In the first part of this report, we looked at some first and second-generation eggheads that made a remarkable impact in the advertising industry, as the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), celebrates 50 years of its collective existence as a body. In this report, we serve the second part that highlights other leading lights that kept the organized advertising industry flying for 50 years.
Allan Olabode
Allan Olabode studied Sociology at the University of Ibadan and graduated in 1970. In 1971, he joined Lintas Limited as Trainee, and Client Service Executive and was later elevated to the positions of Client Service Executive and Senior Client Executive, He left Lintas in 1982 to become the General Manager of Promoserve. He was Deputy Managing Director, in 1985 and eventually Managing Director of Promoserve.
He made remarkable impacts in the industry as Secretary, of the Professional Practices Sub-Committee of the then Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria, for many years. He also served as Secretary of, the Education Sub-Committee, AAPN for some years. IMI Multi-National Marketing Management Course, USA, 1983. Author: Strategies & Tactics of Turnaround -Promoserve He was also the Secretary of APCON’s membership committee and council, serving selflessly in all these capacities.
Akin Odunsi
Odunsi is most probably the most successful ad practitioner in politics. He was elected Senator for the Ogun West constituency and he served from April 2011 to May 2015. He attended the University of Lagos and the University of Illinois, United States, graduating with an MS in advertising in 1973. He worked with Vince Cullers Advertising in Chicago, USA before returning to Nigeria in 1974 to join Grant Advertising. He later moved to Admark Advertising where he became the first Nigerian Chief Executive in 1976.
In 1978 Odunsi co-founded Rosabel Advertising and was the agency’s Managing Director until 1997 when he became the Executive Chairman. He was very active in promoting the growth of advertising and held various positions with the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria, before becoming President of the association from 1989 to 1992.
Ayo Owoborode
He schooled in London and began his career as Executive Officer, H.M.S.O also in London in 1969. He also worked as Senior Client Service Executive, at Product Promotions Nigeria Limited, between 1970 and 1972. In 1973 he became the Managing Director and Chief Executive, of PAL Nigeria Limited, He later left PAL to run Servewell Consulting. He served the industry passionately especially when he served as the President of, the Association of Advertising Practitioners in Nigeria from 1986 to 1989.
Lolu Akinwunmi
Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi is the Group CEO, Prima Garnet, a world-class advertising and marketing communication group.
Lolu, a 1980 graduate of the University of Lagos, started his career in 1982 with Lintas where he cut an edge for advertising and creative arts. Having worked with Lintas for six (6) years, he moved to Promoserve Grey as Executive Director, Clients Service & Media and in 1992, Lolu took the bull by the horns to start his own company, Prima Garnet Communications. a conglomerate, overseeing a group of companies.
As a result of his passion for transformational change in Nigeria, Lolu was appointed Pioneer CEO, of the Nigerian Rebranding Project Business Support Group (RPBSG) under the Office of the Federal Minister of Information & Telecommunications.
He has a strong passion for industry growth. He is a past President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) 2007 – 2009. Lolu has presented many professional papers in marketing, advertising, and general management. Lolu was also appointed in 2010 as the Chairman of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON,
Jimi Awosika
Jimi Awosika’s professional career started with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation where he worked as a Sub-Editor. By 1977, the challenge of advertising attracted him to Grant Advertising where he started as an Account Executive.
Recognizing his penchant for hard work and attention to strategic details, the Agency turned over its major accounts to him to manage until he left to co-found Insight Communications Limited in 1980.
Jimi has over 4 decades of experience in advertising and marketing communications and is recognized in the industry as a sound practitioner, who has contributed papers and practical demonstrations to the education of younger generations of Advertising professionals. He is the pillar at Troyka Holdings and Insight Redifini, directing affairs at Nigeria’s biggest IMC Behemoth.
Bunmi Oke
Bunmi Oke is currently the CEO / Lead Consultant at Ladybird Limited. She has a distinguished career in the marketing communications Industry and has been in key leadership positions in world-class ad agencies like 141 Worldwide, LTC-JWT Worldwide, Lagos, etc.
Bunmi is a globally skilled & analytical marketing communications & advertising practitioner with an extensive track record in strategic brand building for international, regional, and local brands in all segments of the economy.
She is a British-born Nigerian who started her career in advertising at Grant Advertising in 1986, where she worked as a PR Executive/Account Management trainee. Joining LTC/JWT advertising in 1989, she rapidly rose through the ranks in 10 years to become the first female client service director.
As a passionate promoter of growth in advertising, Bunmi was the 17th & 2nd Female President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), She was also a council member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). Bunmi has served as an executive and Vice President of the AAAN Board as well. She is the only practicing female Fellow of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, (APCON) amongst the 4 women in Nigeria who have attained this level.
Kayode Oluwasona
An avid AAAN activist and advertising and marketing professional of over 30 years, Oluwasona is an erudite and passionate ad man who has seen it all across the client and agency side of the business
He also served diligently when he was elected president of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN).
A thoroughbred, business strategist and seasoned marketing communications consultant. Oluwasona is an LBS alumnus and has a degree in Economics and an MBA in Marketing. He has worked at different times in Leventis Motors, Lever Brothers Nigeria (Now Unilever Nigeria), and SmithKline Beecham (Now GlaxoSmithKline), He later joined Insight Communications, then a Grey Global (WPP) affiliate, in 2001 as Senior Account Director.
He was later elevated to the board of Insight as an Executive Director in January 2005. In February 2011, he joined Rosabel Leo Burnett as its first non-founder Managing Director/CEO. Eventually, he berthed at Harmonee Concepts Limited, as co-owner and Managing Director of the Integrated Marketing Communications Agency.