The Director, Fugar Community Study Centre, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Jonathan E. Aliede, has bagged the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) fellowship award, the apex rank of the professional body in the country.
To this end, Aliede expressed his profound gratitude to the management of the institution for giving him the enabling opportunity to attain the top of his chosen field.
He stated this in a chat with NOUN News against the backdrop of the recent APCON’s award ceremony held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
“I dedicate this Fellow of Advertising Profession (award) to the Almighty God and NOUN for providing me with the enabling opportunity to attain the apex of my chosen field. It is an honour that NOUN will surely leverage on in the projection and positioning of its image and reputation.”
As the highest status award of the advertising practice profession in Nigeria, he said, it is an honour bestowed on practitioners who have distinguished themselves in advertising practice and who possess the requisite professional clout to serve as stakeholders and leading lights for the advertising industry in the country and beyond.
Speaking on the advantage the university will gain from his feat, he said “At this level and as an academic, I will be part of APCON’s teams for the accreditation of advertising and integrated marketing communications courses in Nigerian universities, among other programmes of the council, all avenues for showcasing the positive image of the university.”
On what prompted the award, the study centre director who is also a lecturers in the Department of Mass Communication, disclosed that the award came as a result of his over three decades of service and contributions to the growth and development of advertising in the country, through teaching, learning, research and mentorship.
“The award is reward for hard work, for the service I have rendered through many tertiary institutions, among them are the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu; Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki; NOUN and in others as part time.”
While expressing his appreciation, he said “It is joy reaching the pinnacle of one’s vocation. Yet, attaining that height is not a bed of roses. Therefore, practitioners in the field, whether in the industry or academia, must be ready for the inevitable sacrifices and professional-oriented practices that will enhance service delivery in advertising by adding more value to the benefits consumers derive from advertising profession.’’
