The Source by(Dotun Adekanmbi). Before 1962,Nigerian university graduates were completely shut out of the moststra tegic departments in the few existing agen cies in the nation's fledgling advertising industry. At that time, the major agencies were for eign-owned and all strategic positions were filled with expatriates who, perhaps, for no other reason but contempt for local manpower, put up huge barri ers between Nigerians and such positions. By 1962, however, such barriers had been smashed. This feat was achieved bya young Nige rian, Sylvester Ifeanyinchukwu Moemeke. Armed with a degree in sociology from Bournemouth Col lege ofTechnology, Bournemouth University of Lon don, Moemeke joined theclient service department of Lintas (formerly West African Publicity Limited). Nigeria's foremost advertising agency which was founded in 1928,as a graduate trainee. Since client service was the hub around which the agency revolved, it was quite easy for the expatriates running the agency to gauge the young Moemeke's abilities. Gauge them they did, and they were thoroughly impressed. Thus, a steady rise up the professional ladder began. Perhaps more importantly, Moemeke, through his performance, succeeded in banishing the disdain by expatriates in the advertising profession, for Nigerian university graduates. Before long, the dam that stood between other Nigerian graduates and key positions in thead vertising profession wasbroken. With this, a steady rivulet of Nigerian graduates started to come into similar positions, both in Lintas and otheradvertis ing agencies. This crop of Nigerian graduates in cluded celebrated names like Chris Doghudje, Steve Omojafor. Olu Falomo and Allan Olabode. among numerous others. This group eventually formed the foundation on which the local advertising industry was built. It is in recognition of Moemeke's ground breaking entry into a hitherto forbidden terrain that he was nicknamed The Source - obviously from which many positive developments in the industry flowed. Twelveyears after his entry intomainstream advertising, and with the promulgation of the Indigenization Decree, Moemeke had done enough to earn the highest position in Lintas. In 1974, the second and final dam broke. Moemeke became the first Nigerian head ofLintas, which had become one of the genuine landmarks in the communications in dustry. With Moemeke as the Chairman/Managing Director ofLintas, thetempoof progress left behind by the expatriates was not only sustained, but in creased. The billings of Lintas, fed by a constant flow of new and meaty accounts, simply soared through out his 10-year tenure. It could not have been any other way. Sylvester Moemeke had been nurtured like a flower isthe hot house that Lintas was. With the benefit of hisextensive training in the agency's manpower de velopment programme and healthy wealth of expe rience gathered from his days as a trainee, Lintas kept galloping, shoving aside the threats of encroach ment on its leadership position by other indigenous agencies whose sprinting had become rather phenom enal. The huge successes recorded by Lintas under Moemeke paved the way forhisappointment asthe executive chairman in 1985,a position he occupies till date. Born on 28 December 1933, he attended Sacred Heart School, Calabar and Tinubu Method ist School, Lagos. Moemeke had his secondary education at Niger College, Benin City. He later proceeded to the University of London for further studies. Moemeke's importance in the Nigerian ad vertising industry is demonstrated by his member ship and leadership of prestigious professional bodies. He was the president of Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN) from 1975to 1982; Fellow, Nigerian Marketing Association; Member, Intra-nalional Advertising Association. He isthe current president of the Advertising Practitioners' Council of Nigeria (APCON).
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