Shobanjo bags University of Lagos honorary doctorate degree
By Abimbola Mohammed
Foremost industry icon and the Doyen of Advertising in Nigeria, Dr. Biodun Olushina Shobanjo, has been given an Honorary Doctorate Degree during the 2021 University of Lagos Awards Convocation ceremony, held today on the University of Lagos (Unilag) campus, Akoka, Yaba.
Dr. Shobanjo, who was awarded the Doctor of Letters of the University of Lagos (honoris causa), is a globally renowned marketing communications practitioner. He is reputed to have been one of the foremost professionals that impacted the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) industry in Nigeria over the last 40 years.
The ceremony witnessed the presence of prominent Nigerians, including academics, traditional rulers, governors, and other dignitaries.
While receiving the award, Dr. Shobanjo appreciated the university for extending its generosity to him, as it would have taken him 50 years to be conferred with the honoris causa. In the same vein, he thanked Prof. Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State, for his hard work and constant support of the people of his state.
In his words: “Let me start by publicly thanking the Governor of Borno State for his performance, contribution and support to his people and Nigeria. I thank all the royal fathers present; and, more importantly, I thank the members of Council and Senate of the university for this wonderful honour that they have done us, particularly myself this afternoon.
“It is not every day that a university of this caliber honours people and recognises the contribution that they have made, and reluctantly gives this kind of award. This honorary doctorate degree that I am getting from the University of Lagos would have taken me 50 years of hard work and tour. I want to thank the university once again and I want to thank everybody that has come here today to honour us.”
Commenting on Dr. Shobanjo’s award, Steve Babaeko, the President of Association Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) congratulated the icon on his Ffacebook page.
The comment reads: “Congratulations to the Doyen of #advertising in #Africa, Dr. Biodun Shobanjo as he receives an Honorary Doctorate Degree conferred on him by the prestigious University of Lagos. On behalf of @aaanofficial exco and the Board of Trustees, I say it’s an honour well deserved. Congratulations, sir.”
Dr. Shobanjo has straddled Nigeria’s marketing and advertising terrain for nearly half a century.
As a marketing communication practitioner par excellence, Shobanjo cut his teeth at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, now Federal Radio Corporation, in 1964 as a studio manager. He left in 1971 and joined the American-Nigerian agency, Grant Advertising where he rose to the post of Deputy Managing Director before his 30th birthday. He co-founded Insight Communications (now Insight Publicis) in 1979 which has now become an integrated part of the Troyka Group which is the holding company for Insight Redefini (the communication group for Insight Publicis, Quadrant MSL, Media Perspectives, AllSeasons Media, LCC and Leo Burnett Lagos). Meanwhile, the Troyka Group 4 companies operating under it, namely: Insight Redefini Limited, Serengeti OOH Limited, Halogen Security Company Limited and Black Onyx Properties Ltd.
Dr. Shobanjo is the CEO of The Apprentice Africa; a chartered member of the British Institute of Public relations; and a member of the British Institute of Marketing. He is a fellow of the Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria and a fellow of the Common Wealth journalist association.
Dr. Shobanjo, who recently launched his biography “The Will to Win”, has fostered protégés who have also become professionals in the advertising and marketing communications industry in Nigeria.
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