Mowunmi Owodunni, Dean 2016 Roger Hatchuel Academy Nigeria

. As the Young Lions Competition kicks off April 5

It is that time of the year again when Nigerian professionals in the marketing communications industry gather to recognize and celebrate younger colleagues in the industry. The 2016 Lions Night and Awards will hold on 9 April at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos. This high profile industry event is a forum for networking, inspiration, learning, entertainment and awards.

Lanre Adisa, Creative Jury President, 2016 Nigeria Young Lions Competition
Lanre Adisa, Creative Jury President, 2016 Nigeria Young Lions Competition

It is part of the preparatory activities in Nigeria towards the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June. Three main categories of awards are expected to be announced at the event. Firstly, the Roger Hatchuel Academy awards, dedicated to identifying and nurturing gifted students in tertiary institutions who intend to practice advertising.   The second main category of awards is the Young Lions Competition, which aims to find, promote and reward the efforts of some of the most brilliant professionals in the industry who are below the age of 30. The third category of awards are designed to enable highly talented Nigerians to study on scholarship in Miami Ad School campuses around the world. This year scholarships will be offered for the portfolio programmes, bachelor degree programmes and master degree programmes.

The Roger Hatchuel Academy awards will recognize the best student, who will win an all-expense paid trip to attend the international Roger Hatchuel Academy event in France, the first runner-up will win a sponsored trip to attend the Lynx Academy in Dubai. The Roger Hatchuel Academy awards will also recognize the best teacher and the best performing school or department.

The Young Lions Competition will award the best teams in media, film, print, cyber and design categories. The winning teams from each category will represent Nigeria in the international competition during the Cannes Lions Festival in June.

Activities leading to the Lions Night and Awards begin with a training session for the Media competitors on Friday, April 1 by Dozie Okafor, Media Manager at Coca Cola Nigeria, who was himself part of a team that won the first Young Lions Media Competition and represented Nigeria in Cannes. A similar training for the creative competitors holds on Saturday, April 2 and will be led by Abolaji Alausa, Executive Creative Director, Noah’s Ark, whose team won the Young Lions film competition and represented Nigerian in Cannes 8 years ago.

On Tuesday 5 April, the Young Lions Competition proper kicks off with the briefing of the teams in Cyber, Design, Film, Media, and Print Categories. Over 40 young men and women from top agencies in Nigeria will be taking part in these competitions. Agencies presenting teams for the competitions include All Season’s Media, BBDO West Africa, DDB Lagos, Elev8, Insight Communications, Media Perspectives, mediaReach OMD, Noah’s Ark Communications, Starcoms Media, TBWA\Concept and X3M Ideas.

The Creative Jury president for 2016 is Lanre Adisa, Managing Director, Noah’s Ark Communications. Other members of the creative jury include Chuma Obumselu, Executive Creative Director, BBDO West Africa, Nduka Kade, Creative Director, Lowe Lintas Lagos, Yemi Arawore, Associate Director, 141 Worldwide, Ranti Atunwa, Creative Director, TBWA/Concept, Maurice Ugwonoh, Deputy Creative Director, Noah’s Ark Communications

The media jury include Ada Adheke, GM Strategy and Implementation All Seasons Mediacom, Dolapo Ogunbambo, Group Head, Media, Media Perspective, Shamsi Onilenla,Director Sharemind Media,  Oladayo Oyetayo, General Manager C.O.O Mediashare Limited, Kola Odunsanya, Intensity Media, Soji Olaogun, Associate Director Strategy & Planning Adgenda Media, Oge Maduagwu, Deputy Manager, Planning, MediaReach OMD and Jonadab Egbowon, Media Director, Starcom Media.

On Wednesday, 6 April about 40 students will arrive Lagos from various tertiary institutions around the country to begin a 3-day residential Roger Hatchuel Academy Nigeria programme. The participating Universities include University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Redeemer’s University, Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Pan African University, Lagos State University, Imo State University, Babcock University, Kogi State University, Lagos State Polytechnic, Kwara State University and Fountain University.

Mowunmi Owodunni, Dean 2016 Roger Hatchuel Academy Nigeria
Mowunmi Owodunni, Dean 2016 Roger Hatchuel Academy Nigeria

The students are also expected to visit the offices of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, sponsors of the programme, mediaReach OMD, STB McCann and Noah’s Ark Communications.

The Dean of the Roger Hatchuel Academy 2016 has been named as Mowunmi Owoduni, Managing Director, STB McCann and other speakers include Biodun Ogunyemi, Creative Director, Etu Odi Communications, Tunji Abioye, Managing Director, Fuel Communications, Maurice Igugu, Campaign and Scheme officer, Diamond Bank.

Jury members for the creative part of the Roger Hatchuel Academy competition include Mowunmi Owodunni, Managing Director, STB McCann, Kolajo Omisore, Creative Director, Verdant Zeal, Uche Ezeh, Deputy Creative Director, TBWA Concepts, Ladi Fafunso, Group Creative Director, IMS Advertising Ltd. and Seyi Owolawi, Group Head Copy, SO & U.

The Miami Ad School Scholarship Competition is judged by a jury seating in Germany. They will decide the winners of the 2016 scholarships.

The weeklong activities will come to a close at the Lions Night and Awards beginning at 6:00pm at MUSON Centre on Saturday, 9 April, 2016.   Seat reservation for the event can be made at www.canneslions-ng.com.