Why turning 80’s an opportunity to thank God for impactful transitions to help others, by Shobanjo

“In all honesty, one must be thankful to God for joining the Octogenarian class in a healthy state of mind, physically mentally, andwith some level of comfort, especially in a country where life expectancy is 53 years! I think it is a privileged club and it is one occasion that anyone should be excited and particularly grateful for.”

These were the exact words from Dr. Biodun Olusina Shobanjo, Nigeria’s foremost marketing communications practitioner and Chairman, Troyka Holdings while describing what it feels to clock eightyyears on earth. With a professional career spanning over five decades in Broadcasting and Advertising, Dr. BiodunShobanjo’s pioneering role in the country’s Marketing Communications Industry is legendary and unrivalled, filledwith an inspiring list of firsts.

In 1990, he established the Quadrant Company, Nigeria’s first PR Consultancy, in 1997, All Seasons Mediacom, Nigeria’s first Media Independent; in 2005, he set up a second Media Independent, Media Perspectives. Other specialist organisations in the Troyka Group, of which he is Chairman, include Optimum Exposures, 1984, and Halogen Security, 1992, an asset protection company, which employs over 19,000 people, nationwide.

It is often said that Dr. BiodunShobanjo means different things to different people – an amazing teacher, indefatigable career coach, an influentialmentor, serial entrepreneur, an exceptional inspiring leader,a disciplinarian, a silent philanthropist. Reacting to this viewand how he sees himself, personally, the iconic Nigerian Advertising Industry guru said he still seeshimself as that young Ijebu boy whocame to the center of Nigeria, Lagos at a relatively young age of nine in 1953 – 71 years ago.

According to Shobanjo “I am equally qualified to be called a Lagosian given the number of years I have been around. JK Randle alluded to this in his book many years ago, where he tells a story of the impact Lagos has made on some of us who came here very early in that era. I still reflect on that time, subconsciously, going back to those days, so many years down the line.

Thus, in defining who I am, I would say I am my parents’ child in the sense that I take after my father in almost every ramifications and that also did influence who I turned out to be in life. Interestingly, the totality of it all is to thank God for the transitions along the way which has also impacted on what I had been able to give to others, in terms of the descriptions that were made earlier.”

Speaking about the level of resilience, focus and tenacity involved in the endless list of his achievements and enduring legacies, the award-winning marketing communications strategist noted that “No one is worthy of being called a visioner if suchperson is unable to actualise what he/she envisioned. Itcalls for some elements of tenacity, where others would backsoff, you forge on, regardless of obvious challenges. The truth is that, not everybody is endowed with such ability. Perhaps, it may sound a bit immodest to claim that I have the ability to follow through to logical conclusion, as it were. However, I think it is fair to say that we were endowed with that ability to see most of the things we have done through to the very end. I have been able to demonstrate that.

There are too many examples to buttress this assertion. For instance, not many people would have predicted where Insight Communications got to today. This is because you cannot start an advertising company with just N128,000 as the opening working capital with ninety-five percent of it borrowed.

Indeed, it was inconceivableto start an advertising company with just one client on a meagre N15,000 revenue in a month! And then you have eighteen staff, including the Managing Director, to pay at the end of each month. Where key operational facilities: office furniture, air-conditioner, generating set, were on hire purchase. It was that tough. That person needed to have a form of “Can-do” spirit. Fortunately, with God on our side, we pulled through and we are where we are today.

This same mindset indeed could be tendered for starting a security company, when I knew almost next to nothing about the industry. However, at the time, all that we wanted to do was to establish a security firm that is far different from the regular and unique in multiple ways. Thus, with foreign technical expertise, we built a company that has capacity to achieve itsset goals The company, Halogen Security Services Limited is doing extremely well to the amazement of many saying “who are these guys?”

So, most of the things that we have done is borne out of that ability to envision and follow through. Like I said earlier, it requires some kind of mentality, it is attitudinal. Secondly, all that we have done were not motivated by money or profit. We were more concerned about providing solutions and put a different dimension to service delivery. That is what drives us to excellence – the ability to be different and deliver superior service. Therefore, we do not look for big money to support our projects. Our style is ‘start small, grow big’ as stated by Robert Collier, “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out”.

In all our companies, we have an understanding of how to progress along that line and deliver superior service for the benefit of clients. We are client service-oriented, always striving to give something that will make our clients better. To be fair, I think we have been able to do exactly that, as reasonably well, as we could.”

When he was asked if he ever had the dream of founding a corporate organisationwhen growing upand how Insight Communications came into existence, the renowned advertising guru said “I fell in love with broadcasting as a youngster. It was one of the best things to do at the time. Subsequently, the urge to be creative and do things differently was the result of my fast exposure as a professional broadcaster.

Thus, I was quick to recognise that broadcasting would never take me far.I recall that some people who moved from broadcasting into advertising at the time lived far more comfortable than others. Life became better for them after crossing to advertising – people like Chief Olu Falomo, late Prince Kehinde Adeosun, late Banjo Solaro, late Segun Okubunmi, Chief Femi Adeniyi-Williams, amongst others.

These were fantastic professionals and giants in those days and I aspired to be like them. I became very curious, especially when the advertising companies started coming to my place of work, the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation’s studios to produce their radio commercials. At the time I already had a certificate in Public Relations and I was very eager to put itto use.

Advertising agencies became my target. Uptill 1972 when the Nigerian Indigenisation Decree was promulgated, all the top advertising agencies were foreign companies.That law classifiedAdvertising as one of the businesses that must be owned and controlled by Nigerians,however there could be foreign partnerships. It was at that period that I joined Grant Advertising Limited.

Meanwhile, leaving Grant Advertising was a very tough decision. This was in 1979. As the Deputy Managing Director of the company, I had everything at my disposal.

I was well paid with two company cars and living in the company apartment. Life was good. But,suddenly, I threw all of that overboard to start a company that I could not predict its success. Athirty-four year oldwith a relatively young family – a wife and two young kids, 4 and 2 years old, respectfully. I had to start from ground zero with no financial backup. At the new office, 90 percent of the items there were on loan. It was tough! Thankfully, my wife had a car which the family used back then.”

Concerning thefactors attributable toInsight Communications’ success story, Shobanjoaffirmed that“In everything we do as human beings, we need a bit of luck and divine intervention. However, I think the mantra upon which Insight Communications was set up could be said to be responsible for the organisation’saccomplishments and staying power.At the inception, we choose a mantra which says “treat your staff well, provide exceptional and value-adding services to clients, fame and fortune will follow”. I said that in 1979 when the company was created. Therefore, for me, as a service-based business, I knew that at the heart of the success and the ability to be different are the people who work in the organisation. This means we have to recruit good staff at all time to deliver excellent service.

Today, on the eve of its 45th anniversary, Insight Communicationshas become the institution for many top advertising practitioners in Nigeria. We were able to build such an enduring and iconic brand, in spite of the prevailing harsh economic environment simply because we take our time in staff recruitment. We look for people who fit into our DNA. For us, it is not about the degree or certificate alone. Being a good staff goes beyond being technically sound or having a first class degree.

There are other parameters. Our recruitment policy is unique. Hence, do not be surprised when we hire someone with a second class lower degree ahead of another with a first class after our interview. Nonetheless, we do have staff with first class certificates, even doctorate degrees holders. Interestingly, Insight Communications is the first Nigerian advertising company to employ Ph. D holders.

Also, we are the first Ad agency to hire personnel from the clients’ side. We have a basket of requirements for a candidate to fit into our establishment. You have to be good in our own description. That is the centerpiece of our existence and we have followed this trajectory for forty-five years.
Thus, if you treat our staff well, do great work, so consistently, fame and fortune are assured. These are certain pillars on which we anchor our operations, namely: good people, great work that is done consistently – that is the kernel of our corporate philosophy.

Recently,we got 35,000 applications for our Management Training Programmewith just ten spots available! Our process of recruiting is very innovative and electronically done. Specifically, we appreciate recruiting from within; people who already understands our processes, our culture and the system as a whole. Truth is that it is really tough sustaining that simple mantra.”

On where he believes Insight Communications will be in the next ten years when he himself will be ninety years old, Shobanjopointed out that “The founders and promoters of most of the legendary and iconic brands we see around today have passed on, decades ago, yet their companies and legacies are still standing because theirManagements are holding on to the values of the founders like Toyota, Coca-Cola, Guinness, etc. If I drop dead tomorrow, Iassureyou that those basic corporate philosophy and culture of Excellence will be sustained.

Just like the mantra that I initiated 45 years ago. We still follow the processes that have taken us this far. More importantly, at the inception of the company, I was emphatic on saying this is not a family business, it is a company for Nigerians. At Insight Communications, we are blind to race, class, ethnicity, religion or tribe. Here, we are guided by meritocracy. There is no room for favoritism. I tell you a story of a niece of mine who participated in our Management TrainingProgramme many years ago and she was dropped after she had passed through the initial tests, the first, second, third but could not make it at the last stage to be appointed.

For a whole year, she refused to talk to me because she could not understand why she was not employed, after all,her uncle was the Chairman of the company. Her mother called and said Biodun, your daughter could not get employed by your office, why? I said Sister, it does not work like that. There are processes. I then called for my niece’s results whichshowed that she was twenty-fourth on the performance list.Then, I asked the mother whether she would suggest that we rather drop other candidates who did better and have her as a replacement? I said that is not the way we are trying to build the company. Her mother respected the judgment and that was when my niece reversed herself and started talking to me. But like I said, I was not bothered. I hope she learned some lesson from the experience.

From Day One, I said thisorganisation is for Nigerians, not a family business. No brother, uncle, sis, nephew or niece can come pressuring anyone for employment. And I made myself an example to other colleagues in not bending the rules. Therefore, whether I am there when I turned 90 or not, the processes, philosophy, and culture as the foundation of the company will be sustained. That is exactly what goes on in all our sister companies, the rule of engagement is the same. I do not even go to those offices but I can tell you they try as humanly as possible to do the right thing at all time. That is the assurance and key factor that guarantees our sustainability in terms of quality of service, attitude, added value, whether I am around or not.

It is an important lessonfor the young people – there is no shortcut to success.Do not be deceived! Nothing good comes so easy. Yeah. You may find a few odd cases but it is not the norm and this present generation needs to understand that. Using Elon Musk or any of the few billionaires as parameter for fast and phenomenal success is erroneous. How many of such people can you count in a world with almost 8 billion people? This is an error of judgement.Even before Elon Musk started producing electric cars, he had subjected himself to a lot of critical thinking, many trial and errors.

I am of the school of thought that there are processes before one can get to what could be described as a soft ground. You have to go to school, acquire knowledge, build a skill, acquire a bit of experience and then launch out to do whatever you have as your dream. Those processes are key and they are the things I will tell anyone who aspire to grow up successfully including my biological children. As their father, I told them the story of my struggles before I got to where I am today.”

Over the last two decades, Dr. Biodun OlusinaShobanjo has earned more than 50 national and international awards and recognitions for professional excellence and integrity, outstanding leadership and remarkable contributions to both the marketing communication industry and national development. Notable amongst these are: Advertising Man of All Time; Most Influential Personality in Advertising in Africa; Africa Brand Leadership Excellence Award; Zik Prize in Leadership – to mention a few.