Stakeholders hail Fadolapo’s appointment as APCON boss
Stakeholders in the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) industry have applauded the recent federal government appointment of Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo as the new Registrar/CEO of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), noting that the appointment, albeit long overdue, was fair and square.
Recall that for long, APCON has remained without a governing Council or board. Concerns had been raised in the past, with practitioners in the sub-sector raising alarm about the sensitive and pivotal role the Council plays in contributing to the growth and economic well-being of the country, especially the advertising industry.
However, the well-deserved appointment of the soft-spoken advertising impresario seems to have assuaged the misgivings of many on the issue considering the personality of the newly appointed helmsman of APCON. The appointment has been described by many as the most cheering news in the industry in a year headlined by the outbreak of Covid-19 global pandemic and its attendant effects on the advertising industry.
Having worked in the advertising and the extended marketing industry for over 20 years, including serving as the Executive Director/CEO of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Fadolapo is very knowledgeable about the practice of integrated marketing communications. While his unbroken years of service to AAAN greatly prepared him for the APCON top job, his appointment did not also come to industry watchers and players as a surprise considering his invaluable contribution to the profession and the industry at large.
Speaking to MARKETING EDGE on the appointment, Dr. Rotimi Olaniyan, a Marketing Consultant and Publisher of ExperientialNg, described Fadolapo as the best man for the job, especially at this critical period. “He is best suited for job. He knows all the routes to the market square as well as the doors into the palace, including a few he constructed himself. So, I do not expect him to have any surprises.”
Olaniyan believes Fadolapo’s professional and educational experience will give him a global perspective on how to re-invent the wheel at APCON.
He continued: “Given his years of scholarship to the doctoral level, his major challenge would be on how to modernise the profession and the ecosystem. Old traditional models are dead, and the Covid-19 public health challenge has shown that asynchronous systems of communication that are digitally-driven are the new ways of delivering value. He has been a humble, unassuming practitioner and, as a regulator, I believe he will have the ears of trusted key players.”
Speaking in the same vein, Paul Ugoagwu, M.D STB Mcann,said: “Fadolapo has a lot going for him, including the extensive goodwill and experience to succeed at the job. He can leverage his goodwill and experience to unite the industry and resolve perennial industry problems in order to move it forward.”
Also commenting on the appointment, Lanre Ashaolu, M.D, FPL Media, an avant-garde OOH advertising agency, believes the appointment holds a lot for the hitherto conservative regulatory agency.
“This is a well-deserved appointment that is long over-due. Having an experienced person at the helm of APCON portends a good time devoid of the ubiquitous operator-regulator squabbles.’
Ashaolu strongly looks forward to a better working relationship between OAAN and APCON as the new helmsman takes charge.
Also speaking on the appointment, Bolaji Abimbola, MD Integrated Indigo, a foremost Public Relations agency, stated: “The appointment is a welcome development. He is a round peg in a round hole. I want to believe that the industry will be better for it. He understands the key issues facing the Advertising sector and he should be able to bring his experience to bear and move the industry forward. I join every well-meaning practitioner in congratulating him and wish him all the best.”
He continued: “I will also like to commend President Muhammadu Buhari-led government for making a good choice in the person of Dr. Fadolapo to lead APCON at this critical time.”
Fadolapo is a graduate of Economics, Ogun State University (OSU). He acquired Msc, Marketing from Babcock University, MBA, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), ACA Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), arpa (APCON) and a Master degree In Legal Studies (MLS) at Lagos State University (LASU). He also belongs to several professional bodies.
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