20th Anniversary: Fun Things, Short Takes As MTN Nigeria Hosts Friends & Customers

On Sunday, August 22, 2021, something delightful happened.

Winners of brand new Honda HRV Sports Utility Vehicle – 2021 edition – given out by MTN Nigeria as part of its 20th-anniversary celebration were given their prizes.

The glam presentation was made at a “Media Meet and Greet” that was held at the MTN Headquarters, Ikoyi, Lagos state.

The events played out as a special evening for friends and customers turned partners over the years to relate with top executives at MTN Nigeria.

Societynow.ng brings short – takes from the evening to remember…

…It was a case of masked men and women. In a clear indication that no matter how beautiful what was happening was, safety first – all guests were masked up. Not one single person did not wear his or her face mask.
And the first message on stage – when the event kicked off – accentuated the need to apply Covid-19 safety protocol at the event and at all other times.

“Wear your mask at all times, except when you want to eat or drink” the message on one of the screens on stage informed those who may want to take the safety issue too much to heart and ….

….It was an eventful event – and interestingly, Eventful Limited owned by Yewande Zaccheaus – who handed over to new Ceo Bisayo Beecroft in March 2021 – catered at the celebration organized by the definition of the story every Nigerian can relate with, MTNNIgeria to say “Thank You” to customers and partners for being a part of its 20years of impacting on people and country.

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“Our story is important but our customers are more important” – an MTN Executive stated as she dragged Idowu Adenekan, a colleague away, in the middle of attending to a journalist with apologies. The action which tells how strong workers at the telecommunication company holds on to the philosophy that “customer is king” transpired just before the event kicked off. Of course, Adenekan who is the consumer marketing manager returned to finish his task with the media man.

….
Adenekan relegated the host, Tee- A (Tunde Adewale ) for a bit of time, the MTN Man was given the task of bringing on stage the winners of the brand new Honda HRV Sports Utility Vehicle – the 2021 edition – at the event. And “midwife” the presentation of the keys to winners. And for the spell that he carried out the task, He hijacked the job of TEE A but he wasn’t T….

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This is a solemn announcement. Everybody’s darling Tee A is now an “Apari”. Apari means to be bald. “Baldness” is apari in the Yoruba language. The host for the night who did a fantastic job at the event did a poor task of concealing his bald head although he tried to throw attention away from the “side attraction” on his head by spotting almost a scalp clean air-cut. “The bald portion stood out like a moon on an eerily silent night” an observer stated drily.

….
“There is no peace/rest for the wicked” is the popular saying. The Sunday, August, 22, event that MTN Nigeria staged to say “Thank You” to customers and other stakeholders proves this may not be entirely correct.
There was no rest/peace for all those who were on hand to ensure that the event turned out as spectacular as it was, especially people on the MTN side. “Tobe (Tobechukwu Okigbo) and all the other MTN Executives were “hustling” different parts of the room to cater to the needs of guests.
Obviously, those who work to create something wonderful as well have no rest until it is done,

…
Funsho Aina, a member of the “MTN Troop” at the event turned an eagle eye detective.
Mr Aina, a senior manager adopted the position of backbencher at the ceremony looking for where interventions are needed and drawing attention to such or taking on the task.

The former media man started the evening taking CEO Karl Toriola to meet the media executives and done with the task – claimed the “status” of eagled backbencher with eyes trafficking left and right to ensure all go well.

…Something great happened to a really good man at MTN Nigeria’s “Thank You” event to stakeholders. Chuks Nwanne the Editor of the Guardian Newspaper who won one of the 20 brand new Honda HRV Sports Utility Vehicle gifts to customers has a reputation in the media world. He is a very, very good mind. Chuks is a wonderful soul. Chuks is unassuming and has something nice to say about everybody. Members of his constituency were elated that fate smiled on Chuks to be one of the beneficiaries of MTN’s car gifts. Interestingly, Chuks Nwanne bought the MTN sim card -that earned him the wondrous gift – in 2005 when he was serving the “fatherland” as a Youth Corper.

…” An error quickly corrected!”, naturally with all things in life – nothing is perfect. An error played out during the event. In trying to show transparency in the selection and that the winners are real, the images and related details of the winners were emblazoned on the screen on stage. One of the quick-thinking Executives spotted the implication as regards “invasion of privacy” and “associated risks” to the winners of the brand new cars and the “placement” yanked off and never to return.

…The numbers of winners picked from different states including, Bayelsa, Delta, Zamfara, and even the Federal capital territory- Abuja proved that Lagos remains champion.

Lagos, the center of excellence got seven of the 20 winners of the brand new Honda HRV 2021 edition picked from its domain.

…Sneaky is the word that comes to mind when the “escapade” of very senior journalist Eniola Bello at the MTN Nigeria’s “Thank You” event is recollected.

The managing director of soar away daily newspaper Thisday sauntered in unobtrusively with the event just underway.

His presence was made known when he was called on stage to present the key of the car gift to the first beneficiary to be called on stage, Betty Owolabi.

The Senior journalist returned to his seat, away from the glare, made attention had shifted from him, and stole away but not without very alert MTN man, Funsho Aina tagging after him.

…” Punctuality is one of the souls of business” (that’s a modified saying by the way) and that was the ethic of the MTN Team and all other hands on deck to make the event happen – including Eventful, and Chill City – operated on Sunday, August 22, 2021.

There were all there with everything in place well ahead of the 4.00 p.m kick-off time.

And the transition from pre-event, to event and post-event was seamless.

…MTN Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola was one of the early arrivals. He arrived at the venue about 3.30 p.m and immediately hit the crowd.

Greeting people and saying his “thanks” to all those that came to be a part of the event was his first task. And taking light questions along the way. And he didn’t do it with a battery of executives and aides dogging his steps.

“Obviously at MTNNigeria, everybody has their work cut out and it is not what you are seen to be doing but what are and should be doing with the CEO leading by example” societynow.ng learned.

…The Chairman, Ernest Ndukwe was the perfect Ambassador.
“Yelloo everyone” was his opening line of a very robust speech of few minutes that thanked customers and partners across board and highlighted the massive impact of MTNNigeria on the social and economic spheres of the nation.

“Yelloo” passed off as “HELLO” is the signature greetings of MTN and…It was only Chairman Ndukwe that aptly used it at the delightful gathering.

…The key message of the chairman’s talk stated in part “When we look at where we are today, and how far we’ve come, what stands out is not just the number of people connected, or the amount of revenue generated, etc. We see the multiplier effect connectivity services can have on the social and economic ecosystem. And now more than ever, I am optimistic about what the future holds for Nigeria’s digital economy and I look forward to building it together, with all of you.”

…Totally, unassuming but obviously with a deft grasp of his roles and objectives, MTNNigeria’s CEO Karl Toriola came on stage immediately after Chairman Ndukwe. The homeboy from Ile-Ife, Osun state making Nigeria proud as the head first indigenous head of the telecommunication company changing lives stated in part “This 20-year journey is the result of the boundless possibilities in our nation, the incredible potential that the Nigerian telecoms and technology sector represent, and the guidance and support that we have received from millions of Nigerians, in every corner of the country. We are here today because of the role that each of you – media, customers, trade partners, retailers – has played in this journey. For this, we are humbled and grateful. To all of you, we extend our deepest appreciation and gratitude, and we deliver an important message – the best is yet to come…”

…Multiple tasks for the representative of the regulator was the fate of Ms Hafsat Lawal, Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission.

The simple but elegantly dressed was called on stage to present a car gift, for pictures, again and again, and TEE A, sympathetic of the efforts she was making “coming and going” to bask in the honor accorded pleaded “Madam, please this is the last one”.

…Naughtiness is natural and even if you make extraordinary efforts to be on your best behavior – you just can’t help yourself most times.

Alfred Iserhienrhien, an MTN customer since 2001 was one of those presented with the key of a brand new Honda suv. The elderly man was given a chance to speak. He took longer than usual. He got emotional at a point and said “I don’t even know what to say..”

“That’s the best place to stop..” Tee A who has been waiting in the wing zeroed and in an attempt to make light situation sparked subdued later with “I mean since you don’t know what to say again”

…When pretense is good. If you see the picture Frank Edoho, the popular host of the equally popular MTN sponsored all positive Who Wants To Be A Millionaire with three MTN Executives (Odunayo Sanya – Executive Secretary MTN Foundation, Adekunle Adeebiyi – Chief Sales and Distribution Officer, and Ugonwa Nwoye – Chief Customer Relations Officer – and it will not tell you the full story of the build-up.

“Let me pretend as if I am one of the speakers,” Edoho told TEE A as the picture is taken. That is what the picture will show. Pretense turned real.
The real story is that there was a fireside chat with the three MTN chief executives taking questions- which highlights how much value MTNNigeria has brought to bear since inception – with Edoho, who was off and on the camera as – Moderator.

…Hopefully, one of the antics of Frank Edoho on Sunday will not come back to bite him in the buttocks.

When it was “questions time” (you add “answers time” if you don’t mind), Edoho gave the microphone to let just say “a media person”.

To be truthful, the “media person” sort of…em em em, name-dropped in asking his questions but whether he found it funny or not that some cracked up when on taking back the microphone, Edoho stated straight-faced “under one minute we have known all the people you interviewed on your show” is yet to be established.

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The light of poetry, Sage Hassan was on hand to draw the curtain on the event with a fitting performance. Just “fitting performance”? Does that do justice to what he did?.
Let us borrow a bit from what the guys at the leading agency made available which is a nearer description to the kind of performance poet Hassan put up “Serenading the media and other guests present at the event was popular Nigerian poet, Sage Hasson who delivered an attention-grabbing spoken word performance, detailing MTN’s journey in Nigeria over the past 20 years. “

..And injustice it will be if we do not recognize the extraordinary performance of performers of the Quartet sponsored by the MTN Foundation to Muson School of music.
They lifted the ambiance all through pre, event, and post-event without break.

The MUSON School of Music was established in 1989 and offers training to people interested in learning how to sing or play a musical instrument.
The two-year MUSON Diploma School was set up after receiving accreditation from the Federal Government and has graduated over 300 students since 2006. All students admitted to the course receive an MTN Foundation Scholarship that covers transportation, textbooks, and tuition.

How the SUV Winners were picked
There was no contest. No Raffle. It wasn’t a competition. The winners were selected based on available data. The lucky winners are MTN customers who activated their lines and made revenue-generating activities such as recharge, make calls, or text messages every August 8, from 2001 when MTN Nigeria launched till date.

Addendum: Just in case you don’t know, users of MTN Lines have their collective name. As revealed by one of the company’s executives they are known as MTNNERS

…Tne biggest news: MTN will boost the nation’s economy with N600Billion in the next three years, a part of this massive fund is earmarked to provide helping hands for startup businesses.