The advertising practitioners’ body otherwise known as Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), has rescheduled its 46th annual congress and annual general meeting and it will now hold in Lagos next weekend.

It will be recalled that the body abruptly postponed the congress earlier scheduled to hold in Asaba, the Delta State capital in July after its members escaped a near-plane-crash incident at Asaba airport involving a sizable numbers of its members.

According to a reliable source, who spoke to 789marketing.com.ng on the condition of anonymity said that the congress/agm would not be holding outside Lagos for the logistic reason.

“We incurred unthinkable expenses at the failed Asaba congress in July. We weren’t made any refund therefore; considering any venue outside Lagos won’t be a good idea. Besides, the trauma of what happened in Delta State has not evaporated,” he said.

789marketing.com.ng was told that Ibadan and Lagos were top on the chart but most members rooted for Lagos for convenience, accessibility and comfort.

The July congress that supposed to take place in Asaba between 11th July to 13th July in Asaba, was called off on July 10th, a day to the opening.

This decision to reschedule the programme was reached, following a near-plane crash experienced by members of the Association travelling to Asaba, said the president, Ikechi Odigbo.

Odigbo stated that the flight, operated by Air Peace Airlines, had on board over 40 members of the Association, including industry leaders, when it took off from Lagos on Thursday, but could not land at the Asaba Airport due to the weather and other logistic issues, compelling a return to Lagos. The airline subsequently cancelled flight operations to Asaba on Thursday.

According to him, “More than half of the expected delegates were on the flight, adding that the postponement of the AGM/Congress was unavoidable because the Association’s Constitution stipulates that two-thirds of members must be present for an AGM to hold. In addition, he said members had been traumatized by their experience during the aborted flight.”