Head of Nigeria’s leading marketing communications groups, SO&U, Mr. Udeme Ufot, has urged students of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism to embrace humility as they navigate their media careers.
The advertising mogul shared the advice while delivering a lecture at the institution’s monthly professional forum in Ogba, Lagos, on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.
Reflecting on his career in advertising, Mr. Ufot talked about his journey from Desmark Advertising agency in Calabar to Insight Communications in Lagos and finally starting his own company, SO&U. He highlighted that staying humble was crucial to his success.
“Advertising is sophisticated marketing. Sophisticated marketing thrives in a highly commercialised environment. Calabar, at the time, was nothing close to that, and I knew if I continued there, I’d stagnate. Wherever you find yourself as you progress in your career, ask yourself, ‘Am I making progress?’ ‘’Am I growing?’
“It takes humility to admit that you’re not as good as you think you are or as people say you are. Then you begin to work on yourself to become the best of the best,” he advised the students.
Mr. Ufot also encouraged the students to be humble enough to learn the ropes as they go into the profession, stressing on the idea of “stooping to conquer.”
He said having the right mentors who will put them on the right path.
Reflecting on the early days of SO&U, he revealed that his career in advertising rested on three goals: being famous, making a fortune, and having fun. According to Mr. Ufot, making money, unlike popular opinion, remains a relevant aspect of any business, especially in the media.
“The single common measure of a successful business is money. No matter what area of journalism you may end up in, because some of you may end up being publishers or work in consulting firm. You must bear in mind that making money is important once you do it the right way.”
He encouraged the journalism students to remain creative, stressing that “once the idea is powerful, the money will follow. Don’t think that you have all the time in the world. The excellence of an individual in life often starts from school records. Whatever you’re good at, start cultivating it now.”
He said the biggest lesson he has learned in building SO&U is that one’s success in life is not determined by what one lacks.
“Some of you as students may be struggling through school and even struggling to feed yourselves. But that should not be the cause of your failure in life. Have a vision and develop actionable plans to achieve it.”
Mr. Ufot has held several executive positions in the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN), including Vice President and President in 1997 and 1999, respectively. He served as Board Member of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), Nigeria’s leading public/private sector economic Think Tank, where he chaired the board communications and media subcommittee.
Appreciating his presence and presentation, NIJ Provost, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, said the intention of the occasion was to help students see what life is in marketing and advertising communication.
While presenting an award of recognition to Mr. Ufot, the Provost lauded him for being among the generation of pioneers and pathfinders responsible for some of the great moments in Nigerian advertising history.
On his part, the Deputy Provost, Dr. Boye Ola, urged students to make the most opportunity of the monthly forum. He noted that while the insights shared in the sessions might not have an immediate impact, they will become valuable as the students progress in their media careers.
The NIJ monthly professional forum is an interface session that is integrated into the students’ activities to bridge academia and industry, preparing them for successful careers in journalism and communication.
