2014 is a landmark year in the life of Mr. Abiodun Olusina Shobanjo, Chairman of the Troyka Holdings. It is the 50th anniversary of his career as a communication professional. This year, on Christmas Eve, he will join the club of septuagenarians as he clocks 70.

Born in Jabba, Kwara State, Mr. Biodun Shobanjo attended St. George’s Primary School and Odogbolu Grammar School for his primary and secondary education respectively. He was also at the College of the Institute of Marketing, Cookham, Maidenhead, England where he obtained the College’s Certificate in Marketing,

Mr. Shobanjo started his communication career in 1964 with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) as a Studio Manager. By the time he left seven years after, he had risen to become a Producer. Forty three Novembers ago in 1971, he joined Grant Advertising, an American/Nigerian-owned Advertising agency, as an Account Executive Trainee. Five years later, he was appointed as the Deputy Managing Director. He stayed on as the DMD and member of the Board until December 1979 before bowing out to co-found Insight Communications in January 1980.

Under his watch for 25 years, Insight grew from humble beginning to become one of the biggest players in the Nigerian advertising industry. He is today chairman of Troyka Holdings, Nigeria’s largest integrated marketing communications group. Today, aside from Insight Communications, other companies which make up the Troyka Holdings include The Quadrant Company, a Public Relations Consultancy, Halogen Security, an asset protection and security Services Company, two Media Independents—-All Seasons Mediacom and Media Perspectives—and Optimum Exposure, Nigeria’s leading out-of-home advertising company, and Black Onyx Properties, a real estate company.

Mr. Shobanjo is a fellow of the Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON), fellow of the Commonwealth Journalists Association, a past president of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria. He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, London and a chartered member of the British Institute of Marketing, member, International Advertising Association.

Mr. Biodun Shobanjo was adjudged Nigeria’s advertising man of the 20th century by Weekend Concord in 1999, and was honoured only on November 14, 2014 with the award of the Most Influential Personality in Advertising in 2014 by the African Development Magazine in Ghana. A quiet philanthropist, Mr. Shobanjo was inaugurated in 2010 as the first Ambassador-General of mass medical mission of National Cancer Prevention Programme. When the Diamonds Awards was established in 1992, Mr. Shobanjo served as a pioneer judge. He has also been a longstanding sponsor of the Radio Commercial of the Year (Consumer Goods). Today, Mr. Shobanjo is the recipient of the DAME Lifetime Achievement Award as worthy testament to a life of enterprise, commitment and achievement in the marketing communications sector.