The much-anticipated biography of Nigeria’s foremost marketing communications practitioner and chairman of Troyka Holdings Biodun Shobanjo has been slated for public presentation in Lagos on November 26.
The book titled The Will to Win: The Story of Biodun Shobanjo is written by Dotun Adekanmbi an award-winning business journalist and accomplished public relations practitioner.
Diplomat Christopher Kolade will chair the launch while renowned entrepreneur Dele Fajemirokun will be the chief presenter of the book. Veteran journalist Ray Ekpu will review the biography during the launch.
The book is the first authoritative biography on the advertising expert who at various times had been conferred with high honours including Doctor of Letters (D.Litt Honoris Causa) by the Obafemi Awolowo University, advertising man of all time by The Sun newspapers and most influential personality in advertising in Africa by Africa Development Magazine, Ghana.
The book chronicles the trajectory of Shobanjo’s career right from his humble beginning as a studio manager at the defunct Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) now Radio Nigeria to his days at Grant Advertising Ltd an American-Nigerian agency; his foray into entrepreneurship when he co-founded Insight Communications in 1980 and his days as a daring creative innovator in the marketing communications industry till date.
Author of the book Mr Adekanmbi said: “I was motivated to write this book because I found Dr Shobanjo’s personality and professional accomplishments quite intriguing, particularly because he evokes diverse passions in players in his industry. My determination to unravel the myths that surround him prompted my proposal to write The Will To Win: The Story of Biodun Shobanjo. His willingness to share his professional worldview with young practitioners and people in search of knowledge is what is now being presented to the public.”
While commenting on the book, Shobanjo disclosed that its publication took a while because he had never been interested in a ‘been there, seen it all and done it all’ kind of storytelling, saying: “In my view, every biography must be a learning encounter for its reader; not a platform for a subject to blow the trumpet of perceived accomplishments in one’s field over several decades. For me, therefore, The Will To Win: The Story of Biodun Shobanjo is a legacy project intended to demonstrate how our groups – Troyka Holdings, Insight Redefini, Halogen Group – arrived at where we are today in our industry. As I like to say, ‘unless people understand the dream, they cannot act the dream.’”
The book is available in both hard cover and paperback editions. It is expected to be available on Amazon for worldwide purchase. Delivery of the book nationwide will commence on November 27.
