Call NLRC to order NIMN boss urges FG, as institute inducts new fellows

THE President of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Mr Tony Agenmonmen has called on the nation’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the Minister of Trade and Investments, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah to call the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to order over the commission’s constant harassment, saying that the activities of the agency are capable of reversing some of the achievements the government has recorded in the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Making the call at the institute’s Fellows’ Dinner and Awards Night, held recently in Lagos, the NIMN boss stated that the constant harassment of the institute’s corporate members by the regulatory agency, in the past few months, over  demands on certain percentages of their budgets on consumer and sales promotion, not only negated the peace agreement the marketing institute had reached with the agency on the matter, but was also capable of stifling business growth in the country.

He described the recent shutdown of Nigerian Breweries Plc by the agency over consumer and sales promotion activities, as  ‘arbitrary’ and a negation of the efforts of the incumbent government to create a business- friendly environment.

While reiterating the institute’s capability and readiness to effectively monitor and supervise the conduct of consumer and sales promotion of its corporate members, Agenmonmen, however, called on NLRC to desist forthwith from harassing companies carrying out their legitimate businesses.

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According to him, the Commission was set up to regulate the activities of companies, established for the sole purpose of lotteries.

“The marketing and investment world is watching the drama being enacted by the NLRC in shutting down a very serious and responsible organisation like Nigerian Breweries that has been doing business in our country for over 70 years.

“The harassment of our corporate members by the Commission is not helping the nation’s business environment; particularly now that the Federal Government is promoting the ‘ease of doing business’ campaign to ensure that Nigeria is the preferred destination for investors.

“The resort to self-help which NLRC’s action of shutting down Nigerian Breweries represents is unacceptable in a society with the rule of law,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Marketing Director of the Nigerian Breweries, Mr Emmanuel Oriakhi and 42 others  were conferred with the institute’s Fellowship at the dinner and awards night, organised by the institute.

They include Mr Wasiu Ola Abiola, Head of Media, Digital, Brand PRand Sponsorship, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Dr Adefulu Adesoga Dada, Associate Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship at Babcock University, Ogun State, and Mr Olu Akanmu, Executive Director-Retail Banking, First City Monument Bank, amongst others.

Oriakhi, the Nigerian Breweries Plc top shot, is a seasoned marketer with almost two decades of brand and marketing experience.

Congratulating the institute’s new fellows for being recognised for the professional heights they had achieved in marketing, the NIMN boss, however, expressed the belief that the new fellows would continue to play their roles in the further development and growth of the institute.

On hand to give the keynote address at the event was Professor Chris Ogbechie, a Professor of Strategic Management at Lagos BusinessSchool, Pan-Atlantic University.