His dreadlocks portray a young   creative dude just as an encounter   with him will reveal his shrewdness in strategic marketing communications. Soji Odedina, the Managing Director, First Katalyst Marketing Communication in this interview with Saturday Vanguard discloses how he persevered these long years of struggle and his eventual success in the industry.  Excerpts

BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

My humble beginning

My sojourn into marketing communications started more than twenty years ago as a Journalist with the African Concord magazine. I was a proof reader and also a Sports Reporter under Soji Omotunde, the Editor and Lewis Obi, Editor-in-Chief. My friends back at the university like Tunji Olugbodi, Folabi Sorunke were already doing well in Advertising. Then, an opportunity to work with the highly respected Taiwo Alimi in his PR agency came up and I joined him as Media/Marketing Manager.

Soji Odedina

We worked on so many big accounts for two years like Unic Insurance, the UNDP, the Federal Government and so on. I later joined  Chris Ogbeche who owned the first BTL agency in Nigeria. I was part of the Benson and Hedges “Loud in Lagos”  and “Kicking in Kano” concerts and it was the biggest initiative in Africa and no concert has been able to match those ones since then.

I spent close to 10 years in that agency,  before I joined 141 Worldwide where I served as the Clients Service Director for six years. Everything I know about marketing communications today was learnt from Chris Ogbeche, a man I respect so much in the industry. My last boss Lolu Akinwunmi also infused in  me that integrity does not make you poor.

Wearing dreadlocks as a CEO

My dreadlocks are just in sympathy with this young generation because I feel for them. Before I could navigate my way to where I am today, it took me a while. Part of what I want to do is to bridge the gap of success for the younger generation through mentoring and advocacy to shorten the distance to success. I have absolute respect for the younger generation who are still hustling to succeed inspite of the challenges in our environment.

If you see 100 fresh graduate today, 50% of them don’t want to work for anyone. Look at the online transaction platforms like Konga.com, Jumia.com. These young men and women came together looking for opportunities around this clime.
In showbiz, we are ruling Africa. Many thanks to Kenny and D-one. It takes the ingenuity of these young guys to deliver what millions of Naira  could not achieve through public relations.

Look at our movies as well. The new generation is charting a new path for themselves. I have nothing but respect for this generation and in solidarity, I wear this dread.

The challenges encountered setting up my organisation

The first challenge I had setting it up was how to make First Katalyst Marketing unique. I strongly believe that if you stand out in the crowd, clients will seek you out. So, I decided to do what will be different from other agencies. The second major challenge as a starter was cash-flow. It may surprise you to know that most Nigerian banks do not do business with start-ups.

Many people are willing to set up businesses but they don’t have a clue  as to what it takes to run businesses. It requires courage to open a shop and the first step is to identify what stands you out in the face of very stiff competition, otherwise you will be doing everything your competitors are doing which could result to a “me too” proposition.

Conquering challenges

Like I said earlier,  if you have a very good product, support will come. I am fortunate to have a good partner and credible men who have done well in their different vocations on the board of the agency. Having been in the industry for quite sometime, genuine friendship based on trust has been key to our early successes.

Sourcing for clients despite stiff competition without necessarily blowing our trumpet, First Katalyst is one of the fastest growing agencies around. We have acquired eight top clients within our first full year of operations.Our clients respect us due to the different work we are doing.

Getting into strategic marketing communications

I have always wanted to do something different. I am not a creative person in the strict sense of that word. I am about the only brand strategist wearing dreadlocks in Nigeria. The point is that as a strategist, anywhere I go, I tend to stand out. I get into government houses and  I get noticed quickly due to my dreadlocks.

Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have been accepted in business meetings and church services due to my dreadlocks but now, the acceptance is unimaginable. Everything is changing, including how we dress, the music we listen to and our youths are driving the change.
Lessons life has taught  me

Life has taught me to be patient and to persevere. I have realised there is no perfect system in the world. Most people are in a hurry to make it. In our industry, you see them jump from one agency to another looking for the perfect agency. While working with Taiwo Alimi, I launched a book for Prince Tony Momoh with the title “Each Man his Time”.

It was a biography for his father. The lesson in the book is that everyone would have his day in court as they say, with focus and belief in God. So many people running businesses in Nigeria are half baked, they need to learn the rudiment of the business.