The newly sworn-in president of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, (NIMN), Dr. Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi has assured marketing practitioners and other stakeholders in the nation’s marketing ecosystem of her administration’s commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability and raising the stakes higher at the marketing institute.
Bolajoko gave the assurance after being officially decorated with the insignia of office at the institute’s elaborate Investiture Ceremony, held in Lagos, recently.
The marketing guru, who was elected President and Chairman of Council of the institute, at the last Annual General Meeting of the institute, held earlier in the year, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, also expressed her administration’s determination to building on the legacies of her predecessors, whom, she believed, had done a good job of enhancing the status of the institute.
The new NIMN boss added that, while being president of the highly-revered marketing institute was never part of her career ambition, despite serving in different capacities within the institute’s governing board, she however expressed her readiness to serve and contribute her own quota to the growth of the institute, and marketing practice in the country.
“I’ve been part of the institute’s activities in the past few years, serving in different capacities, though my ambition had never been to preside over its affairs.
“But, I believe we are at a point where we are ready to make our voices louder. Marketing will be built on code of conduct and ethics, where everyone will be made accountable,” she reassured.
In her remarks at the event, the Guest Speaker, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, while congratulating the new NIMN President, charged her to make trust and integrity her watchwords, as she oversees the affairs of the institute for the next two years.
She urged the NIMN boss to establish a personal brand that thrives on integrity and transparency, since that would go a long way in impacting the NIMN brand positively
“For people to trust your product, to trust your brand, they have to trust you as a person. Make trust your watchword. People like to do business with those they can trust. That is why each and everyone of us should see ourselves as the number one brand for the company, or whatever organization, we represent,” the first female Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Plc stated.
But, the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, would want the industry to see the new NIMN leadership, from the perspective of the value they would be bringing to the institute.
“We should see Bolajoko as being elected into that office because she merited it, and not because she is a woman. She’s there because she has many things to offer,” Neliaku stated at the Investiture event.
Also congratulating Bolajoko on the new feat, the Director General Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr. Lekan Fadolapo assured the new president of the agency’s support, especially in the area of capacity building.
He added that collaboration between these two critical stakeholders in the industry had become imperative so as to assist the agency in its reforms aimed at moving the industry forward.
The Registrar of the institute, Thelma Okoh described the investiture ceremony as the formal handing over of mantle of leadership of the institute.
“It signifies a transition that embodies hope, vision and renewed commitment to our objectives. We are confident that under the President’s guidance, our institution will reach new and unprecedented heights,” she added.
