The Nigerian advertising industry has lost one of its foundational pillars, Alhaji Jimoh Atanda Lawal, Co-Founder of fifty-year-old Abiok Publicity Limited, one of the oldest Out-of-Home advertising agencies in Nigeria, as he passed on last night at the age of 83.

With his exit, the industry does not merely lose a veteran, but a pathfinder, a builder, and one of the quiet architects of the landscape professionals proudly operate in today.

When Alhaji Lawal and his contemporaries began the journey over five decades ago, there were no established roadmaps, no structured frameworks, and very little institutional support.

They started from scratch, on rough terrain, armed only with conviction, resilience, and vision. What exists today as structure, standards, and industry foundations was, in many ways, carved out by the sweat, sacrifice, and relentless belief of pioneers like him.

He did not inherit an industry, but helped build one. As Co-Founder of Abiok Publicity, Alhaji Lawal poured his energy, intellect, and resources into nurturing not just a company, but an entire sector.

From the early, uncertain seasons of Nigeria’s advertising evolution to the more sophisticated and expansive era we now witness, he remained constantly committed to excellence, passionate about brand building, and unwavering in his belief that the industry could be greater than it was.

He was more than an Out-of-Home advertising practitioner. He was part of the founding generation that birthed, nursed, watered, and sustained Nigeria’s advertising ecosystem into adulthood.

Many of the principles professionals reference today as the ideas, initiatives, and courageous experiments of men like him shaped standards. Truly, he was a pacesetter, an idea conceiver. a builder who climbed rocky hills so others could walk smoother paths.

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Alhaji Lawal believed deeply that the future must be better than the past. Even if he would not personally enjoy the full fruits of that future, he worked tirelessly to ensure those coming behind would have something solid to hold onto, which is a structure to reference, a foundation to build upon, and an industry they could be proud of.

Even today, to many, he was a mentor, to others, a father figure and to the industry, a leader with true selfless vision.

He did not withhold the truth. He did not compromise on integrity. His penchant for excellence was uncompromising, sometimes to a fault. Yet it was that very standard that elevated brands, strengthened institutions, and inspired younger professionals.

No doubt that, generations including those yet unborn, will continue to benefit from the resilience, discipline, and innovative thinking he embedded in the system as his mentorship shaped careers, his counsel guided decisions, his passion influenced perspectives, and his quiet sacrifices built platforms upon which many now stand.

Today, there is an undeniable void that the industry can no longer reach out for his wise counsel, his quick advice, or his steady reassurance.
Again, that familiar voice of experience has fallen silent, yet even in grief, there is gratitude for a life well lived, for standards raised, for doors opened, and for an enduring legacy that cannot be erased.

In announcing his passing, his son, Saheed Lawal, Business Lead at Baseone Consulting, shared: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.
With total submission to the will of Almighty Allah, we announce the passing of our beloved father, Alhaji Jimoh Atanda Lawal, who returned to his Creator this night. He was a loving father, grandfather, and a pillar of strength to our family and community. We are grateful for the impactful and meaningful life he lived and for the values he instilled in us.  We kindly ask that you remember him in your prayers. May Allah forgive his shortcomings, widen and illuminate his grave, and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.”

Indeed, the advertising industry, MARKETING EDGE in particular, mourns with the Lawal family. But even as we mourn, we celebrate a titan whose work helped shape Nigeria’s brand narrative. We celebrate a pioneer who transformed uncertainty into opportunity.

We celebrate a man who gave his all so the industry could become more structured, more respected, and more enduring. Indeed, the void he leaves may never truly be filled, yet the foundations he laid will continue to stand. May his soul rest in perfect peace, and may his legacy continue to inspire excellence for generations to come.