Kelechi Nwosu Decries APCON's Controversial Dissolution

President of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, AAAN, Kelechi Nwosu has lent his voice to the clamour by marketing communications professionals for government to treat the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON like other regulatory councils.

Nwosu voiced this sentiment in the light of the controversial dissolution of the APCON board in August despite only being inaugurated in March and had barely spent five months in the saddle.
“Note that the current dissolution is in spite of the fact that APCON council has a tenure of three years, which just started a few months ago. We will request that APCON be treated like the other regulatory Councils in medicine, law and other professions,” Nwosu told MARKETING EDGE.

Nwosu who is also the Managing Director of TBWA/Concept said the unfortunate dissolution brings to mind the 18 months frustration practitioners experienced when Prince Ngozi Enioma, a non-professional was made President of the body to the chagrin of the industry.

The adman’s main worry stems from the fact that this recent development will again have negative consequences on the industry and undermine the on-going reform that was due to strengthen the profession. “The regulation of the large and growing advertising industry will again remain prostrate without the direction of the Council. Of course, the APCON secretariat headed by the Registrar and CEO will continue to do their best but the Council is the policy making body and provides direction,” Nwosu said.

“Second implication is that the APCON reforms which required and agreed to revitalize the industry, restrain quacks and throw the industry into new lights, is now stymied by the absence of a Council. That certainly has caused a loss of revenue and respect for the Nigerian advertising industry and even for Government (directly and indirectly),” he opined.

It is not yet clear when the impasse will be resolved but efforts are ongoing to resolve the matter and get the board back to office.