MIPAN 2022 Patron’s Day holds amid glamour
By Abimbola Mohammed
The Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) has held the 7th edition of its Patron’s Day in glamour with a massive turnout of agencies. The colourful event was held at Sheba Event Centre, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos.
The event, which had the theme ‘One Media’, saw top media planning and buying practitioners and their families converge at the open field waiting for various sporting activities to commence.
The function gathered momentum with the arrival of Eki Azudey, MIPAN executive secretary, Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi, MIPAN’s Patron, including Jude Odia, Oba Ayodele Kupoluyi, Emeka Okeke, Kunal Jamuar, MIPAN executives, brand owners, members from different agencies as well as well wishers.
Giving his opening remark through a phone call from Toronto, Canada, Femi Adelusi, MIPAN President noted that the essence of the Patron’s Day is to celebrate MIPAN’s patrons, who have contributed immensely to the growth of the media industry in the past years, and also to take a break from work and pitch competitions among agencies as they are one, regardless of different names.
His words: “We are celebrating our Patron’s Day being today, for the investment they made in us and their contribution to the marketing communication industry in Nigeria. I want to encourage everyone present to have a great time, make new friends.
“We compete everyday, but on a day like this the only thing we should compete for is the price at the front table at the games. I want to thank the executive members for making it happen, all the heads of agencies (MIPAN) and I also want to thank our guests from the client side and from the media side. More importantly, the APCON Registrar and members of APCON who are present and the representatives of various sectoral bodies, AAAN, OOAN, EXMAN and BON – thank you for being part of this.”
The past Registrar and Chief executive officer of APCON, Alhaji Kankarofi, while giving his speech, encouraged agencies to put more effort in their work and engage native speakers of each language to write copies instead of doing otherwise.
His words: “This is a good one from MIPAN and I am delighted to be here once again this year. For me, who has been in the industry for 44years, you don’t usually see this kind of family togetherness. This is new; it encourages us to think less of the competitiveness between agencies.”
He, however, added: “On a professional level, I want to convey, particularly to heads of agencies, my disappointment over some copies that are done by non native speakers of Hausa Language. Whatever copy you do in Hausa Language I am the one that does the vetting. I keep bringing it back till it is done right.”
Continuing his speech, the MIPAN patron encouraged agencies to stop allowing commercials that are done in Ghana to be aired in Nigeria as it is not a standard way of practice.
“I was very disappointed last week when someone did a commercial in Ghana and brought it to Nigeria for airing. I think you all need to be more professional, no Nigeria commercial will be played in Ghana. I am sure you all know that but surprisingly people bring all sorts of things and throw them in Nigeria.”
Concluding his speech, Alhaji Kankarofi noted that it’s a good thing that the Patron’s Day celebration allows children to be exposed to the professions of their parents: “I am quite excited with the turn out, the numbers of children here today is even more than last year. It is also good to expose our kids to our professions so that when they come to take over it will be very easy for them.”
Speaking with MARKETING EDGE on the unity the Patron’s Day fosters among agencies, Seyi Iwayemi, Group Head/ Project Director, Maxi Media Globacom Limited, said: “This event came into being several years ago and it has become a unifying factor for various agencies. We could be competing agencies but when we gather for MIPAN Patron’s Day, it is to interact and to bond. So, it is a great opportunity and it’s a good one for us at MIPAN.”
The event was a success as there were lots of games available for children and adults to participate in, from Chess to table tennis, among others. Different prizes were won.
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