ARCON DG charges inducted fellows to take leadership responsibility … Says fellowship is a call to duty

Oru Leonard 

The Director General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Fadolapo Olalekan, has charged newly inducted fellows to take leadership responsibility, saying that the fellowship category is a privilege and a call to duty.

Fadolapo made the call at the induction ceremony for the newly inducted fellows, which held at Sheraton Hotel Lagos, Friday, November 24, 2023.

ARCON DG explained that to date, 162 practitioners have been conferred with the fellowship, and the latest 38 will be admitted to the Body of Fellows during the 2023 National Advertising Conference in December.

According to him, Fellowship category is a privilege, it is not just because you have been there for 15 years, we need to look at the contribution of that person, look at his disciplinary record, ethical record and so many other things like that, so those are the thing that we have considered before they are been elevated to the category of fellowship.

“Fellowship is a call to duty, they need to rededicate themselves to what they have been doing because we picked from different categories now they are responsible for leadership, and mentorship, they should use their leadership trait to ensure that their newer ones that are coming to the industry to look at them as a model.

“If you are inducted as a fellow of any profession, you should know that it’s a special category and you are expected to take the leadership responsibility of the profession.”

Also speaking at the event, the former president of Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Ajufo, noted that the council received 45 applications, with 38 individuals recommended for fellowship. But unfortunately, seven applicants were unsuccessful.

Ajufo, therefore, congratulated all the newly inducted fellows and urged them to be dedicated.

Commenting on behalf of the newly inducted fellows, Group Managing Director of the Republicom Group, Tunji Adeyinka said, “Going through the list of inductees, I must say, it is humbling to see some people who I consider as mentors because they have done a lot of work and I can make bold to say that these fellows will carry high the flag of the Council even beyond the next generation. We are also grateful to the careful scrutiny of the council led by Emmanuel Ajufo and we also thank ARCON for its diligence.”

Fellowship in the advertising profession is the highest status, bestowed upon practitioners who’ve demonstrated excellence and significantly impacted the industry. Criteria include good academic qualifications, 15 years of consistent engagement in marketing communications, involvement in outstanding campaigns, service to the profession, intellectual or professional expressions, mentorship, and more.

The fellowship application process begins with practitioners submitting applications, which are then screened by an industry committee. ARCON, as the practice regulator for advertising, has the authority to confer the Fellowship at a public ceremony.

Top industry personalities that grace the event are, Tolulope Medebem, President of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN); Sola Akinsiku, President of the Outdoor Association of Nigeria (OAAN); Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi, Tunji Adeyinka, Group Managing Director of the Republicom Group; Chris Ndibe, CEO of CARLCON Group; Agama Emieseifa James, Head of Corporate Communications at Julius Berger Nigeria plc; Adetu Owoseni, Chairman/Group CEO of Ogilvy Nigeria Limited and Algorithm Media Limited; and Alaiyeluwa Oba (Dr.) Adeoriyomi Oluwasesan Oyebo (HRM), among others.