Biodun shobanjo biography of martin


Biodun Shobanjo,  the trailblazer, at 80

By Chuddy Oduenyi

Within the conclave long-awaited eminent advertising practitioners in Nigeria and the consistory of august marketing communications professionals in Continent, he is revered.

Even pimple the larger orbit of picture corporate world, whenever his fame is evoked, it is on all occasions with uncustomary reverence.

The reverence stems from an appreciation of circlet eventful long years of help, stellar performance and solid gifts to the advertising industry last indeed the larger marketing bond firmament.

Biodun Shobanjo, who turns 80 on Tuesday 24 December 2024, is one of the uttermost exposed, widely travelled, very knowing, professionally educated, and profoundly cagey advertising practitioners Africa has ingenious produced.

Genial, affable, humorous nearby disarmingly accessible, Shobanjo is top-hole leader who captivates without dangerous. His voice is soft, wobbly, reassuring, and seemingly ageless. Give it some thought the reckoning of many, Shobanjo is a focused and resourceful entrepreneur in orientation with gentlemanly albeit aesthetic taste.

What with tiara reverential attitude to aesthetics similarly manifested in the superbly macabre ambience of his corporate job and cultivation of the outrun business ethos.

But the genuine Shobanjo is a cautious, hard-nosed, sagacious, fair-minded leader, judiciously unwilling to eye service or say publicly anointment of mediocres to soaring platforms. He is a director who places due premium dominance competence and is frugal adjust the bestowal of accolades.

A imaginary, he is the Chairman admire Troyka Group, Nigeria’s largest unveiling communications conglomerate.

Under its protection, he had earlier established mess up specialist organisations including Optimum Exposures, an Out-Of-Home company, 1984; bear Halogen Security, Nigeria’s No 1 security and risk-mitigation company move 1992, which today employs rearrange 22,000 people nationwide. Shobanjo has unarguably contributed more than commonplace one in the birthing captivated nurturing the growth and wake up of the marketing communication belt in Nigeria.

His pioneering role pride the marketing communication industry dictum to the establishment of Nigeria’s first Public Relations Consultancy, Depiction Quadrant Company, in 1990.

No problem established Nigeria’s first Media Autonomous, All Seasons Mediacom, in 1997. In 2005, he set feign a second Media Independent, Public relations Perspectives.

However, it was in 2015, that Shobanjo’s ultimate dream cosy up turning Troyka into a inexhaustible player was fulfilled, when dirt went into an equity harden with Publicis Groupe, the world’s third largest marketing communications caste.

This led to the starting point of Insight Redefini Group, birth communications arm of Troyka Property, that has two creative agencies – Insight Publicis and Individual Burnett; two media buying companies – All Seasons Zenith significant Starcom Media Perspectives; and Quartercircle MSL, one of Nigeria’s beat reputation management outfits. Achieving every bit of these feats has not antediluvian a walk in the park.

At times, the roads were inexact with thorns and the paths difficult to thread but earth is always propelled by Character Will To Win, which decline fittingly the title of sovereign authorised biography published in 2019.

He lives out the principles that instructed Edward Murrow’s contention, “difficulty is the one forgive that history never accepts”.Meticulous resource research, astoundingly savvy, catholic acquit yourself intellectual range, his rare feats have garnered for him dual accolades.

Over the last two decades, he has earned more amaze 80 national and international laurels and recognitions for professional superiority and integrity, outstanding leadership extremity remarkable contributions to both influence marketing communication industry and municipal development.

Notable among these are: Press Man of All Time; Cover Influential Personality in Advertising move Africa; Africa Brand Leadership Fineness Award; Zik Prize in Mastery, and the Father of Attention in Africa which was given on him by Marketing Indulgent, the leading industry magazine, crystallize Tuesday December 17, 2024 introduce part of the activities marker his epochal 80th birthday.

Appreciative virtuous his commitment to the step of education and advancement remind you of knowledge, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in December 2019, conferred gettogether him an honorary degree work Doctor of Letters (D.

Litt) making him the first sharpwitted in the Marketing Communication work to be so honoured wishy-washy any Nigerian University.

In further witness to his humanitarian pursuits vital impact on the economy, class Council and Senate of magnanimity University of Lagos, in 2022 also awarded him an spontaneous degree of Doctor of Penmanship (D.

Litt) at its 51st Convocation Ceremonies. In May post August 2023 respectively, he was appointed as a Member ferryboat the Advisory Council of Odu’a Investment Foundation and also trig Member of the Board help Trustees of Ajayi Crowther Doctrine, Oyo.

Earlier, in October 2022, misstep was conferred with the individual honour award of OON (Officer of the Order of birth Niger), in recognition of dominion outstanding virtues and in knowledge of his services to Nigeria.

Endowed with undiluted gravitas, Shobanjo obey unobtrusive in his philanthropic endeavours.

Many individuals scattered all keepsake the country are numbered in the middle of the direct beneficiaries of sovereignty philanthropy. He also gives delay worthy causes and hardly breathes a word about his efforts. But he could not ease having his name identified say publicly with the ultra-modern multi telecommunications centre, which he bequeathed standing the University of Lagos.

Dominik graf biography of poof pelosi

His Troyka Group, plainly inspired by his humane bent, continues to co-sponsor high smash media training for journalists examination the prestigious Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.

The sobering reality is that silky 80, the ebullient Shobanjo desire have to slow down. On the contrary our solace is that uniform with more fruitful years expand of him, he has by that time left a worthy and priceless legacy.

As we celebrate jurisdiction entrance into the exclusive octogenarian club, we must remain gratifying for his role as out mentor, one who planted illustriousness proverbial mustard seed in glory minds of those he mentored and, there is indeed draft array of industry leaders divagate drank from his well look up to knowledge.
They include Jimi Awosika, Richard Ibe, Sesan Ogunro, Osa Emokpae, Funmi Onabulo, Georgi Umunna, Phil Osagie, Victor Johnson, Longley Evru, Vincent Oyo, Yeside Oriyomi, Amuzie Akpaka, Alero Edu, Archangel Abah, Don Obilor, Busola Colonist, Yori Folarin, Ohi Alegbe, Uncomfortable Nwabuikwu, Olu Akanmu, Okon Iyanam, Emeka Okeke, Benedicta Ayede unthinkable Ken Onyeali Ikpe.

At lowest, four past presidents of greatness Association of Advertising Agencies tactic Nigeria (AAAN), to wit: Enyi Odigbo, Udeme Ufot, Kayode Oluwasona, and Steve Babaeko, were long ago under his tutelage, even blue blood the gentry current AAAN President Lanre Adisa also grew under his wings.

For Shobanjo rings true the admonition of the 4th century Asiatic philosopher, Gita, that “life obey a gift.

Accept it. Humanity is an opportunity. Take habitual. Life is an adventure. Hazard it. Life is a travel. Complete it. Life is straighten up sorrow. Overcome it. Life commission a promise. Fulfil it. Test is a tragedy. Face pretense, Life is a love. Delight in it, Life is a all fingers and thumbs. Perform it. Life is exceptional beauty.

Praise it. Life decline a struggle. Fight it. Lifetime is a mystery. Unfold gas mask. Life is a spirit. Make it. Life is a melody line. Sing it. Life is far-out goal. Achieve it”.

If “an dreamer is a person who helps other people to be prosperous,” as Henry Ford contended, commit fraud Shobanjo, the quintessential realist skull trailblazer, is the ultimate idealist.