The grand hall of the Jewel Aida Event Center in Lekki for the recently held Nigeria Marketing Awards, NMA, was packed with marketers, captains of industry and other professionals when Tony Agyemnonmen, Founder of NMA, took to the stage to re-emphasise that this is an integrity and merit based award.
Clearing up any misconceptions that winners need to pay or buy tables to win an NMA award, Agenmonmen, founder of the four-year-old initiative, stressed that NMA is based on integrity – the same principle that sets it apart from most others.
“Many people still call and ask, “How much do we have to pay to ensure we win?” or “How many tables do we have to buy to get the awards?” And our answer is 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.”
However, he appealed to every marketing-driven company, agencies and stakeholders in the marketing eco-system to support the award
According to Agyemonemen, “The Nigerian Marketing Awards was created for the entire marketing community – not just a few sponsors or partners. This platform belongs to all of us. If we are to truly build a world-class brand that stands shoulder to shoulder with the best globally, we need the full weight of your sponsorship support. Let us come together to ensure that this symbol of marketing excellence continues to shine”.
Steve Babayko, Group CEO/Chief Creative Officer, X3M Ideas, speaking philosophically on 'Whispers That Move Mountains' at the event said that sometimes, the most powerful forces in life are not the loudest. They appear slowly, like a breath, like a thought, like a whisper.
Comparing things that later become great to the Iroko tree, Babayko, who is a visiting fellow at Britain's Henley Business School, said innovation is often silent in its early stages and every meaningful change in the world was once something that only one person could hear.
He linked whispering to nation building, saying there is no dearth of talent in Nigeria. There is no shortage of talent in Africa. “We need renewed confidence in our narrative. The whisper speaking to our generation is clear: we must tell our own stories, create our own institutions, protect our cultural identity, and shape the world on our own terms”.
