The nation’s advertising agencies, under the aegis of the Advertising Agencies Association of Nigeria (AAAN) have called for improved political tolerance, national reconciliation, unity and social cohesion, among Nigerians, as a way of dousing the palpable tension in the country.
Making this appeal in Lagos, at the unveiling of the association’s advocacy campaign, tagged Stronger Together, the president of the association, Mr Kayode Oluwasona, stated that until conscious efforts were made towards eradicating the discord and suspicion along ethnic and religion lines in the country, the much desired growth, he argued, would remain elusive.
He explained that the association’s decision to come up with the campaign, which started running on October 1, this year, to commemorate the nation’s 57th anniversary celebrations, was informed by the need to further support the government, in its efforts at achieving a unified Nigeria.
“This campaign reinforces and writes a new philosophy in the hearts of Nigerians that in spite of our differences, we are truly better together and there’s no limit to what we can achieve when we lay aside our differences and reach out to one another.
“The campaign ethos is based on the rationale that national co-existence and development can only be achieved through unity,” he added.
The association’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Steve Babaeko described the advocacy campaign as an initiative put together by a consortium of advertising agencies in response to the increasing separatists clamour going on in the country.
“Everything about the campaign is through engagement, and not to talk down on anybody or group. It is meant to calm frayed nerves within the system; since the amount of hate speeches that we are experiencing of late is simply unbelievable,” Babaeko stated.
He stated that the campaign, which had also received the blessings of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), the industry apex regulator, media organisations and other relevant sectoral groups, would be exposed on both the offline and online media platforms.