FOR the nation’s advertising industry to witness the much sought-after growth, and contribute its quota to national economy, the need to bridge the yawning gap between the academia and practitioners in the industry has become imperative.
This common position was taken by the resource persons at the maiden edition of the Advertising Industry Colloquium, organized by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), held in Lagos, recently.
The speakers, comprising industry practitioners, lecturers from the nation’s higher institutions, and regulators, noted that the industry is gradually unbundling, with traditional advertising structures giving way to more sub-sectors. They, therefore, called for increased collaboration that will keep lecturers and students of Advertising and Mass Communications abreast of such trends and developments.
In his Keynote Presentation, the CEO, Corporate Sheperd Ltd, and President, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Mr. Idorenyen Enang, called for synergy that would result in complete disruption of the nation’s advertising ecosystem.
According to him, it has become imperative for the academia and industry practitioners to come together and agree on a new curriculum that will enable the town and the gown in advertising be on the same page.
The NIMN president identified technology and disinformation as some of the greatest challenges that will impact the industry, while also stressing the imperatives for the industry to prepare the younger generations of the practitioners for such challenges.
“How are we preparing the younger ones, especially the students, for these challenges? Are they even aware such challenges exist? How are the practitioners and lecturers of advertising ensuring that the town and gown are on the same page, and, at the same time, adequately prepared to weather the storm? I think the earlier we begin to think in that direction, the better,” he stated.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, noted that the convergence of the academia and core business practitioners will profitably motivate the industry, especially the young generation, whose talents and skills are still at the formative stages.
The Minister, who was represented by the Ministry’s Director, Public Communication, Sani Baba, commended the efforts of ARCON in ensuring that advertising is ethically practised in Nigeria.
The Minister stated that the Ministry not too long ago, removed the obstacles, standing in the way of the apex body, from achieving its full potential of regulating the business and practice of advertising in Nigeria, by repealing the Advertising Practitioners (Registration) Act.
In his remarks, the Director General of ARCON, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, described the colloquium as part of the council’s efforts at ensuring that the multi-billion naira sector earn its much-desired respect.
According to him, the yawning gap existing between the academia and the industry, poses an existential threat to the industry.
“For instance, despite the unbundling being witnessed in the sector, with different sub-sectors springing up by the day, what we still see in many tertiary institutions show that there is still a yawning gap between the academic and the professionals.
“The purpose of this colloquium therefore is to bridge the knowledge gap in terms of business and practice, between theory and practical, in the industry, hence the idea of the colloquium,” he stated.
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