Filling the one slot provided for the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) on the national conference committee is causing a rift within the association and the industry in general.
Investigations reveal that tempers are running high with the alleged decision to have the President represent the body at the national conference while the opposition claims that elders in the industry are accomplices by silence.
The antagonists alleged the President, Mrs. Bunmi Oke, usurped her position as President to nominate herself and got it ratified by a minority Exco in a sham exco meeting. The group believes the appropriate approach should have been to set out a proper modality and conditions to be met by anyone who should represent the body at the conference. “That is the only way we can put out best foot forward to earn the respect of all.”
According to this group, in a bid to legitimize the alleged single handed decision to represent the body at the conference, the president on Friday, 14th February, called an emergency meeting of the executive council and those in attendance ratified the President’s nomination for the conference without an input from the Board of Trustees (BOT)
Speaking on the issue, Czar of Advertising and Chairman, Troyka Holdings, Biodun Shobanjo, while pointing out that the BOT of the association is not a member of the association says “the AAAN as a body should have the responsibility, as well as determine the parameters, for choosing it’s representative”.
Informed of the alleged “improper” nomination of the President to the conference, Mr. Shobanjo as an elder reckons “I am sure the choice of the President must have been through a democratic process one way of the other.”
The Chairman, AAAN BOT, Mr. Ayo Owoborode like other well meaning practitioners, sees the invitation to the conference as a very positive development for the entire industry. Like Mr. Shobanjo cautioned on the role of the BOT, he submits “AAAN is guided by its constitution, the BOT plays largely advisory roles to the executive board”.
Also reacting to the issue, Lolu Akinwunmi, Chairman, Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria (APCON), points out that the AAAN constitution is very clear on issues of this nature, “Apart from the election to APCON, if the AAAN President is interested, the Exco will meet and vote. If the President wins majority vote, he or she will represent the association. However, if the President is not interested the Exco can ask for nominations from its members and then conduct an election”
Similarly, a member of the Exco who is not in consonant with the development sees a charade in the process of nomination and emergence of the president as the representative of the association. Pointing out that the event itself (getting a slot on the conference) should be a big leveraging platform for the association, alleged that the leading lights and leaders in the industry are accomplices by being silent on issues that will affect future the industry.
According to him, the government’s letter asking for one nomination to the conference arrived two weeks earlier, but surprisingly association did nothing but sat on the letter until last Thursday between 2 – 3pm when it issued a circular calling for an emergency meeting for a 9am the next day (Friday).
Our source who represents the school of thought that the entire process is indeed a premeditated charade, reveals that only five out of 11 members attended the meeting adding that it’s laughable when five out of 11 members formed a quorum for a meeting of such magnitude.
“I will know why six members could not make the meeting, but it is obvious the timing was so fixed with some sinister motives in mind. Suffice to say only five members including the nominee and close associates on the exco attended making it easy to achieve their desired objective of making it easy for the President to emerge as representative.” He submits that the action lacks credibility and belittles the association.
Concluding on his earlier position in what sounds in the interest of equity and justice for all parties concerned, the APCON Chairman suggests that antagonists to the emergence of the AAAN President do have a legitimate right protest, advising that they should take the issue up properly if they feel so aggrieved. Your comments on the issue will be appreciated here please. {fcomments}
