PROF. JUSTITIA ODINAKACHUKWU NNABUKO ANNUAL INTEGRATED MARKETING PUBLIC LECTURE.
Press Release: FORUM OF MENTEES HOLD MAIDEN ANNUAL PUBLIC LECTURE IN HONOUR OF PROF. NNABUKO.
The Forum of PhD Mentees of Prof. J.O. Nnabuko, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus have successfully organized an annual marketing lecture in her honour on Tuesday 23 September, 2025 as part of the event marking her 71st birthday anniversary.
The virtual public lecture, by Zoom, was presented by a veteran Public Relations guru, Dr. Jossy Nkwocha, fnipr, the MD/CEO Reputation Masters Limited and former Group Head, Corporate Communications Indorama Eleme Petrochemical and Fertilizer Group, Port Harcourt.
Delivering on the topic of the lecture: "Prof. J.O. Nnabuko and the concept of marketing Nigeria through reputation management", Dr. Nkwocha made a brief Biodata and character portrait of Prof. Nnabuko, explaining that she was born on 23 September, 1954 in Umuene, Obiangwu Community of Ngo-Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.
Prof. Nnabuko bowed out of active service at the Department of Marketing, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus on 19th September 2024, after 41 years of meritorious service.
The over 60 PhD holders that she supervised successfully instituted an annual lecture in her honour to showcase the worth of this marketing icon, erudite scholar, astute administrator, professor of marketing management and an academic with a heart of gold and invaluable humility.
The guest lecturer described Prof. Nnabuko as one who rose through the ladder having joined university of Nigeria as a graduate assistant in 1983 and later become a professor of marketing.
Prof. Nnabuko believes in the following:
1. That marketing is a living profession and must meet up with evolving trends in the 21st century.
2. She preaches that marketing in Nigeria needs professionalism as well as marketing ethics.
3. She maintains that having a degree in marketing is not enough.
4. That professionalism in marketing incorporates skills and competences, clear communication skills, critical thinking, and creativity.
5. That marketing professional must have the ability to keep records and manage data e.t.c
6. She also believes that gradually adapting to the global ICT facilitated economy using the internet is the way to go.
The guest lecturer, further traced the evolution of marketing from a mere selling to acquiring a body of knowledge and becoming a distinct discipline associated with the exchange of products and services in the 1900s; and marketing extended to non-tangibles to the realm of services offered by companies, governments, organizations/institutions in the 1950s; by 1970s to 2000s, marketing became full blown with full-fledged departments in universities and polytechnic offering Bachelors, Diplomas, masters, and PhD degrees.
And in 21st century, marketing has evolved into broader spectrum, including branding, integrated marketing, marketing communication, political marketing, digital marketing, and AI marketing, among others.
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| Dr. Jossy Nkwocha, fnipr |
On the sub head titled, "Political marketing and the concept of marketing Nigeria", Dr. Nkwocha emphasized that the scope of marketing covers, marketing of goods, services, organizations, places, ideas, concepts, e t c. He reiterated that this lecture borders on what he described as country marketing or marketing Nigeria.
This further shows that marketing has been evolving continuously to meet new trends. He noted also that today, marketing is Chartered by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as we now have, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) to regulate the practice of marketing in Nigeria.
Dr. Nkwocha posited that since Nigeria became independent in 1960, various government regimes have carried out branding campaign to shore up the values and perceptions of the country domestically and internationally. Some of the initiatives include:
2. MAMSER - Mass Mobilization for Social Justice and Economic Recovery
He stated that the above initiatives have cost the country huge financial resources and efforts, but the big question is : How much of positive image and reputation have Nigeria and Nigerians enjoyed or enjoying nationally and internationally? Some experts in marketing communication believe that these initiatives were mere political propaganda rather than facts on the ground supported with professionalism and marketing ethics.
The guest lecturer stated that Prof. J.O. Nnabuko's perspective on marketing Nigeria has to do with Nigeria to enjoy positive image, perception, and reputation based on truth, honesty, good governance, infrastructure upgrades, peace, harmony, unity and progress. He also emphasized that Prof. Nnabuko abhors political propaganda that only deceives people with empty words and promises.
On marketing Nigeria through reputation management, the guest lecturer maintains that government or nation needs a positive reputation to be desired, honoured, respected, valued, and patronized. A positive reputation is earned through our actions and utterances, as well as the values we bring on the table. He also stated that reputation is not earned based on sloganeering, propaganda, or the so called image laundering. He posited that in managing Nigeria's reputation, or marketing Nigeria, nine key factors have to be involved, namely; effective governance, strong public institutions, strong and stable economy, stable political environment, availability of social infrastructure, appealing physical environment, effective public communication (including telling our own stories), friendly people, and social harmony.
Dr. Nkwocha stated that the benefits of good reputation management for. Nigeria cannot be overemphasized, as a solid national reputation attracts local and foreign investors, tourists, trade advantages, international conferences, respect for the country, and it's citizens, and dignity in the comity of nations.
The lecture recommends;
1. An urgent need to deploy national resources, both human and financial to build and manage the nation's reputation in a professional manner.
2. Both federal and state governments should support the efforts of professional bodies such as the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), and the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), as well as the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in their efforts in reputation re-engineering of our dear country, Nigeria.
3. Any national image project in Nigeria should be managed by professionals and fully supported by active government actions that are in sync with the project especially in leadership by example
4. Nigerians, home and abroad, must be intentional in behaving well, obeying laws, and living in harmony with one another.
5. The government and citizens must live by the revived National Anthem: ....... Though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we stand ........
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| Prof. Chuka Ifediora |
Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman of the Forum of Prof. J.O. Nnabuko's PhD Mentees of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Prof. Chuka Ifediora appreciated the chairman of the occasion, guest lecturer, special Guest of Honour and indeed all the participants for being part of the epoch making event, and further prayed God to keep their academic mentor healthy and urged his fellow mentees to keep the flag flying.
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| Prof. Gerald Nebo. |
The distinguished chairman of the occasion, Prof. Gerald Nebo extolled the good qualities of the celebrant and urged all to emulate Prof. Nnabuko's humility and contentment in their various places of endeavors. He further appreciated the organizers of the event for a perfect job well done. He urged both government and citizens to adopt some of the reputation principles being espoused by the guest lecturer as a way of redeeming the image of the country before the international communities as a panacea to attracting investments. He described the guest lecturer as an erudite scholar and commended him for doing justice to the topic.
The celebrant in her vote of thanks, appreciated all her Mentees for instituting an annual public lecture in her honour, even though it was not expected having retired from the ivory tower and equally celebrating her at 71st birthday was another shock. She expressed surprised over the developments and stated that whatever good character she exhibited during her active service that earned her such recognitions were based on family upbringing, work ethics and fear of God. She prayed God Almighty to bless all her Mentees, and also offered some words of advice for them to be agents of change, even if it is not radical, to treat people fairly, and most importantly that everyone should value what he/she has.
There was question and answer session before the lecture was concluded.
The next edition of the lecture will be held on 23 September, 2025.
Signed:
and
Secretary and PRO of the Forum of Prof. J.O. Nnabuko's PhD Mentees from University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus respectively.
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