Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN) has gone into a partnership with frontline media Marketing Firm Katunga Media to provide a robust capacity building platform for its members. A BJAN statement said that “this partnership came as a result of the very strategic need to better equip its members as they support Indigenous brands in their quest for market leadership.”

Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Joseph Edgar, Director at Katunga Media, stated that the capacity building exercise, which would take place bi-annually for the next two years in the first instance, would involve the exposure of attendees to up-to-date initiatives in areas like strategy, branding, advertising, PR and conflict management.

According to him, “This has become imperative as a result of the increasing preponderance of social media and its characteristic seemingly uncontrollable nature in the effective management of brand reputation.”

Mr. Edgar added that as part of the trainings, top players in the identified fields both local and international would be involved in knowledge and experience sharing sessions which would further expose participants to the very best of international practices in brand journalism.

In his own contribution, Mr. Goddie Ofose, Chairman of BJAN, reiterated the vision of the association as a strong partner in the growth process of Nigerian brands, “hence the need to continue to foster continued interactions between its members and players within the economic space, especially those whose main task it is to protect and ensure the growth of these brands.”

This initiative has been endorsed by the Lagos Chapter of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

*Photo shows, from left; Mr. Joseph Edgar, Director, Katunga Media; Mr Olusegun McMedal, Chairman, Lagos NIPR; Clara Okoro, Vice Chairman, BJAN; and Mr. Goddie Ofose, Chairman BJAN, at the unveiling of the Katunga Media partnership to boost brand journalism, on Wednesday in Lagos.