Akin Adeoya

As a follow up to the damning publication by the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria(NIMN) condemning MARKETING EDGE magazine for “a breach of the institute’s Act 2003 with respect to ‘rating’ (sic), solicitors to the publication have written, demanding a retraction and an apology from the Council.

See link in comments to read the full story

Marketing Industry Ratings: Why NIMN Should Tread Softly.

What is happening to the marketing profession in Nigeria? Are industry regulators taking things too far or not doing enough? How do we know when the regulator has crossed the line? Should a regulator be interested in awards and ratings done by industry players for instance? Should a regulator be worried about who is being rated as 'top" marketing professional by an industry publication especially when that magazine is not subscribed to the industry body? Do you know that a regulator wants to tell clients how to pay agencies or media houses without a thought about the divergences of operations in different industries? Recently ARPA(The regulatory body for advertising in Nigeria) ran into a storm of protests when it released its last "iteration" of the ARPA code of practise which virtually wants to take control of client agency payment matters. Since when did that become the job of a regulator? I am currently studying the full document before one can make full pronouncements although I am told they have already been challenged in court. How do these things improve the practice? Now our dear NIMN(National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria) is dragging industry magazine, Marketing Edge, to the court of public opinion(See attached) and asking professionals to disavow and dissociate from the publication and its industry rating of digital marketing professionals...
Is NIMN trying to kill Marketing Edge?

https://www.brandandcountry.com/celestials-luli-concert-9-useful-facts/

Celestial’s Luli Concert: 9 Useful Facts - Brand & Country Apart from its primary objectives, Luli has become a piece of brilliant marketing and perception management project for the church itself, even if that was not the plan Sometime around 1am, Luli’s energetic MC, Ibukun Oni, who has held forth in that role for the 7th season, invited a well-known ce...

https://www.brandandcountry.com/7-reasons-guinness-is-saying-goodbye-to-n14billion-in-sales/

7 Reasons Guinness is saying goodbye to N14billion in sales - Brand&Country Yesterday the news came through that Nigeria's giant beverage manufacturer, Guinness, has decided, in consonance with Diageo International, (which is the majority owner of the Nigerian company), to stop the importation and distribution of the original Diageo brands that until recently were its pride...

Erisco’s Storm in a Soup Pot: 8 Errors

An innocuous Facebook post sparks off the biggest consumer-manufacturer feud in years. In this epic struggle, Nigeria’s king of Tomato paste, Chief Eric Umeali sees massive conspiracies against his tomato empire when a certain Chioma Egodi does a review against one of his darling brands. Without hesitation he goes for the jugular by having her arrested and detained by the police high command. It is clear that he wants to set an example either to exact a pound of flesh for a tortured history or to scape goat her for the future. Or maybe he really believes she is an agent of his company’s enemies. Whatever the motivation, the fury, the energy and the time that has been committed to "pacifying" this lone accused is akin to the proverbial tale where one kills an ant with a sledgehammer. Brands must be protected; markets must be closely guarded but the greatest asset of a marketer or manufacturer of any goods is the consumer. Getting on the wrong side of the consumer can prove disastrous in a market filled with cheap competing products. The earlier the chief begins the process of reconciling his company and brands with the mass of angry consumers the better.

A Show for kids who can speak in their mother tongue...Do your kids qualify?

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Very refreshing and versatile, Akin Adeoya has shown grit ,this is a platform that have the potential to creatively innovate Brands communication in the Social Media space, it holds real block buster punch value, for a brand managers budget share of spend for the digital platform. Kudos!!!
-Mike Bassey

https://www.brandandcountry.com/newstar-mobile-content-will-old-wine-sell-in-shiny-new-bottles/

Newstar Mobile Content: Will old wine sell in shiny new bottles? – Brand&Country Newstar Mobile Content: Will old wine sell in shiny new bottles? September 24, 2023 / Akin Adeoya / 0 Comments Well, until you open one bottle and take a sip. At N30 daily and N150 weekly, subscribing to a mobile channel on the MTN/Starnews platform may not look like a big investment. As this essay....

*BREAKING: Lagos varsity makes Yoruba Language a compulsory course for all students, names it GNS104*

The Lagos State University (LASU) in an obvious move to preserve Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, has announced the inclusion of Yoruba Language as a compulsory course for all its students.

The new course added to the school’s curriculum from the 2023/2024 academic session is titled GNS 104 (Yoruba Language Studies).

LASU’s decision to introduce this course aligns with the broader national effort to preserve Nigeria’s diverse linguistic and cultural heritage.

The course, Yoruba Language Studies, is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the Yoruba language, one of Nigeria’s prominent indigenous languages.

It aims to equip students with language skills, cultural knowledge, and historical context, fostering a deeper appreciation for the Yoruba culture.

Speaking on the development, Professor T.M Salisu, the Dean of LASU Faculty of Arts and Humanities, expressed his enthusiasm for the introduction of the course. He emphasized its potential to strengthen students’ connections to their roots and promote cultural diversity.

“GNS 104 will not only enhance language proficiency but also encourage a more profound understanding of the Yoruba people, their customs, and traditions,” he stated.

The Yoruba Language Studies course will cover various aspects of Yoruba culture, including language structure, literature, history, folklore, and contemporary issues.

It will be open to students from all faculties as part of the General Nigerian Studies (GNS) program, reflecting LASU’s commitment to interdisciplinary learning.

Recall that the Lagos state assembly in conscious efforts to preserve Yoruba culture, heritage, and the use of the language in public places passed a bill in 2017 that made teaching of Yoruba compulsory for all schools in the state.

The assembly early this year also started using the Yoruba language for legislative activities.

MY COMMENT: This is a brilliant and worthy idea. I suggest that other universities in different parts of the nation do same for indigenous languages and culture. No University graduate should escape without an immersion in at least an aspect of our national culture.

I also suggest that the course should be robust enough and open to none students to take as a certificate course to add to their repertoire of academic qualifications. Foreigners should be compelled to take the course when they arrive here on any assignment be it business or diplomatic.

Understand and respect our culture!

The sword of human continuity thrives on the fecundity of the bottomless well of life

https://www.akinadeoya.com/post/the-copy-wizard-of-rosabel

The Copy Wizard of Rosabel Inspired by a chance encounter in an ethnic eatery(Buka) in Ikeja Lagos with the former Creative director of a large, once thriving advertising agency who also happened to have been my boss nearly 30 years ago. This is an insight into what happens inside the creative department of a "HOT" ad agency....

THE BEST SOLUTION TO ENDING DIVORCES

Germanic law in the Middle Ages allowed for divorce by combat. Before the invention of divorce courts, couples who sought to separate had... Germanic law in the Middle Ages allowed for divorce by combat. Before the invention of divorce courts, couples who sought to separate had a few months to work out their differences between themselves. If they could not, they would settle their marriage in the arena — complete with a codified set.....

Fayemi's Move Confirms MAD Hypothesis on Southern Politicians
As Ekiti state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi finally confirms pundits right that he is bent on contesting the APC presidential primaries, it is now clear that southern APC politicians have succumbed to the MAD hypothesis. Think about it, almost every governor or minister with the minutest clout is coming out to bid for the ticket. The myth of southern solidarity is now totally destroyed because of inordinate ambitions and selfish personal agendas. Except there is some magical concoction in the offing how can any southerner win now with the dispersal of votes which is bound to occur? In south west alone we have former governor Amosun, Vice president Osinbajo, Gov Fayemi and of course the Jagaban himself, Asiwaju Tinubu.
There were early hopes that the East will have a strong showing given the loud campaign to conceed the presidency to the East. But it seems that tantalising possibility has now tempted every tom dick and Harry east of the Niger with possibility if 2votes at the primaries to throw their hat in the ring. Without Eastern and western solidarity how do you garner the votes? The South South is doing same. Even tired old Jonathan wants to come back to A*o Rock. My God! Amaechi has suddenly become an Igboman. Amaechi and his trains flying all the way to the depths of Niger Republic. Amaechi who says the reason Nigerian train service is extended to Niger Republic is to get the Niger people to patronise the port of Lagos. Has port of Lagos met the needs of Nigeria in terms of capacity? They will abandon efficient Cotonu and other sane ports to enter the insanity of Apapa? Amaechi who said he approved reducing train speeds to make way for cows? Amaechi who wants to protect trains with bullet speed fighter jets in a millieau where even commercial jets cannot afford aviation fuel. Amaechi that openly justified mortgaging our national assets to China without putting in the disciplined system that can run and make these same assets generate profit. Is it the train that those terrorists are attacking that will pay back those billions? The Chinese are coming. But let them come. Let's see how they seize control of the track tracks from the bad boys of Sambisa and their friends. That's another matter. Amaechi wants to be president. Ngige wants to be president. Him and that funny minister who have jointly destroyed University education in Nigeria. Emeka Nwajiuba, junior minister of education, whose primary job is to safeguard educational institutions and their staff and students has gone to drop 100m to buy form to become president when ASUU is still on strike. Ngige, on national television says its OK for our doctors to continue to run abroad. He says it is good for the system. He says we have more than enough. Doctors who are mostly trained in publicly funded universities, in a country where basic health delivery is a nightmare!
Well, what shall we say about my state governor, Fayemi? I will just say for now, that his coming, at this time is a bit of an anti-climax. We are at the stage of presidential interest announcement fatigue. I hope, in his upcoming formal declaration, he will not just be talking about the "juju" he wants to go and do in A*o rock to turn Nigeria to another China. Instead, He should tell us about the magic he has wrought in our native Ekiti to turn the place into a living paradise. He should use his past to sell his hoped for future. I think he was one of those that went to great lengths to sell the Buhari candidature to us. That one hasn't worked out so well in my opinion. So this time we need evidence, track record not well researched big grammar about how Nigerians will be luxuriating in scientific parks like he promised Ekiti before. We are still looking for the scientific parks sha.
I remember a conversation between Professor Bolaji Aluko and Dr Fayemi as revealed by Aluko in ekitipanupo, an indigenous think tank. Both were riding in a car along Iworoko Road. This was the heart of the Ekiti state university student population but at 8pm it was in pitch darkness, as usual. Prof said he asked JKF, will you allow students to suffer in darkness like this as governor? You can guess the answer from the man who would soon take over as governor. A couple of months ago I drove through Iworoko. The darkness was suffocating. The reader can try the journey too. Thats after two tours of duty. But hey, I am not passing any judgement yet, I am waiting...
I will be waiting for that statement and the track record part of it. No other promise of future magic will work.
Hey! what is MAD hypothesis? Governor Fayemi would know as a scholarship of war studies. One of the ideas that drove the rapid development of nuclear weapons by the great military powers in the 70s and 80s was the principle of Mutual Assured Destruction(MAD). The key opposing powers believed that the only way to prevent the other powers from attacking them with a nuclear weapon was for them to be ready with their own for immediate retaliation. I think some smart Alec has succeeded in deploying that logic into the Southern political fields. Now the Southern guys are going to destroy each other assuredly while paving way for some northern candidate. Pundits in the APC are already talking about feilding a Northern candidate to take advantage of Buhari's famed "12 million vote bank". They are just waiting for PDP to pick a northern candidate before pushing the argument that none of the one state actors in the south can garner the Pandora's box of 12 million vote bank! And they would be right, with the long list of presidential candidates sprouting like mushrooms in the south, the united votes of the North for a relatively few nos of candidates will surely carry the day.

Digitalization and the Media

The profusion of media outlets and platforms made possible by digitalization has fostered true democracy on global media. Its true liberation of unimagined proportions:
~Rise of consumer power as consumers can now ventilate their frustrations at the touch of a button. No multinational or heavyweight brand or individual is protected by any layer of authority. The only way out is to do the right thing.
~Rise of the small entrepreneur occasioned by easy to access and affordable media platforms with global reach. The digital era is creating a new type of billionaire. The small entrepreneur who has mastered the art of creating brands with pizzaz native to the world wide web. From training programs to cosmetic and beauty products to digital publications, travel and hospitality etc there is no stopping the man and woman of ideas now.
~Corporate and political leaders can now take on big media enterprises without the fear of any backlash because they have grown the capacity to match them muscle for muscle. It's a game of numbers guys. Before he was taken down and "muted", Donald Trump had 88.7m people eating from his hands and lapping up every word he wrote on twitter! Today, Elon Musk can turn his nose at any PR agency or the CNN's of this world. How does a corporate leader with half a dozen multibillion dollar brands take both PR and Media for granted? Digital media democratization. At the last count he speaks directly to 62.7m individuals! He runs a better and perhaps more efficient PR machine with his social media handles.
~The journalist is also a major beneficiary of these changes as he does not require an employer or big publisher to keep himself busy and earn a decent income if he understands basic journalism and can string words together? Or even if all he can do is pin up good pictures!

Journalism as we know it is a "gonna". Journalists and media houses will only survive if they go back to the basics and differentiate. They need to reimagine their brand essences and select narrow and highly specialized niches where they can dominate and prosper from delivering content that is not easy to get elsewhere. With this they are able to gradually build a core of loyal super fans who will not hesitate to stay with them in the long journey through the dark nights ahead.

Competition is the soul of brand improvement. The media is facing incinerating competition from every corner. Millions of citizen journalists are in a do or die race to reach the market with news even before the core media platforms. This competition can mar, but with knowledge, understanding and hard work, it can actually make the media far more exciting and rewarding at the emergence of dawn.

~Summary of my remarks earlier today at a talk-shop organized by the SOCIETY OF DIGITAL NEWSPAPER OWNERS OF NIGERIA with the theme Corporate Brands, Reputation Management and the place of Digital Media.

From The Archives
First, let us try to demystify the very concept of branding. My favorite definition of branding, mine, is that it is the progression from the generic to the particular, or specific, if you like. Imagine ten white identical babies on a flat table. How do you differentiate (and that's it) one of them? Simple, paint it black! Now you can see, in that mental picture we have created, that one baby is standing out black in a crowd of white babies. The key word, and for me, therefore, the most critical element that everyone needs to understand to get a good grasp of this subject, is differentiation

Excerpted from Brand, Nation and Truth: The Parable of the Apple(September 2012) by Akin Adeoya

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A Tale of Two Birthdays: President Jonathan and Davido

There is a Lesson in the Manner Musician Davido Celebrated His Birthday, Even for a Former President.

Davido celebrated his 29th birthday last Sunday. The event itself may have turned out to be an anti-climax. The famous performer already hit a shattering climax well ahead of the event. Before his birthday proper, he achieved an earthly nirvana. If he had a big party on the actual date, it will simply be a symbolic marking to shell out drinks and entertainment to his friends, maybe to even say thank you for the earth shaking birthday they already helped him to achieve.
Whoever suggested the idea of donating N251millon from donations made to him and N50m of personal money to charity has helped Davido create a full, beautifully rounded character. With this brilliant stroke, he has now completed the circle of true success. A great performer, a businessman(He has run his entertainment business profitably) and now as a major philanthropist. Achieving a G for great in the 3Ps(Performance, Profitability and Philantrophy) in style before he even turned 29 is already something to celebrate in a big way.
Davido has helped to set an example to his colleagues in the entertainment industry and even to those in business, to understand the power of philanthropy and its potentials to help reap unquantifiable benefits in building an individual's personal brand equity. You can have all the money in the world, if all you do is keep it in your bank account and only take care of yourself by living a lavish lifestyle, you remain a liability to society and you set a bad example to those who look up to you. The best scenario for society is when the weak are able to look up to the strong for succour.
In contrast to Davido's spectacular feat, former President Goodluck Jonathan disappointed with his lack lustre and imitative "follow follow" birthday party in a private jet. I don't think a President should imitate his "subjects".
This is an old and tired Nigerian "big man" practise. Nigerian big men throw parties in private jets all the time. They record their lavish parties and display their wealth in jets which are circulated to the rest of us through social media. Maybe they want us to imagine that, being up there in the sky, the air they breath is different. This is the country where a man whose surname has become synonymous with dollars as to be nick named "Otedollar" can still engage in a plastic display of the sheer luxury in his private jet. Mr Femi Otedola actually modelled for all of us to see. Looking a bit bored, he spent time sitting on the well appointed furniture in the jet's sitting area. Then he proceeded to lie down on the bed in the bedroom area. He even spread the duvet on his legs so we can know that there is actually a duvet!
The question for men of substantial wealth and power like Otedola and now President Goodluck, a former president, is: What point is being made? I can understand a wanna be "big man" like Senator Dino Melaye swooning in Senator Kalu's jet and splurging out the words, "This is the life", between gulps of fine Champagne. But I fail to see the usefulness of this exercise for a former president of Nigeria or one of Nigeria's greatest men of means. I mean, authentic "big men".
President Jonathan is a good man. But he seems to always throw away the chance to make substantial impact when the opportunity arises. He doesn't rise up to the occasion. Nigeria, the country that he handed over to President Buhari has become a shadow of itself with an escalation of insurgency, ethnic tensions leading to violence and all kinds of religious and criminal tendencies turning the nation into one of the most violent political spaces on earth.
It doesn't look like a good time to be pouring Champagne, or cutting cakes and showing off in a private jet. This is something that even second rate entertainers and social media buffs find a way of exhibiting all the time.
At a time this, you expect a true stateman to send out a message of hope and encouragement to mark his birthday. To show that he is conscious of the ills plaguing the nation and to offer comforting words at the very least. I think I even recall the famed Cubana big boy, Obi Iyefu, having a small get together in one of those private jets after the exhausting extravaganza he organized for his late mother's burial in the famous Oba showdown. While I hold nothing against Obi and others in that league, I am not so sure that this is the company our former president should be keeping.
President Jonathan needs to realize that at 64 and a former president, he remains one of the most potent agents for positive change we have in Nigeria. While the likes of Obasanjo and IBB can continue to intervene, it is obvious that at close to or over 80, these men need a rest. And if they won't give themselves the needed rest either because of their commitment or other reasons, nature is sure to compel the rest on them.
In his case, he still, by the special grace of God, has many active years to live and his health seems very positive. He should use those years to help Nigeria become a better nation by continuously lending his voice to the need for positive change and adherence to the rule of law. He should aim to be a true stateman and always be found where truth and probity stand in our nation. This country has been good to him, this is payback time.
While the calls for him to return to contest elections to A*o Rock may continue, he should beware the ides of march. He has had a chance that very few individuals will ever have in their lifetimes and he had it virtually on a platter of gold. While he may have made mistakes, most now agree that his tenure was not that bad compared to the present situation. A fresh attempt at taking A*o Rock may or may not end so nicely. Should he attempt it and fail, and the odds are obvious, he would have been thoroughly roughened up and his currently admirable record may not only lose its shine but can be thoroughly dirtied along the line.
A word, I think, can add to the wisdom of the wise.

Poor FFK!
Ex Minister Femi Fani Kayode resumes duty as Spokesman for "Prof" Pantami. In his desperate need for relevance he has taken up the duty of arguing that Pantami qualifies to be a professor! The big problem he has at the moment is the lack of a target for his poisoned barbs. He has joined the party he used to vilify. His former party has totally ignored him and we apparently have a bored FFK who's only real target at the moment is his former victim wife.
When all you excel at is abusing people, life can be miserable without a target to shoot at.

The Power of Hibiscus

Nigerian manufacturers are waking up to the potentials of the famed Hibiscus plant. One of them is Ruchim investment and manufacturing, coming with a taste of Master Tea Hibiscus. The big question is, do the consumers know what's in the offing?

I am a bit upbeat about this product. I found some packs of this hibiscus tea on a shelf in Shoprite and quickly looked through to find out about its origins. Its the fact that it is made in Nigeria that first got me excited.
My first encounter with Hibiscus tea was in the acutely luxurious courtyard of the meticulously put together House of Splendour in Ikeja GRA. Once you tasted the product, the tarty taste stays with you forever. Its one of those drinks you can consume without the need for sweetening except you are one of those people who really must sweeten with sugar or the slightly more healthy honey(Yeah, slightly).
That was the made in USA variant. I took an interest and read the package information only to find out that it was manufactured from Nigerian hibiscus. I was a bit proud of that but also a bit disappointed because the question I then asked myself was: So why cant we make this tea here and export it to the world?
Trust me the imported hibiscus tea also cost some money. But I understood: Mrs Daniels(lawyer and designer) the amazon who chiselled the lovely little boutique hotel out of the walls of a dated building would stand for nothing less!
I was to later have some respite when I discovered hibiscus tea by Unilever in a shop. I immediately adopted it. Its quality made sense and its packaging was decent enough. Most importantly, you didn't have to break a bank to get a pack. But it had an Achilles heel: It was also imported, this time from Dubai. This puzzled me to no ends knowing the capacity of Unilever to manufacture the product in Nigeria. Could it be that demand was not enough? Was any push given to the product? I cant recall.
Unfortunately for us hibiscus enthusiasts, the product soon disappeared from the shelves and it was either you go to Amazon to import the product or you settle for zobo! Good old zobo!
Now you know. Zobo is also made from Hibiscus. And its hugely on sale in Nigeria especially when the plant is in season. Unfortunately, most of the products available are generically produced informally and you can hardly be sure of the hygiene level. Also, they are usually heavily laced with sugar or in some cases, saccharine. So of you are sugar averse like me, you are out of the list.
I think I have noticed some bug companies making factory produced zobo products and I will try to look them over as we go along but then these are not teas in the traditional sense. They are mostly thirst quenchers.
Master Tea may have broken the jinx of local production of Hibiscus tea if they can sustain the challenging momentum of building a brand in Nigeria from the ground up. At the moment the product is running on its own fate as it does not appear to be backed by any communication or serious marketing. But its a good product. The tartness is deeply satisfying and the level of infusion impressive such that you see the rich red brightness in just a minute after pouring your hot or even lukewarm water.
Price wise, its pocket friendly. I hope this product does well and continues to provide employment for Nigerians: Its produced by a company called Ruchim investment and manufacturing ltd and they are based in Mowe in Ogun state.
Currently most of the hibiscus grown on Nigerian soil is exported abroad with Mexico and USA taking a huge chunk. The market for Nigerian zobo is estimated to be worth $100m and its growing. One hopes that we can improve the narrative as selling off raw materials never yields wealth as well as adding value and selling off for even greater returns. At the end of the day Nigerians will still end up buying loads of imported hibiscus teas.

Last note
Hibiscus is no ordinary plant and its tea is no ordinary tea. A quick research credits the plant with capacity to support treatment of a variety of serious ailments including high blood pressure, reduction of blood fat levels, promotion of weight loss, prevention of cancer, fight against bacteria and boosting liver health.
Hibiscus also contains antioxidants that help fight compounds called free radicals, which cause damage to the cells, according to health experts.
Most of these claims are not yet conclusive as they are gleaned from research done on animals and a very few on human samples. But there is reasonable evidence to justify the health benefits of the consumption and enjoyment of this unique product.

The worst enemy of a good idea is another good idea. I heard that from Fela Durotoye. One of the smartest things I have heard.

Want to Become a No 1? Start Here.

The Secret of Becoming No 1
I did not say the secret of becoming a No 1 in what you do. Or the secret of becoming a No 1 in what you love to do. I didnt say becoming a No 1 in what you were trained to do. Neither did I say becoming No 1 in what you think you were born to do.

In all those situations listed, you are in good company. In a large company. There are lots of people who are doing what you are doing, or what you love to do, or what you were trained to do or what you were born to do and I can assure you many of them are doing a good job of it. That is what keeps the world going. And yes, there are some chosen or lucky bulls at the top of the each pile. You can beat them. But the chances of success is very low. Too many rivers to cross.

Becoming a No 1 is hardly ever accidental. Oh there are a lucky minority who become No 1 because they were just born to a King or Emperor and fall effortlessly in the line of succession. Most of us aren't that lucky are we?

If you were trained to do it and you were not the first or second or third set of people trained to do it then there would already be an existing No 1,2,3,4 etc.

No 1s are notoriously difficult to dislodge. Not impossible. But difficult, costly, time consuming. Why waste all that time and energy and you are still most likely to fail? What makes No 1 a number 1 is not just about the No 1 position or the power and privilege attached to the position.

It is also about the thousands or millons who accept her as No 1. It becomes a settled issue.

Settled issues are difficult to contend against.

Even when they are wrong.

That the earth is flat was a settled issue.

That the earth is in the middle of the solar system and that all the planets, including the sun, orbited around it was a settled issue.

For millenia, in**st among royals was a settled isssue. From Egypt to the cold heart of Europe, the belief that the bloodline must remain pure over the generations by the act of internal breeding among brothers, sisters and blood relatives, was enforced. No one doubted it, everyone concurred. Royals were born sick, malformed, inefficient humans. Yet they would be installed as natural rulers with the power of life and death over mortals.

Nobody could point it out that in**st seemed to produce mentally and physically challenged individuals. Maybe they didnt know. Maybe they dare not say it.

But there must have been a good reason why normal folk go far from family to procreate.

Such is the power of human belief. Trying to challenge a man's conception of what constitutes No 1 is as good as challenging his pride. It actually creates a feeling of insecurity in most people. It is a deeply emotional matter. Pure logic is not enough.

Sometimes the No 1 does not even have to defend her position. Hordes of her followers will do the dirty job for her. You will think you are battling the No 1.

You are fighting her believers instead. Winning takes a miracle.

Like if the No 1 personally commits su***de. Organic death.

Enter No 2. Its a succession system guys.

A wise man named Michael Porter, author of Competitive Advantage and one of the most important business strategists of the modern era suggests a better way.

To become No 1, you must redefine the nature of the product(brand, person, service etc). You must reconfigure the rules. When you fight on your own turf, built by you, with your strengths and weaknesses taken into consideration, how can you lose? And, by the way, lose to who?

First movers can only lose to themselves. And by the way that is a big danger! It happened to me once! But that is a story for another day.

First mover advantage is so formidable. Infact, Jack Ries believes the only way to predictably become No 1 is when you become a first mover on a new path that you personally cut through the forest.

Canon: Don't fight to become No 1 in another person's soccer feild. He knows all the nooks and crannies. He will exhaust you with experience, resources and most importantly, the faith of the consumer, in him! The hordes on the stands will cheer him to victory even if he is really a bad Nero.

Go into the bush and build a new field for those who never played in the existing field.

Men who never worshipped in the old shrines.

This way, you succeed in becoming No 1 on the strength of your very own original ideas, the credibility of your products and the sheer vacancy at the top of this particular ladder.

Nature abhores a vacuum, they say.

Go ye and occupy.

You are No 1.

Akin Adeoya is an imaginative strategist and communicator. Reach him at [email protected]

Alexander the Great revolutionized the art of warfare and re-imagined battlefield tactics. At 33, he had conquered most of the then known world