The Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo has said that the current sweeping reforms in advertising industry are not to strangulate the industry but to avoid massive casualties in future.
He said this at the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) Stakeholders’ Forum held recently at Sheba Event Centre, Ikeja Lagos. The Forum was organised by ASP, a statutory organ of ARCON.
Dr. Fadolapo also said that the forum was put in place to discuss responsible advertising as regards statutory regulations to avoid security challenges that could arise out of irresponsible communications.
He noted that the one-day event was not the end of the conversation but a continuous one, in his words, “Although this may be a one-day event, the forum is a continuous conversation. We are poised to enhance the level of compliance in advertising with continuous conversations. If you still want to get answers or more clarity, we are available.”
He expressed appreciation to all attendees including some top guns in the industry like, Alhaji Bello Kankarofi, former ARCON Registrar; Idorenyen Enang, President of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN); Osamede Uwubanmwen, President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN); Tolulope Medebem, President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN) among other key personalities and experts present at the event.
Also speaking at the event, Barr. Charles Odenigbo, a legal expert spoke elaborately on compliance with the ethical code and law of advertising. He said, “Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, when you are in doubt, consult your lawyer. We cannot leave this place without talking about the law.
The law has come to take its stand and whatever we do today must be guided by the law and the law is very clear, beware of section 34 of the new Act, and be mindful of sections 54 and 57 of the Act. Be very familiar with sections 60 to 63 of the Act, and be familiar with the code of advertising if you are in doubt get a lawyer to distill the provisions and guide you.
“We have to leave this place with the knowledge that unwholesome advertisement, advertising and marketing communication must be brought to an end in this country. The digital platforms and traditional media (newspapers) are not excluded. The advertisers are the ones that stand to benefit most and the media, and the advertisers are the greatest beneficiaries, but the media and the advertisers are the greatest violators. I hope that before we leave this place today, we will address this matter.”
The event was well attended by stakeholders in the industry including sectoral heads. Some of the dignitaries are Osamede Uwubanmwen, President of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN); Tolulope Medebem, President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN); Femi Adelusi, President, Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN); Idorenyen Enang, President, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN); Jibe Ologeh, President, Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria (EMCOAN); Alhaji Bello Kankarofi, Registrar, former Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria (now ARCON) and among others.
