LAIF 2025: Dr. Biodun Shobanjo Receives Icon Award As Industry Celebrates Doyen Of Advertising
Doyen of advertising and Chairman of the Troyka Group, Dr. Biodun Shobanjo has been conferred with an industry Icon Award at the landmark 20th edition of the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) Awards held yesterday at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja.
The special presentation, led by Mr. Udeme Ufot (MFR), Chairman of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) Board of Trustees, alongside other distinguished industry leaders and members of the LAIF Management Board, brought the entire venue to its feet in a sustained standing ovation as stakeholders from across the marketing communications ecosystem rose to honour one of the industry’s most towering figures.
In a creative nod to Nigeria’s entertainment heritage and Dr. Shobanjo’s adventurous spirit as an industry trailblazer, the Icon Award presentation was staged as a Gulder Ultimate Search-themed ceremony. The dramatic presentation featured a ‘Roman soldier’ and female hostesses reminiscent of the popular reality television series, and other elements that mirrored the journey of discovery, endurance, and ultimate triumph that has characterized Shobanjo’s six-decade career in marketing communications.
The elaborate tribute has been described as a fitting metaphor for a man who has navigated the often-treacherous terrain of Nigerian business, overcome numerous obstacles, and emerged victorious time and again, much like the contestants in the legendary Gulder Ultimate Search series. The creative presentation added gravitas and entertainment value to what was already an emotionally charged moment, as industry practitioners, young and old, gathered to pay homage to a living legend.
Mr. Udeme Ufot, in his presentation remarks, described Dr. Shobanjo as not just a business titan but a mentor, visionary, and institution builder whose influence extends far beyond the boardroom. “We stand here today to honour a man who didn’t just build agencies; he built an industry. Dr. Biodun Shobanjo has been a father figure to generations of practitioners, a pioneer who opened doors for countless professionals, and a standard-bearer for excellence in the industry,” Ufot noted.
Dr. Shobanjo’s contributions to advertising and marketing communications have earned him numerous national and international honours. He was adjudged Nigeria’s advertising man of the 20th century by Weekend Concord in 1999, and was honoured on November 14, 2014 with the award of the Most Important Personality in Advertising by African Development Magazine in Ghana.
Most recently, and just weeks before the LAIF Icon Award, Dr. Shobanjo was inducted into the Loeries Hall of Fame on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the 47th annual Loeries Awards ceremony held in Cape Town, South Africa, becoming the first West African to receive the prestigious honour since the award’s inception in 2008.
The Loeries Hall of Fame is the highest individual accolade of the Loeries Awards, Africa and the Middle East’s most prestigious platform for recognising excellence, innovation and creativity across the marketing communications landscape, reserved for exceptional leaders who have dedicated their careers to elevating creativity and professionalism in the industry.
In October 2022, Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari conferred on him the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) national honour, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the nation’s development through the private sector.
Shobanjo is a Fellow of the Commonwealth Journalist Association and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), a Chartered Member of the British Institute of Marketing, and a Member of the British Institute of Public Relations. He has also served as President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), helping to establish the professional standards and regulatory frameworks that govern the industry today.
Beyond his corporate achievements, Dr. Shobanjo is widely celebrated for his commitment to developing the next generation of African talent. His visionary approach to talent development and mentorship has created pathways for countless practitioners and entrepreneurs in the marketing communications ecosystem. His philosophy of discipline, excellence, and the relentless pursuit of innovation continues to shape the creative economy across West Africa.
A quiet philanthropist and public-spirited business leader he was inaugurated in February 2010 as the First Ambassador-General of the mass medical mission (mmm) of the National Cancer Prevention Programme (NCPP). In 2014, he donated the Biodun Shobanjo Multi-Media Centre of Excellence to the University of Lagos, ensuring that future generations of Nigerian students have access to world-class facilities for learning about media and communications.
In 2020, his life story was chronicled in the authorized biography “The Will To Win: The Story of Biodun Shobanjo,” written by award-winning business journalist Dotun Adekanmbi. The book, which Shobanjo described as “a legacy project intended to demonstrate how our Groups—Troyka Holdings, Insight Redefini, Halogen Group, arrived at where we are today in our industry,” has become required reading for young professionals seeking to understand the principles of entrepreneurship, persistence, and ethical business practice.