Amisu Damilola, First Future Brand Idol That Emerged from NIJ

By: AJIBADE MORAKINYO

Future Brand Idol (FBI) 2019, a creativity contest for students studying communication-related courses, has emerged from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ).

She is in the person of Amisu Damilola, a Higher National Diploma (HND) student whose presentation was chosen by the panel of judges as the best amidst over 80 other entries.

Damilola, thus became the first Future Brand Idol, given that it was the maiden edition of the advertisement pitching showpiece.

 Popoola Tobi, student of the University of Ibadan, finished first runner-up; students of University of Ilorin, Macaulay Tolulope & Alilu Favour, finished second and third runners-up respectively; while another NIJ student, Owodunni Mosopefoluwa emerged fourth runner-up.

The competition received entries from 11 tertiary institutions in the country.

The award’s pitch and ceremony which recently held in Lagos is an initiative that affords students of mass communication and other marketing communication related courses across Nigeria opportunity and experience of practical advertising.

According to the Head of FBI organizers, Ahmed Abdullahi, the initiative is set to bring professionals in the advertising industry closer to students towards providing a viable platform for Nigerian students who are interested in Advertising and Public Relations to be exposed and well-bred while on campus.

“The initiative does not only have focus in creativity contest, it also aimed at facilitating students’ interactive session with experts, workshop and seminar for students, providing mentorship opportunity for students, and getting them quality information in their field of study.

“By doing so, we will attract scholarships, internship, mentorship opportunity, and open them to greater opportunities which will help nurture them and make them useful for the society and the industry they found themselves,” he said.

Speaking about how the winners were chosen, he made it known that the organizers are not in support of favoritism which made them have an experienced jury members like Noah’s Ark CEO, Mr. Lanre Adisa; O2 Academy Provost,  Mr. Ozoemena ‘Ozone’ Mbanefo; ID8 Academy MD, Kehinde Salami; Seyi Owolawi; Bisi Aweda; Jumoke Akinyele; and Suziette Ukey-Agazie, which are independent of any institution that participated in the competition.

He thereby urged the winners to maximize the opportunities made available to them and that this will help the organisers to record success stories.

Also, the Founder of Noah’s Ark and a Grand Jury member of the competition, Mr. Lanre Adisa, who described the initiative as ‘a good one’ encouraged the winners to ‘try harder’ because this is just the beginning of their career in advertising.

“This is not a guarantee that the winners would get a job in advertising because it is what they do with themselves that will definitely make them relevant in the industry,” he said.

The overall winner, Amisu Damilola, disclosed that the competition has definitely encouraged her to pursue more in advertising – an industry she had loved since her year two in NIJ.

“The competition boosted my zeal for advertising to another level and with the scholarships it has afforded me, I will ensure I harness the opportunities towards building my potential in advertising,” she said.

The overall winner and the first runner-up were awarded scholarship from O2 and ID8 Academy; the second and third runner-up also got scholarship from ID8 Academy; and the fourth runner-up secured an internship slot at Withoutabox PR.