 |
| Newly elected Chairman, Clara Chinwe Okoro and The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of APCON, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo |
The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of
APCON, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, who made the call said it has become necessary
because of the role brand journalists play as critical stakeholders in the
sector.
He said this while playing host to members
of the newly elected executives of the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria
(BJAN) in his Iganmu office on Tuesday.
The executives led by its newly elected
Chairman, Clara Chinwe Okoro had gone to intimate Dr Fadolapo led APCON on its
planned activities, as a major stakeholder and regulatory body of the marketing
communication industry.
Since the introduction of the Advertising
Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP) as the new rules of engagement in the
advertising practice in the country, there have been concerns from some
quarters over some clauses in the bill. But, the APCON boss said the rules are
not different from what obtains from other climes especially as the aim is
geared to strengthen the industry.
 |
| Treasurer, Melvin Udosen; out-going Chairman of BJAN Afolabi Idowu; Chief Information Officer CIO, Amechi Obiakpu; APCON executive; General Secretary Adejuwon Osunnuyi; Newly elected Chairman, Clara Chinwe Okoro; The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of APCON, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo; APCON executive; Vice Chairman, Lukman Ishau; Financial Secretary, Adeyemi OluFemi and Francis Iwuchukwu, BJANMember |
“Now that BJAN has a new executive team, we have discussed with our management on the need to collaborate with the association, we need to work together for a smooth working relationship so that we can have a better industry. Many things are happening and there is no way we are not going to be instrumental to the development of the industry,” the former AAAN boss said.
Dr. Fadolapo traced his relationship with
BJAN on a personal level to his days at AAAN where he noted that he had been an
instrument of stability for BJAN in terms of strategic support.
“On the part of APCON I know that my
predecessor in APCON have had smooth working relationship with BJAN even at
different points in time.
“Moreso, I am aware that CBN and SEC
organize training for stock exchange and finance reporters at least to see how
they will help improve the reportage by instituting training and capacity building purpose for
the journalists.
“And we at APCON may not have done much,
but we have in our own little way kept the line of communication with BJAN open.
“As a journalist, the profession is built
on integrity- you are a strategic perception manager in this industry. Very
strategic to the growth of the industry and BJAN has a role to play in the
evolving of a new industry- all hands must be on deck to make that happen,” he
said.
Speaking on the AISOP rules the APCON boss
said, what the regulatory body has done is in line with best business practice,
“even if you go to international law, they will tell you that, where the local
law conflicts with international law, the local law prevails. That is why you
will not see anybody going to Saudi Arabia to advertise alcohol—that is their
local law,” he averred.
“The advertising industry spend is about
N100b what goes to the agency is about 20%,
the remaining 80% will go to the media either broadcast, print, out of
home or new media. Meaning that, what we are fighting for is that 20%.
“How can our agencies grow if we don’t play
by the rules? There are things that are conscientious- they should speak to our
conscience.
“The same multinationals advertise on CNN
pay in dollars and prepay. Yet they will come to Nigeria and tell you that they
will give you 120 days i.e 4 months. And you will bill them and then be
expected to wait for 4 months and you know that the survival of any media house
is heavily dependent on advertising..
“Dr Fadolapo noted that APCON was not out
to hunt any sectoral group just as it will not fold its hands and allow the
deterioration to continue in the system.
“The simple highlight of AISOP is: Don’t
tell media how much they can charge because you are advertisers- you cannot do
that to CNN, BBC, Aljazeera etc why are you doing that to Nigerians; do not
request for 90 days notice that you will pay after 120 days and when you call
for pitch get ready to pay rejection fee because it cost money to prepare for
it.
“For us, somebody need to bite the bullet-
accept responsibility for a new industry to emerge and APCON has to take the
lead and that is why we are on this conversation,” the APCON boss.
In her reaction, Clara Okoro said as
journalists who play in the IMC space and “we want to see where we can play a
role for APCON and to see how APCON can play a major role in our activities for
the betterment of the industry and particularly the consumers who are the first
beneficiaries of the materials that we put out.
On his part, Afolabi Idowu, the out-going
Chairman of BJAN called on APCON to take particular interest in activities of
BJAN especially as the new executives have lined up series of engaging
activities to be carried out.
The visit to APCON is one of the series of
visits lined out by the newly elected executives to intimate stakeholders in
the IMC industry of its activities.
Lukman Ishau, Vice Chairman, Adejuwon
Osunnuyi, General Secretary, Melvin Udosen, Treasurer and Adeyemi Olufemi,
Financial Secretary and Amechi Obiakpu, Chief Information Officer CIO were among the delegates.