The grand hall of Jewel Aeida event centre in Lekki was filled by marketers, captains of industry and other professionals for the Nigeria Marketing Award, NMA held recently as Tony Agenmonmen, founder of the NMA, mounted the stage to re-emphasise that it is integrity and merit base award.
Clarifying any misconceptions that winners need to pay or purchase tables to win an NMA award, Agenmonmen, founder of the four-year-old initiative, stressed that the NMA is anchored on integrity — the very principle that sets it apart from most others.
“Many still call and ask, “How much do we need to pay to be sure of winning?” Or “how many tables do we have to buy to get an award?” And our answer remains the same as it was on the night of our inaugural edition: “At the Nigerian Marketing Awards, awards are not for sale — not for purchase — not for influence.”
He however appealed to every marketing-driven company, agencies and stakeholders in the marketing eco-system to support the award
According to Agenmonmen, “the Nigerian Marketing Awards was created for the entire marketing community — not for a few sponsors or partners alone. This platform belongs to all of us. If we are to truly build a world-class brand that stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best globally, we need the full weight of your sponsorship support. Together, let us ensure that this symbol of marketing excellence continues to shine”, he said.
Steve Babaeko is the Group CEO/Chief Creative Officer of X3M Ideas who spoke philosophically on ‘Whispers that move mountains’ at the event said sometimes, the most powerful forces in life are not loud. They appear softly like a breath, like a thought, like a whisper”.
Comparing things that later turn great to Iroko tree, Babaeko who is a Visiting Fellow at Henley Business School, UK, said innovation is often quiet in its early stages and that every meaningful change in the world was once something only one person could hear.
Relating whispers to nation building, he said Nigeria is not short of talent. Africa is not short of brilliance. “What we need is a renewed confidence in our own narrative. The whisper speaking to our generation is clear: we must tell our own stories, build our own institutions, defend our cultural identity, and shape the world on our own terms”.
