The Regional Chief Executive Officer of Omnicom Media Group (OMG), West and Central Africa (WeCA), Tolu Ogunkoya, is dead.
Ogunkoya passed on in the United Kingdom on Tuesday, April 25, according to a statement by his family, leaving behind an indelible footprint in the marketing communication industry.
Until his death, he was the Chairman of a 15-member ministerial task team set up by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, in January 2022, to fashion out and implement five fundamental reforms.
The agenda would ensure the recovery of the advertising and broadcast sectors in Nigeria, within the next few years, working closely with the Directors-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
Ogunkoya was inducted as the 87th Fellow of the practice in Nigeria in 2010 and served as a council member and Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IOD) Nigeria. He was also an alumni member of the Lagos Business School and the Ashridge Business School in Berkhamsted, UK.
The late communications expert started his advertising career 33 years ago at then Insight Communications, distinguishing himself as a thoughtful and reliable young executive.
He was at SO&U for almost 10 years, where he became a key member of the leadership team working simultaneously as the media lead for the agency, when he headed an Account Service Team.
READ ALSO: Retain Two Ministerial Slots For Kwara, Youths Urge Tinubu
“Early 1999, he was head hunted and became the pioneer CEO of MediaReach Nigeria (now known as mediaReach OMD). At the organisation, Ogunkoya assembled and led a team of determined advertising executives to set standards by which the industry now leverage,” the statement added.
“With his team at mediaReach OMD, he set new standard of professionalism, driven by technology and innovations in the practice of media strategy, planning, buying and implementation in Nigeria, and the West African sub-region.
“Under his leadership, mediaReach OMD introduced the Nigerian Media Facts Book in 2001, which has become the industry bible for media audience data and trends for the Nigeria Marketing Communications Industry.”
The scope of the publication was later expanded in 2006 to cover countries in West and Central Africa, written in English and French as “Nigeria/West & Central Africa Media Facts Book.”
The marketing communication guru was bestowed with numerous laurels and commendations including the MIPAN’s Outstanding Advertising Media Personality (OMP) for three decades in 2021, TIES – The Industry Award 2020 – Lifetime Award Winner (of three recipients in 2020), and the Brand Journalist Association of Nigeria (BJAN) Excellence Award 2018 as the Most Professional Media Practitioner in Nigeria.
Other achievements include the Outstanding Contributor to the Media Industry in the Marketing Award 2016, the Success Digest Enterprise Award, and the Male Entrepreneur of the Year 2011,
His legacy in the integrated marketing communication industry especially, media independence (strategy and management) remains indelible
He is fondly remembered by his wife, children, family and the entire marketing communication industry.
