For any institution to thrive, the need for unity, peace and tranquility must be given audience. Over the last few months, there’s been serious agitation as to which marketing institute is the rightful one. A glimpse into the happenings in both bodies shows that all is not well.

The calmness experienced by other professional institutes across the land appears elusive at the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), the apostle of marketing professionalism.

The pointer is that the institute is divided, with one side led by Chief Femi Odufowokan and the other by Chief Lugard Aimiuwu bearing same name, logo, and mission, but with different councils, offices and websites.

Aside the above, they both at different times had inducted new members and ran parallel programmes, which runs contrary to Act (CAP 144 2003 No. 25) that established the institute.

However, the above development has cast doubt on the integrity and credibility of the institute’s certificates, hence a looming danger hangs over the profession in Nigeria.

Different reasons have been advanced for the institute’s current state of health. Those loyal to Odufowokan had said that  Aimiuwu is reluctant to quit the stage having served out his provisional term as President/Chairman of Council of NIMN. Others argued that  Aimiuwu- led council has failed to understand what it takes to manage a professional institution and could not distinguish between a club, an association and a professional institute.

It would be recalled that Aimiuwu’s council in September 2010 during the preparation of the first marketing conference stated that Odufowokan’s camp had hacked into the institute’s web site, cloned its logo and claimed to have formed a parallel body.

The activities of this factional body was reported to the police who claimed to have swooped on them, carted away their computers and gadgets. However, investigations later revealed that the factional office of NIMN at Palmgroove was still running as at Press time.

The crisis started when Odufowokan’s camp published an advertorial in some national newspapers in September last year, claiming to be in charge of the institute. The group also took further action by announcing the postponement of all earlier scheduled programmes and events planned by the Aimiuwu-led council, particularly the marketing summit in Port Harcourt in September 2010.

However, the alleged postponement never took place as the Aimiuwu camp went ahead with the summit in Port Harcourt. The impasse took new dimension when Aimiuwu council declared that 11 members suspected to be championing the confusion have been sacked.

Since then, NIMN has been operating under one name, one logo but different offices, councils, presidents laying claim to the soul of the institute.

Speaking with Odufowokan on his election, he said, “I was elected as President and Chairman-in-Council, NIMN at the annual general meeting held in August 2010. Before my election, I had been an active player in the marketing communications industry.

I manage a company which focuses on communication strategy. Apart from that, I am the founder of the then Chartered Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, which was merged with the Nigerian Marketing Association by the National Assembly in 2003 to form the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN).”

But at what point did the institute get to this level, Odufowokan said, “When we need somebody to take charge temporarily after the merger, I went to see Chief Sylva Emoekpere, the deputy president, at their secretariat because we had a council meeting that day. Eventually, we agreed and documented it that somebody should be the chairman-in-council for a year. That was how the whole thing started, he recounted.

“But it got a time when the man started showing another Teaching Hospital (LUTH), said PURE IT – tested, proven by both local, national and international bodies, is highly cost efficient, removes even traces of chlorine and can generate high volumes of purified water at a very low cost.

Panasonic bags Best Pavilion award

The 2011 Lagos International Trade Fair has come and gone, but its ripple is still very much with us. The trade fair also proved to be an opportunity to honour Panaserv Nigeria Limited, as the Best Pavilion of the 2011 Lagos International Trade Fair. This award brings to three the number of awards received by the company within a month.

The African Marketing Business School in collaboration with Institute of Direct Marketing of Nigeria, first recognized Panaserv with the Pan African Brand Award as the most admired air conditioning, home theatre systems and other electronics trading brand of the decade.

On the heels of the Pan African award came that of the Institute for Government Research & Leadership Technology with the Gold Award as the Best Electronic Brand. Fielding questions on the spate of recognitions, Mr. Swamy, the company’s marketing manager revealed that “this underscores the quality of the Panasonic brand and the company’s emphasis on customer service delivery.

Panaserv Nigeria Limited, is the sole franchise owner of the Panasonic brand in Nigeria. The company markets all Panasonic electronic appliances which include its range of world class Air-conditioners, Viera LCD/LED/Plasma Televisions, Lumix digital video and still cameras, and various home appliances that have brought joy and satisfaction to ,many Nigerian homes.

Our probe at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce, the controlling body of the yearly Lagos International Trade Fair, reveal that the decision to name the Panaserv Pavilion; the best at the fair was informed by a number of factors which included the number of visitors to the stand throughout the duration of the fair. Our source also added that Panaserv has consistently taken part in the yearly trade fair with the same level of enthusiasm to satisfy customers.

The Media Consultant, Mr. John Woma, concluded that the objective is to make Panasonic, the ideas for life in Nigeria, which is consistent with the company’s operational philosophy worldwide.