All Eyes on APCON’s New Helmsman
Raheem Akingbolu, who witnessed the inauguration of Mr. Udeme Ufot as APCON chairman, writes that stakeholders view his appointment as beginning of a new era in the advertising industry
It was a moment of truth as stakeholders in the marketing communications industry gathered last week to inaugurate a new council for Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). The event provided opportunities for practitioners and government to state their positions on salient issues affecting the industry.
The supervising minister, Federal Ministry of Information, Mr. Edem Duke who oversaw the event urged the new council to uplift advertising standard especially in the current milieu where unethical political adverts floods the entire media space and airtime without going through the Advertising Standards Panel for vetting.
“The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria for which I have the pleasure to inaugurate the 6th governing council is the custodian of professional and responsible conduct by all persons and institutions engaged in the business of advertising in Nigeria. Aside attitudinal problems, your code of advertising practice demands certain minimal standards of adherence to rules and regulations. I am talking about ideals of advertising practice namely, truth, honesty, decency and legality. This is in addition to respect for Nigeria’s cultural values and our national icons. I charge you today to apply yourselves to the unwavering discharge of these responsibilities with the resolve to lift the standard of advertising practice in Nigeria and accord the profession the level of respectability it deserves,” he said.
He said unethical behaviour, sharp practices and unbridled pursuit of money have all added up depreciating the value of the system.
“It is mandatory on APCON to encourage a much more serious adherence to responsibilities inherent in contracts with media houses and other groups. We can start today, at this inauguration of the 6th governing council to do things differently. We can resolve to rebuild and sustain a profession where our attachment to integrity and credibility should improve the perception of the profession and the industry generally,” he said.
Chairman, House Committee on Information and National Orientation, Rt. Hon. Buba Jibril, expressed concern over the manner in which politicians abuse the ethics of advertising.
He called on practitioners to frown on any attempt by politicians to frustrate their efforts to reform the industry.
Jubril, who represents Lokoja Federal Constituency in the lower chamber said: “Obey the law…I was watching the television yesterday and I saw terrible adverts, we cannot because of election tear this country apart. Those messages have the potential to tear the country apart”
Quoting President Goodluck Jonathan, the lawmaker pointed out that Nigeria is bigger than any individual, regardless of age or status. Feedback The inauguration ceremony gave opportunity to the immediate firmer chairman of the council, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, under whom the council embarked on reform, to review his activities in office.
He admitted that though most advert practitioners fail to vet their advert materials but that the compliance level has increased from 70 percent to over 75 per cent.
On the industry reform, he urged the new council to continue the reform, which has been gazzeted by the government.
While acknowledging the setbacks recorded by the council as a result of no substantive chairman in the last few months, he said the council would rather focus on the “Next Level”.
“With the gazetting of the 5th Code and the setting up of the main machineries for the implementation of the Licensing Regime, APCON has a major role to play in ensuring that there is a faithful adherence to what the laws say”.
He spoke on some of the issues that generated heat during his tenure and concluded: “I wish to reiterate again that the new regime is not in place to stop foreign players or discourage them. On the other hand, the purpose is to ensure that adequate and proper regulations are in place to ensure that this sector operates professionally.” Way forward After all said and done, the new chairman of the council, Ufot, promised to enhance standard practice and continue from where the last council stopped and improve on it.
“Today is indeed a glorious day for the advertising profession in Nigeria. It marks the end of 18 months of uncertainty, and the triumph of professionalism. It is also indicative of the power of the advertising industry when all sectoral groups act in one accord”.
He also spoke about the current challenges in the country, saying it was like an unbroken, choreographed chain of a victorious Olympic relay team.
“If government fails to commit to the growth of advertising industry in Nigeria, we would then be diminishing the capacity of our own market, whilst boosting the capacity of others. Our biggest resource is our people, especially our youth, 54% of whom are unemployed.”