Chairman Editorial Board Champion Newspapers, Thomas Imonikhe (second left) presenting a letter to the winner of Champion Newspapers’ 2024 Marketing Communicator of the Year Award and the Managing Director, First Katalyst Marketing Limited, Chief Soji Odedina; Deputy Editor Daily Champion, Mr Bisiriyu Olaoye (left) and the News Editor Daily Champion, Mrs. Chinwe Ifezulike- Odita, during a management visit to Chief Odedina at Ikeja Lagos on the forthcoming Champion Newspapers Awards scheduled for Saturday April 26 2025 at Eko Hotels and Suites Victoria Island Lagos..Photo: CHINYERE IKEANYI.
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CHINWE IFEZULIKE -ODITA
Managing Director and Chief Executive of First Katalyst Marketing Limited, Otunba Soji Odedina (Otunba Taiyese of Itori, Egbaland), has emerged Champion Newspapers’ 2024 Marketing Communicator of the Year.
The engaging and quintessential ‘man of the people, SOJ as he is fondly called by friends and colleagues, is being recognized for impacting lives positively.
A leader in the Experiential Marketing Communication Industry, SOJ’s trajectory has been that of steadfast resilience and an unshaken pursuit of knowledge and self- improvement.
SOJ attended Olabisi, Onabanjo University (OOU) after his secondary school, where he pursued a degree in Political Science.
He later went to study International Law and Diplomacy at UNILAG and commenced his professional journey in Media and Marketing Communication industry where he has been for over 35 years.
Otunba Soji started as a journalist at African Concord Magazine, went on to work with Taiwo Alimi in Public Relations as the Media/Marketing Manager, handling accounts for major clients like Unic Insurance, The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Federal Government.
From the PR agency, SOJ joined Chris Ogbechie (current dean of Lagos Business School) and progenitor of the first below- the – line (BTL) agency in Nigeria, Contact Marketing.
It was at Contact, that Soji worked on groundbreaking projects like Benson & Hedges ”Loud in Lagos” and “Kicking in Kano” concerts. These were the biggest of their kinds in Africa then.
Soji credits Chris Ogbechie as the mentor who inspired him and reshaped his illustrious career in Marketing Communications industry. “Everything I know about marketing communications today, I learnt from Chris Ogbechie, a man I respect so much in the industry.
SOJ moved on to 141 Worldwide, now NITRO 121, after spending 10 years at Contact Marketing with Ogbechie.
He served as client services Director for six years and from there, he took away an invaluable lesson from his boss, Laolu Akinwunmi, “that integrity does not make you poor”.
After leaving Akinwunmi, SOJ founded First Katalyst Marketing Limited with some partners in 2012 and has been a steady leader, innovator and creative genius in the industry, mentoring the younger generation whom he feels a deep empathy for.
The above pedigree and more are what qualified him to be nominated as Champion Newspapers’ 2024 Marketing Communicator of the Year.
Accepting the honour, Otunba SOJ expressed gratitude to Champion Newspapers and promised to participate actively in the event scheduled to hold on Saturday April 26, 2025, at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Earlier presenting the nomination letter to him, the Chairman, Editorial Board of Champion Newspapers, Mr. Thomas Imonikhe said the yearly recognition is a product of the painstaking selection of “our Board of Editors, and our modest way of recognizing organisations and leaders in both public and private sector of the economy who have made impact in industries and peoples lives”.
Other members of the Champion Newspapers’ delegation are: Editor Weekend Champion, Mr. Bisiriyu Olaoye and the News Editor, Mrs Chinwe Ifezulike-Odita.
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