By Aduragbemi Omiyale
On Friday, April 2, 2021, four heavyweights in the integrated marketing communications (IMC) sector in Nigeria will be honoured with 2021 The Industry Lifetime awards.
The selected persons, according to a statement, would be conferred with the honour at this year The Industry Evening Summit to take place at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Ikeja in Lagos.
The awardees are the executive vice-chairman of Troyka Holdings, owners of Insight Redefini, Optimum Exposure, Halogen Security, Mr Feyijimi Awosika; the group managing director of CMC BCW, Mr Yomi Badejo-Okusanya; the group managing director of mediaReach OMD West and Central Africa, Mr Tolu Ogunkoya; and the group managing director of Oracle Experience, Mr Felix King Eiremiokhae.
The Industry Evening Summit has become a flagship platform that brings all the marketing and marketing communications professionals across the continent together annually.
According to the Chairman of the award committee, Mr Akin Adewakun, the honour for these deserving professionals is overdue, going by their antecedents in their chosen professions.
Mr Awosika, who has distinguished himself in creative advertising, has been a reference point in the industry for both older and younger professionals.
His professional career started early at the old Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) where he often worked in the newsroom as a vacation jobber. Upon graduation from the University of Lagos, he was posted back to the NBC for his service year and stayed on full-time for another 18 months as a senior sub-editor working mostly in radio.
For Mr Badejo-Okusanya, he is widely known to be one of the premier public relations practitioners in Nigeria with experience in the areas of Government Relations & Legislative Affairs, Perception Management, Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations and Crisis Communications.
He has handled corporate communication activities, issues, advocacy & crisis briefs, government and legislative relations; and public affairs management for high profile clients including the JAGAL Group, Airtel Nigeria, International Monetary Fund’s (IMF), British American Tobacco Nigeria, Transcorp, Renaissance Group, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Peugeot Nigeria Ltd, Shell, Virgin Nigeria.
On the part of Mr Ogunkoya, who is regarded as the pioneer in the media buying and selling industry, has led mediaReach OMD to an enviable height in the industry.
mediaReach OMD under his watch has won several accounts from MTN, Airtel, UAC Nigeria, and several other multinational brands.
Mr Eiremiokhae, who is regarded as a colossus in the experiential marketing industry, has significantly distinguished himself by orchestrated several mind-blowing activations such as Gulder Oceanliner club booster, Star Beer Eyoh Statutes, Gulder Create Cave, Peak Milk one million signature and Maggi First Lady activation among others.
The convener of the initiative, Mr Goddie Ofose, stated that the committee did a thorough job by selecting the best for this year.
Some of the high profile awards for the evening include Mr John Ugbe, the CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria for CEO of the Year; Casmir Ezeudu, chairman, Westgate Technologies for ICT Champion of the Year; Buchi Johnson, CIO Lilvera for Young IMC CEO of the Year; Stanbic IBTC Bank for Excellence in Promoting Gender-Based Empowerment, CACOVID- Best Private Sector Led Initiative, MultiChoice Nigeria for Excellence in Community Relations; Gboyega Akosile, the Chief Press Secretary to Lagos State Governor for Most Efficient Public Sector Spokesperson; and Anthony Chiejina, the Group Head, Corporate Communications, Dangote Group, for Most Efficient Private Sector Spokesperson.
Recall that in 2020, Lolu Akinwunmi, the former chairman of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, (APCON) and the group managing director of Prima Garnet; Udeme Ufot, the former APCON Chairman and GMD of SO&U; and Nna’emeka Maduegbuna, the GMD of CandF were named The Industry Lifetime awards winners.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Business Post Contributor