Litmus Test for Akinwunmi and Co-Travellers

The rebranding Nigeria campaign has generated virile discourse in the media in recent times. Its almost serial failures have raised serious concerns among professionals, the populace and the government itself.
M2 particularly generated a very rich debate on the issue which is on-going. Marketing Communications and Branding experts too numerous to mention have constructively criticized the programmes. The Akunyili regime is no exception. Based on the Minister’s outlined agenda and programme of action, the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) also caused its 36th AGM/Congress to build its theme around the issue of “Rebranding, Repositioning or Repackaging”. The conference offered opportunity for a thorough dissection of the issues at stake. Sadly enough the Minister was not present to take learning from the august gathering. The snobbish attitude of the minister, to say the least, infuriated the professionals that gathered to  host her. However, as the supervising ministry, the heads of advertising agencies had no choice but to stomach the ugly incidence. However, the lead speaker, an accomplished and brilliant professional, Sir Steve Omojafor, did justice to the issue by dissecting Akunyili’s rebranding project. The lead speaker submitted that a total repair reorientation is needed before talking about rebranding. M2 chose to be direct and titled its report on the AGM: “AAAN takes Rebranding to the Cleaners”. For the association, this was too acidic and too direct. They chose to be diplomatic. The communiqué issued by the association particularly on the rebranding subject read in part: “The Association agreed on the need to improve the image of the country through a rebranding exercise, but believe that greater buy-in from Nigerians including corporate entities will be achieved when it is supported by fixing some aspects of our national life.”
On this column, apart from other writings, we have vociferously supported that the industry and allied professionals should be given the opportunity to have a say in this issue that is solely their primary reason of being. This was captured in the edition titled “Honourable Minister, Humble Pie for your Consideration”.
Shopfloor’s “Honourable Minster, Humble Pie for your Consideration” was not a bolt from the blues. It was actually a sequel to a previous edition of the column which asked “Do we really have an Industry here”. The long and short of these stories is that they are clarion calls on the minister, who incidentally is a pharmacist by calling, to fall back on thoroughbred professionals to achieve her laudable goal of a rebranded Nigeria.
It is bad enough that the minister does not know much on this subject. But it will be suicidal to continue to ignore professionals’ consultations.
While I have taken several swipes at the minister with due respect, as an objective writer, I make bold to say that the minister deserves a pat on the back considering the events of the last two weeks. She is proving to be the listening type.
The minister appointed Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, Group Managing Director, Prima Garnet Ogilvy, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Rebranding Business Support Group. The group’s primary responsibility is to help realize the objectives of the Rebranding Nigeria Project in terms of reorientation and attitudinal change for Nigerians.
Akinwunmi, who is the recent past president of the AAAN and the secretary of the technical committee on rebranding, was described as “a lone voice in the wilderness”. He is expected to work closely with the Information and Communications Ministry in order to establish the necessary structures for the operation of the group and constitute members required for its urgent and effective take-off. Good. At least for once, the ministry has hearkened to the voice of the industry. As Chief Executive, Akinwunmi has the ultimate power in the matters of rebranding Nigeria. This is, however, a litmus test for the industry’s professional competence. Now is the time to walk the talk while the minister, at least, heaves a sigh of relief. Over to you big Lolu . Uneasy lies the ….