The National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) has honoured the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), with the "Most Distinguished Honorary Fellowship" Award for his immense contributions to the development of the marketing profession in the country. The award ceremony, which was part of the programmes of the Institute's Annual National Conference held last Wednesday and Thursday (November 18 and 19, 2015), took place at the Banquet Hall, Ilorin.

Prof. Ambali was honoured along with the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed; the Vice-Chancellor of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malate, Prof. AbdulRasheed Na'Allah; the Vice-Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Prof. Ibrahim Taofeek; the Rector of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Alhaji Mas'ud Elelu; and the Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Dr. Muftau Olatinwo. Receiving the Award, Prof. Ambali, who expressed his appreciation to the Institute, pledged his continued support for the Institute in its effort to drive marketing programmes in institutions of higher learning to their proper destinations.

Earlier in his address at the Institute's Annual Conference held at the University Main Auditorium, the Vice-Chancellor had said that the cardinal objective of the management of the University is to equip the students with entrepreneurial skills that will enable them become employers of labour rather than job seekers after their graduation.

In the address, entitled "Zero to Hero", Prof. Ambali commended the leadership of the NIMN for convening a conference mainly to bring students together with a view to bridging the gap between theory and practice. He then advised the students to see the conference as a golden opportunity to turn their dreams of life to reality. He disclosed that the essential roles of marketing in nation building informed the decision of the University of Ilorin to establish the Department of Marketing two years ago.

In his speech, the National President of the Institute, Mr. AbdulGaniyu Koledoye, described marketing as a universal profession that is needed in all human endeavours. Also in his welcome address, the Kwara State Branch Chairman of NIMN, Alhaji J. A. B. Bello, challenged students of Marketing to do their best in the development of the Institute.

The Guest Speaker at the Conference, who is the Head of the Department of Business and Entrepreneurship, Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Prof. S. O. Otokiti, charged the three tiers of government in the country to pay adequate attention to promoting exports of the products of agro- industries in their future export policy.

In his paper, entitled 2Developmental Marketing of Non-Traditional Items in Nigeria: The Marketing Drama (The Case Study of Traditional and Non-traditional sector)",Prof. Otokiti described the Nigeria's marketing situation as slow, saying that "for Nigeria to be globally competitive, companies and marketers in the country will have to leap from cost to innovation, shun its conventional thinking, and develop some non-traditional products, services and markets". He said, "Nigeria fell short of appropriate development framework through frequent change of policies, lack of clear strategic marketing development vision and mission, serious commitment to marketing policy implementation cum evaluation and control and inadequate operations at non-traditional non- business areas."