Lugard Aimiuwu has signified intention to retire as the president of National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) effective August 9, 2013, when the body would hold its yearly meeting.
He has also, from last weekend, started a progressive disengagement from the day-to-day running of the institute to allow a progressive streamline in view of what he called “increased unavailability,” till council election in August.
The NIMN council, with new Federal Government ministries and agencies coming on board, however, elected Gani Koledoye as acting president for the institute in the intervening period.
The new ministries and parastatals are National Universities Commission, represented by Florence Asamadehun; National Board for Technical Education, represented by Umar Dangabarin; Centre for Management, represented by Gabriel Adeoye; Federal Ministry of Education, represented by Justina Akpa, and Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, represented by David Adejuwon.
Speaking on the coming on board of the parastatals, the outgoing president said the “fractured and fragile institute of yester-years now has a very solid foundation for the future, of an institute that promises to become a model for Africa and beyond.”
The marketing body faced some crises in August 2010 when another group headed by Femi Odufowokan alleged that the Lugard Aimiuwu’s council had been dissolved and that a new nine-member council headed by Odufowokan hsad been constituted.
Aimiuwu became the NIMN council president in 2008 following a truce he brokered between Chartered Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (CIMN) and the Nigeria Institute of Marketing (NIMARK), with both factions claiming to be statutorily empowered to regulate marketing practice in the country. Reports noted that the acrimonious relationship between the two bodies dealt some massive blow on the practice because both bodies failed to get the necessary recognition from the private and public sectors. His emergence as president of council was therefore to strengthen the marketing institute and enthrone confidence in the marketing industry.
“The bad blood among council members at that time got to a head when Aimiuwu was made by some members loyal to him to re-contest for the position of the president against the popular view that he should step down for an authentic NIMN member,” the report further said.
DANIEL OBI
