In a bid to curb indiscriminate vandalisation of advertorial bill boards and related materials, the Kwara State chapter of the Advertising Practitioners’ Forum (APF) has spoken of its resolve to enter into partnership with security agencies in the state.
The forum described as a disturbing trend the nefarious activities of thugs and other miscreants who often descend on advertorial materials erected on road facilities, especially during political campaigns.
Interim State Chairman of APF, Mr Adedeji Adebowale Olamide, stated this while speaking to Journalists on the sidelines of the maiden meeting of the forum held in Ilorin, the state capital.
Olumide, who identified advertising practitioners on outdoor advertisement as worst hit in the vandalisation of bill boards and other effects, alleged that the men of the underworld were out to discourage them from their businesses.
He noted that the forum under his leadership would be willing to synergise with security formations to put an end to the unwholesome activities of the vandals.
“Collaboration with security agencies is very cardinal in the next phase of our endeavour. We are going to do a lot of engagements with them (security agencies) to ensure that we have some synergy and synchronisation with the way we work.
“Those of us who are into outdoor advertisement, we have issues with thugs and miscreants, who go about trying to discourage us from this business of ours. We are very optimistic that there is a brighter future ahead of us”, he said.
Speaking on the effects of camping advertorials in the just concluded elections in the state, the APF interim chairman said the messages contained in them captivated and enlightened the electorate with which they decided on the candidates of their choice.
He added that the environment was somewhat conducive for the professionals to conduct their advertising businesses in the state.
“It was little saner and less dangerous in Kwara even though at some points, there were some vandalism. But specifically in advertising, the messages were adequately passed with one or two lapses”, Olumide said.
The state APF interim chairman, who is also the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, BEAULD Communications, informed that the group would soon launch an offensive war to dissuade high rate of quackery in the advertising industry.
“We understand that there are lots of people who are contravening and carrying out wrong doings in the advertising industry. The forum is now here to ensure we support APCON in surveillance and enlightenment, because the first step towards preventing crime or offence is enlightening people, who don’t know it is an offence in the first place”, he maintained.
In his remarks, the General Manager of Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Kwara), Alhaji Abdullateef Adebowale Adedeji, noted that professional advertising practitioners had shirked in their responsibility hence the rise in number of quacks in the industry.
Adedeji, who described advertising as an intellectual business and full of research, said it behooves the professionals to elevate their status if they intend to practice.
The maiden meeting of the advertising professionals was attended by advertising executives from broadcasting stations in the state.
