Rufai Ladipo, ex President, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and Managing Director, Scanad Advertising, a foreign agency currently running a skeletal operation in Nigeria, may be parting ways with the agency anytime soon if information at our disposal is anything to go by.
The embattled agency owned by Indian businessman Bharat Thakrar of the Scangroup, is a seamless state-of-the-art agency displaying a world class setting. With office located on the fourth floor of the prestigious keystone building in Victoria Island, Lagos, Scanad provides a classy work environment.
On a visit to the model agency, the visitor, except for a very scanty number of staff who sparsely occupy the vast office, is greeted with well cut out but empty work-stations. As one peeps from office to office and department to department, the well polished see-through glass partitioning aggravates the gawking emptiness. One does not need to squint to discover the ocean of barren seats just as the grave yard silence confirms business is seemingly on a permanent pause. This fact betrays the massive investment that has gone into setting up this superlative business environment.
Rufai had earlier revealed that he had to relieve 35 Nigerians of the jobs in the agency because the regulatory body, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and the sectoral body, AAAN are yet to grant the agency the needed license to practice in the country.
Though challenging, and yet, he says he blames no one for the steps taken that have left the agency in its present s precarious situation. “The law of the land provides that an aggrieved person can invoke the spirit of the laws to resolve knotty situations”
Although he claims no court has asked Scanad not to operate in Nigeria, he however volunteered “the point is that we have regulatory issues for now” in the same token, he exudes optimism that the issues will soon be sorted out and Scanad will be back in business in Nigeria.
Other platforms explored for possible resolution, he confirmed, had advised the contending parties to consider amicable resolution or wait for the court’s decision.
While the issue lingers, the Managing Director may be considering an alternative, he explains in a telephone chat that he does not feel good coming in every day without the business and still draws a salary at the end of the month.
Emphasising that he is not being pressurized, Mr. Ladipo expresses that he desires to be where things are happening and where he can contribute to the growth of the industry. “I love the industry so much, my conscience will not allow to be making money without adding real value”.
According to him, he would not want anybody to be surprised at his decision as it is borne out of personal conviction and ideals. “It is not because there is a dispute, the fact is that event at the best of conditions, I will still have to move on one day. I guess it’s about time I left to find my rhythm”, he confirms without been specific on the date he hopes to make this effective. {fcomment}
