing to crystalize the initiatives necessary to build capabilities which will spur growth and develop the industry.
“If the foundation is destroyed, there is nothing the righteous can do. As great as we are speaking about advertising, it is not so great that we are eluding the foundation which is marketing. Specialization only happens when you are fully endowed with marketing,” he said.
While charging professionals on integrating with members of academia to bridge the knowledge gap in the practice of advertising and marketing, the NIMN President stated that marketing is an integral part of the entire developmental framework to deepen professional knowledge, especially for students in tertiary institutions.
“Let’s give them that foundation. That foundation can only work if we build it from competency framework,” he said.
The event, which was well attended by government officials, Heads of sectoral groups, industry professionals, students and staff of academia, featured a creative competition where the University of Ilorin clinched the grand prize of one million naira having emerged winner after a keenly contested pitch.
The other contesting institutions, including Lagos State University and Babcock University were rewarded with seven hundred and fifty thousand naira and five hundred thousand naira respectively.
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