A telecommunications firm, Globacom, marked its twentieth anniversary lately, and though it didn’t roll out the drums loudly in celebration, it obtained accolades from many purchasers, distributors and different those that had felt its impression through the years, particularly showbiz practitioners. TOFARATI IGE writes on how the corporate has been one of many largest company supporters of the nation’s burgeoning leisure business

20 years of Glo-ing

Glo is an organization of many firsts. When the Global System for Mobile Communication was launched into the nation within the early 2000s, it virtually price an arm and a leg to personal a telephone and make calls.

Back then, even when one solely spent one second on a name, one could be charged for 60 seconds (one minute), as calls have been then charged on per-minute foundation.

However, from the second Glo began its operations in 2003, it made it abundantly clear that it could do issues in a different way.

For starters, it virtually modified the nascent business by introducing the per-second billing system. That manner, subscribers have been solely charged for the precise variety of seconds they spent on a telephone name. The different current telcos had no selection however to comply with go well with.

Some enterprise analysts have mentioned that looking back, that singular motion was reflective of the corporate’s model of doing enterprise. Beyond making earnings, the Nigerian-owned agency has proven that it additionally cares about folks, because it has rolled out a number of initiatives through the years to complement lives.

An night with Glo

On Saturday, November 25, 2023, at an occasion themed, ‘An Evening with Glo’, the corporate unveiled its new inventive route tagged, ‘Powering your Ambition’, to captains of business, excessive net-worth clients, and enterprise associates.

According to the corporate, the marketing campaign showcases its preparedness and functionality to assist companies and people with the precise instruments and companies to set bold private and enterprise targets, and realise them totally.

While talking on the occasion, the corporate’s Executive Vice Chairman, Bella Disu, famous that its story within the final 20 years symbolises its dedication to glorious service supply and innovation. She mentioned, “This occasion is particular for a lot of causes, one being that Globacom celebrated its twentieth anniversary this previous August. We are extremely pleased with this feat, which symbolises 20 years of our dedication to glorious service supply, high quality, innovation, and excellent communication methods. This outstanding journey and the heights we’ve reached are all due to the visionary management and tenacity of our founder and Chairman, Dr Mike Adenuga (Jnr).

“You’ll agree with me that the present tempo of digital transformation is much faster than what it was when Globacom began. What was as soon as deemed unattainable is now the norm. As a digital options supplier, we embrace these limitless alternatives to serve our clients by continually investing within the newest instruments and  expertise.

“Tonight, we are thrilled to unveil a new communication direction that focuses more on powering and driving ambition, while ensuring success for our existing and future customers.”

Disu went on to make a surprising disclosure, when she introduced that her father and the chairman of the corporate, Adenuga, was behind most of the agency’s inventive concepts and instructions. She mentioned, “Our new inventive campaigns will undoubtedly encourage accolades for our hardworking advertising and marketing communications staff. They deserve it, however I’ll allow you to in on a secret— the inventive genius steering us and whipping up most of those concepts is none apart from the nice guru himself, our Chairman, Dr Mike Adenuga. I’m not certain he would have needed me to share that, however after 20 years of his inventive route, I believe it’s honest to let the cat out of the bag!

“I would also like to acknowledge those who have been with us every step of the way— our dear partners and stakeholders. Your contributions have been essential to our success story over the past two decades, and our story would be incomplete without you.”

Promising 20 extra years of high quality service supply, Disu added, “We are excited about the next 20 years of serving our customers by pre-empting and fulfilling their needs in ways that help them achieve their ambitions. We count on you all to be by our side as we write tomorrow’s success stories.”

As the occasion went on, one of the vital wanted afrobeats singers on this planet in the meanwhile, Ahmed Ololade, aka Asake, took the thrill of the night a number of notches increased, as he thrilled the visitors together with his hit songs.

Aside from his clean vocal supply and songwriting expertise, the Grammy Award-nominee can also be an lively performer that takes management of the stage and leaves the viewers in awe.

At the occasion, the singer, who can also be a Glo model ambassador, held nothing again as he took followers on a dizzying musical rollercoaster, as he rendered a medley of his earlier tracks and latest hits.

Undoubtedly one of many folks portraying Nigeria in a very good mild globally, Glo wasted no time signing him as an envoy. Though it may not be evident to some, each manufacturers share similarities that make them an ideal match for each other.

Aside from being a proficient, daring, audacious and non-comformist, it’s clear that each Globacom and Asake possess the indomitable spirit that all the time finds a manner by regardless of the percentages.

Asake, who can also be a Glo model ambassador, ensured that there was no uninteresting second when he was on stage, as he continually engaged the viewers, and plenty of of them gleefully sang together with him as he serenaded them together with his hit tracks.

As he often does, the singer went nearer to the viewers, and took footage and movies with them.

Another Glo ambassador, Chike, made the venue extra intimate as he carried out a few of his love tracks, comparable to ‘Running’ and ‘If you No Love’.

A well-liked comic, Gordons, was additionally readily available to boost the night with jokes and banters.

Undeniable impression

Though it’s believed that the nation’s leisure business grew ‘organically’ with out a lot assist from outsiders, there are a selection of corporations which have contributed to the expansion of the business by their patronage, particularly within the areas of brand name ambassadorship and sponsorship of occasions.

However, not many company organisations can boast of the form of impression that Globacom has had on the humanities, leisure and sports activities sectors within the 20 years of its existence.

Over the years, the corporate has had a few of the largest entertainers on its roster of brand name ambassadors, together with King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, D’banj, Wizkid, Funke Akindele, P-Square, Olamide, Flavour, MI, Omawumi, Genevieve Nnaji, Ini Edo, and Odunlade Adekola, amongst others.

Inside sources within the firm squealed to Saturday Beats that some occasions, these model ambassadorial offers are used to empower the ambassadors financially and maintain them engaged.

The firm has additionally organised live shows— starting from music, dance and comedy— in numerous components of the international locations. Some of those occasions are ‘Glo X-Factor’, ‘Dance with Peter’, ‘Glo Campus Tour’, and ‘Laffta Fest’.

This is even because the telecommunications big has come to the help of a number of entertainers and sportsmen, who’ve had critical well being points.

Empowering the grassroots

Despite its assist for the humanities and leisure business, the corporate does solely take of stars, it additionally empowers folks within the lowest rungs of the social ladder.

The telco has spent billions of naira on its completely different promotional campaigns, comparable to ‘Festival of Joy’, and ‘Brekete’.

Sports not neglected

The firm’s plain impression is one which has cascaded to virtually all spheres of endeavour.

In sports activities, Glo has sponsored one of the vital prestigious soccer occasions on the continent— Confederation of African Football Awards— for a number of years; celebrating excellent soccer gamers throughout the continent.

Similarly, it has supported (bankrolled) different sporting occasions, such because the Nigerian Premier League, Nigerian National Football Teams, Nigeria Football Federation, Glo Lagos International Half Marathon, and the Glo People Police Marathon.

‘Without our customers, there is no us’

When some corporations are having it good, they usually overlook the purchasers and distributors/clients/purchasers that ‘carried’ them to the place they’re.

However, Glo doesn’t fall into class. During the ‘Evening with Glo’ occasion, Disu thanked the corporate’s clients for his or her loyalty through the years. She mentioned, “Your contributions have been essential to Globacom’s success story over the past two decades, and our story would be incomplete without you.”