ALLAN OLABODE
ALLAN OLABODE: THE TRAIL BLAZER
Allan Olabode, chief executive officer of 21st Century Communications Limited, is a man who believes in blazing new trails as a way of keeping ahead of the competition. An advocate of total marketing, he says 21st Century Communications "is a departure from the old status quo of advertising, into a new century of specialised marketing and promotions." He adds: "we are already into the 21st Century mentally, that is the vision behind the setting up of the outfit."
To actualise this dream, Olabode keeps the outfit very manageable. But he insists on getting the best human materials available. Recruitment of staff is based on merit and professional competence. 21st Century Communications is set to begin doing what is expected of marketing companies ahead of their time. The focus is on integrated marketing employing the best information technology available. The firm is one of the most capitalised marketing commercial outfits in the country today. It is fully computerised with the latest into tech support systems. It is one of the most vibrant advert agencies indeed a specialised marketing outfit different from any other agency. It receives invitation for pitches regularly rather than run after businesses.
Olabode has given himself the mandate to nurture this new baby to maturity. It is a very challenging task as it involves toppling the status quo. But he believes that divine intervention in management will make the difference, as "there are no superstars in management." He believes there is a hand of providence in a pertinent but stubborn young man who takes his time to learn any business. "In advertising" he says, "you think of what to learn," He is a very pragmatic man and likes to be a strategist in planning his company's activities.
Olabode subscribes to gradual privatisation for NITEL and NEPA but thinks that there are people with vested inerests close to government who may derail it. He criticises VISION 2010 for taking a cur from the economy of the Asian Tigers. The state of mind is important, not just a vision. "As far as Nigeria is concerned, there cannot be stability in this country, so foreign investors cannot comes. It is a political agenda rather than an economic agenda, and you have to be there to implement it. VISION 2010 is laudable but modelling it after the Asian Tigers which have been shown to be vulnerable is the problem," he submits.
Olabode has the late Obafemi Awolowo as his role model because he was not hypocritical. Rather, he was a pragmatic realest. Olabode started his advertising practice in Lintas, Lagos, after graduating in sociology from the University of Ibadan. He rose to become client service manager in Lintas before joining Promoserve in 1982, where he spent 15 years. He was its chief executive for 10 years. He set up 21st Century Communications Limited in 1997.
Newswatch June 29, 1998
" Newswatch 1998