Top Public Relations (PR) Consultant and Chairman-Chief Consultant at TPT International Ltd, Adetokunbo Modupe, is one of the bright minds in the industry. Toks, as he is fondly called by close friends, has come a long way. One of the earliest to upgrade the status and influence of PR consultancy in Nigeria, he stands tall in the close-knit Nigerian PR world. But apart from PR, Adetokunbo Modupe is also known as a young man of outstanding taste and style who likes and enjoys the good things of life. He has been one of the few “men working behind the scene who make things happen”. In this interview with PAUL UKPABIO, Toks reveals his current lifestyle and why he remains one of the most sought-after PR experts in Nigeria.
AS a top public relations practitioner, can you share with us what propelled you into such a silent profession at the time you started?
It wasn’t something that I planned to do, until I found myself in a media relations outfit and I fell in love with the profession. I would say that was how I got attracted and fell in love with the profession and my passion for it grew.
In those days when you started, was it as elaborate as we have the profession today.
Certainly not, it was a very conservative industry and I think there were just a very few full-fledged PR agencies then. There were The Quadrant and JSP. I can’t remember any other well established PR agency available at that time. So, it wasn’t a glamorous industry. It was very conservative. But when I looked at the practice in advance countries, I discovered that it wasn’t a conservative industry after all, and that we could rub shoulders with other professionals in other industries or professions like law for instance.
I discovered that PR practitioners could rub shoulders with other professionals and that the profession could attract big billings, if you have a well structured practice. So I became very passionate about it and positioned myself for a comprehensive and professional perception management consultancy.
In those days, what were the entry standards into the PR?
The entry standard as expected is regulated by the NIPR and there are certain minimal requirements which still exist till today. Naturally you will expect people that studied Mass Communication to practise PR as part of integrated marketing communication components, but there were also people who did other courses in the industry now. We didn’t have many practitioners in it then. I am talking about full-fledged consultancy outfits; I am not talking about public relation officers in an organization or about the Corporate Affairs Manager in banks who were not necessarily professionals then. You needed a lot of self-motivation to be able to build yourself, do some specialized courses too, coupled with your practice experience. In my case, within and outside the country for instance, I attended many training courses because of my passion for the industry and I felt if am going to practise and compete at the highest level then I needed to upgrade myself to offer premium services.
What is the environment like for PR consultants and how is joining the profession like?
The environment is different now, the competition is stiffer and so are the expectations from clients. When I started, there was nothing like computer, the company where I worked didn’t have a single computer. Even when I started my company in 1994, I didn’t have a computer until 1995 when we bought our first computer and we celebrated it. We even issued a press release announcing the acquisition of a computer. So, you can imagine. Compare that to the situation now, where everybody can now access the computer; not just a box computer, but iPads, laptops, even multi- media phones and other devices. We are in a more sophisticated environment right now, so the entry barrier already defines itself. If you are unable to navigate intellectually, it will be difficult for you to practise and compete well.
As a successful consultant what is the future like for younger practitioners coming?
The future is very bright; however, I have my concern for the industry, particularly from the billing and remuneration perspective. I believe that PR practitioners are not well remunerated if you consider the values that we add to our clients businesses and brands. That is in terms of the reward we get from the intellectual support we bring into our client’s business. And because of that, the industry is threatened. Basically, how many PR practitioners can compete with their counterparts in other professions like the legal profession or banking in terms of their socio-economic status? Maybe a few and that is not encouraging.
Is the PR growing at the rate that it should?
We admit that it is growing in terms of the attraction of young practitioners to the profession. More people want to come into the profession. Indeed we have more agencies now and for those of us that have been there for a longer period, we have seen a sector of a few players growing to become an industry. Indeed, there are a good number of people who have come in through this agency for instance, and have also gone out to set up their own organizations. So we have more people that are attracted to the industry now perhaps due to the success stories of a few practitioners. In terms of the size of the industry, the number of people involved in it is growing. But in terms of financial appreciation of the profession, you cannot compare that to the attraction to the industry. And that is where I have my concern.
Can that be overcome?
Yes, it can be overcome, if the practitioners can take a stand as an industry. If we can take a stand and if we set standards of minimum expectations of what we deliver and what we should be paid and continually advance our position through PRCAN (Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria), I believe things will change. As it stands now, only a few agencies like ourselves, can take a position to say that, this is what we want to be paid, and this is what we can deliver. In some cases when you reject briefs, and some other agencies jump at them without considerations to the value that comes with experience and goodwill which is very important in our profession. So if there is a sort of awareness that this is not helping the industry, perhaps people on the clients side, would begin to see the need to compensate good work with good remuneration.
What has made TPT stand out as a brand?
We are very professional. We are a creative agency. Our clients know we are a creative driven agency and that we always challenge the status quo. If you are talking about strategy that works, experience and goodwill we stand very tall in the Industry. We have worked for clients in virtually all sectors of the economy, including the federal and some state governments.
You have been linked to the development of tourism in Ondo State in recent times. Also, you are involved in the building of an International Culture and Events Centre. How about that project?
I actually thought this interview is about TPT, but I guess you are referring to another company where I have interest. What I can confirm to you is that pretty soon, invitations will be sent out for the celebration of that iconic project. Indeed if you find yourself in Ondo State anytime soon, you can go and visit the dome site and you will be amazed at what you will see. I can tell you I am very proud to be part of that project.
What is the dome supposed to do to the state? What is it supposed to do to the people?
It is going to make the state perhaps one of the top entertainment and culture tourism-attractive states in Africa. What you have there is a world-class structure that will have ripple effects on the local economy. You know what tourism is all about; the state will have the capacity to host international events, the capacity to bring a lot of people to the state to celebrate culture, conferences and entertainment. That will certainly boost the local economy of the state.
If you look at the economy of South Africa, for instance, tourism is the driver of South Africa economy. So you cannot wish away the place of tourism in the development of a state and you cannot develop tourism without having the infrastructure to deliver the content. Basically, what the government has been doing is building infrastructure, providing the enabling environment and now crowning it with a world-class facility like the dome is a well thought-out initiative that will take the tourism development of the state to another level. It is really going to expand and help develop the local economy. For instance, when you have an event that attracts 1,000 people to the state from other places, they will stay in hotels, they are going to eat, they are going to have local transportation, the effect that will have on local economy will be huge. The centre is also conceived as revenue generation centre considering our people’s appetite for celebration and socialising.
Are you interested in contesting election in your state?
Contest in which election? Why do you think everybody gets involved in politics to seek for elective position? I am interested in what is happening in my state as well as my country, but talking about elective position, I haven’t given it a thought. So putting me on the spot by asking me if I want to contest, when I haven’t given it a thought, caught me unawares. It is difficult for me to say yes or no, but I haven’t given it a thought. I believe that it is the system that determines what happens to every player. In politics, what matters is not ambition but relevance and loyalty.
If you work in an organisation and you are loyal and perform very well, some day maybe your boss will give you another responsibility and promotion will come your way or maybe recognition. That is my understanding. It is not so much about your ambition that will determine where you get to in life, whether in politics or outside politics, and even in business. That has been my principle in life. I always strive to be the best in all that I do.
You have passion for publishing, and you used to publish BRANDfaces; what happened to that publication?
We tactically withdrew it from the market because of production challenges. For those who have experience in publishing, production is the key. We had issues with production with regards to the turn-around time of the printing press we were using. And unfortunately because of the size of the magazine, a very few companies in Nigeria can handle it and deliver on the quality. Sometimes we spent almost two weeks at the press and before that one comes out, some of the contents are already stale. It was an advertiser’s delight no doubt. It wasn’t much of economy problem; it was more of the production problem. So we felt that if you paid for adverts to run every month of the year, and we are only able to produce nine editions, it impairs on our integrity. We decided that until we set up our printing press, BRANDfaces will remain withdrawn from the newstands.
Can you share with us how you got the Etisalat Event account on the company’s arrival in Nigeria?
Our subsidiary, 001 Events, pitched for the account against seven other companies and won the pitch. So, it was 001 Events, a subsidiary of TPT International Ltd that handled the roll out launch of Etisalat in Nigeria and that went on for about two years nationwide.
So how was the experience?
It was a unique opportunity as the company came into the market to play catch-up with other telecom operators, and for two years, as the event and activation agency, I think it was a wonderful experience for our subsidiary 001 Events. Now Etisalat has become a very big and deep-rooted organization in Nigeria.
What is your style like these days?
(Laughs) My style has not changed. My style is like me. My style has not changed, still very rebellious, still very much a reflection of me, you know I am a very independent-minded person. I am very confident about what I do and my style is a reflection of my confidence and my independence. I am not a slave to fashion. I am a style dictator.
What kind of accessories will you not do without?
I wouldn’t do away with my wrist watch. I keep a lot of them, a lot of shoes too. I keep a lot of fashion accessories because you would never know what the feeling will be like when you wake up and you need to have choices to make.
What brands of cars appeal to you?
I love German machines because they are usually very strong and stylish.
When you are cruising around, what feeling does it give you?
Well, when I want to buy a car, I think of stability and style. It has to be a combination of both attributes before I drop a cheque for any car. It has got to be strong. It must be something that should be able to sell my personality. I am a PR man; I won’t just put any kind of car on the road; it needs to show stability and be a reflection of my style.
What does success mean to you?
Success means independence and ability to cater for not only my immediate needs, but to be able to give to others who probably don’t have the privilege that I have.
How did you get to the top; how did you overcome the limitations?
I always focus on the ball and not on the crowd. Professionally, I don’t only work hard, but I make sure that I deliver beyond clients’ expectations. Most of my clients usually become our service advocates. Once I have worked with you, and you have the opportunity of telling someone else, I get more briefs.
What inspires you?
When I see very confident and upright people, I get inspired. People who know what they want and are focused. I can’t stand people who sit on the fence.
You are a busy man, how do you cope with family life?
Well, I guess I am coping. I guess every business man will be busy. Mine is not an exception, but my family understands the nature of my job. I travel a lot. It is part of the demand of my job. If I have to do something for a client in Port-Harcourt or Calabar or wherever, I have to go. So my family is used to my frequent travels within and outside the country.
What aspect of family life do you enjoy most?
These days you hardly can bring everybody together, the kids are in school, you only have the opportunity when they are on holidays.
Can you recall a holiday with your family that brings you happy memories?
That was a trip to a place called Bergamo in Italy. It is the industrial hub of Italy, about 30 or 45 minutes by train to Milan. It has its own tourist attractions, a very calm city, not as aggressive as Milan. We were able to spend some quality time together. Another one was in California, United State a few years ago.
If you were not a public relations expert, what else would you have loved to be?
A footballer perhaps: All though, I would have retired by now. That is one thing every kid in Nigeria loves to do. I used to play football, and I still play football for fun and fitness now anyway.
How many times in a week
I play every Sunday. As a busy person, I don’t have a lot of time to play, but every Sunday, I don’t joke with it when am in Lagos. From 4 pm on Sundays, I don’t do any other thing. I go to my club. I belong to a club called El Marino Sports Club of Lagos. Every Sunday, I join other club members to play football.
How much do you pay to join the club?
The fee is not outrageous; it is a moderate fee. I believe you can afford it, but it is fun. You know football is a team game; you can’t play alone.
