By joshua PROFESSOR ELIJAH EBENEHI OGBADU DELIVERS 25TH INAUGURAL LECTURE OF PRINCE ABUBAKAR AUDU UNIVERSITY, ANYIGBA
…Calls for Countermarketing Approaches to Combat Poverty, Insecurity, Other Social Vices
Professor of Marketing, Professor Elijah Ebenehi Ogbadu, has called for the deployment of ethical marketing principles, social responsibility and strategic marketing practices as tools for addressing poverty, insecurity, unemployment and other social vices confronting Nigeria.
He made the call while delivering the 25th Inaugural Lecture of Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, titled “Marketing, A Societal Saviour: Charting the Course for Future Nigeria,” on Tuesday, 11th August, 2026, at the University Auditorium.
Prof. Ogbadu explained that marketing has evolved beyond its traditional focus on selling and distribution into a comprehensive philosophy concerned with quality of life and long-term societal wellbeing.
He noted that marketing participants do not only identify the needs and wants of consumers but also adapt business organisations to deliver desired satisfaction in ways that enhance the wellbeing of consumers and society.
The Inaugural Lecturer maintained that although profit remains an important measure of marketing success, it should be regarded as a by-product of doing business well and not the sole objective of business activity.
He stressed that marketing organisations must build and maintain legitimacy in the eyes of the public by placing customers and society at the centre of their activities.
Prof. Ogbadu identified poverty, corruption, bad governance, insecurity, drug abuse, poor healthcare, cultism, ethno-religious and communal conflicts, unemployment, examination malpractice, election rigging and unethical business practices among the major social problems confronting Nigeria.
He noted that these challenges have contributed to loss of lives and property, anxiety, constrained economic growth, hunger, deprivation, inflation, health challenges, erosion of social values, disunity and declining public confidence in public and private organisations.
Against this backdrop, the Inaugural Lecturer argued that marketing, when properly oriented towards societal wellbeing, could provide a practical framework for diagnosing social problems and designing sustainable solutions.
He observed that contemporary marketing has moved beyond a narrow profit-driven approach to embrace value creation, stakeholder engagement, employee satisfaction, social responsibility, customer satisfaction and long-term societal welfare.
Speaking on social marketing, Prof. Ogbadu explained that it seeks to influence social behaviour not for the primary benefit of the marketer but for the benefit of the target audience and society at large.
He said social marketing could be deployed to promote self-employment, discourage the use of hard drugs, advance public health and traffic safety, and address gambling, alcoholism, cybercrime, prostitution and other harmful behaviours.
The Inaugural Lecturer stressed the importance of marketing ethics, describing it as the practice of good moral conduct, transparency, trustworthiness, responsibility and fairness to consumers and other stakeholders.
He urged marketers to uphold honesty, integrity and quality, while accepting responsibility for the consequences of their activities and avoiding deceptive advertising, adulterated products, unfair pricing, environmental pollution, false claims and other unethical practices.
Prof. Ogbadu also advocated the rebranding of Nigeria to encourage good moral behaviour, discipline and a positive national image.
He said charting the course for Nigeria’s future is a shared responsibility between government and citizens, stressing that national development and social welfare could not be achieved through government action alone.
In his words, “while the government is primarily responsible for creating a stable, inclusive, and enabling environment through effective governance, the people are equally expected to obey laws, promote social harmony, invest in personal development, and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s human capital.”
The Inaugural Lecturer highlighted transformational leadership as another critical component of national development, noting that effective leaders must demonstrate integrity, transparency, accountability, unity, discipline and commitment to economic growth and improved living standards.
He equally emphasised transformational followership, urging citizens to actively participate in civic processes, support positive leadership, provide constructive feedback and contribute to the achievement of shared national goals.
Prof. Ogbadu recommended, amongst others, that marketing principles and practices should be adopted as a nationwide undertaking to enhance customer satisfaction, societal wellbeing and national development.
He called for greater use of social marketing to promote good health, moral conduct, entrepreneurship, innovation, technology, growth, prosperity and sustainable development, noting that such approaches could encourage citizens to adopt beneficial behaviours and improve their quality of life.
He also called for the enforcement of strong ethical standards across government agencies, educational institutions, banks, hospitals, private organisations, religious organisations and other institutions, stressing that active participation of citizens in the nation’s ethical process is indispensable.
He reiterated the need for the provision of business grants to young graduates as a strategy for reducing poverty and unemployment, whilst advocating countermarketing approaches to combat kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, violence, terrorism, drug abuse, crime and other social vices.
Prof. Ogbadu urged Nigerian stakeholders to make quality a focal point of all processes and operational activities, including roads, bridges, buildings, products, services, healthcare, manufacturing, communication, information and workforce development.
He maintained that marketing principles and practices provide a robust framework for understanding and influencing societal behaviour, economic performance and national development.
He stressed that applying marketing beyond the commercial domain would enable policymakers, institutions and citizens to better understand needs, manage demand, shape attitudes and deliver value in ways that support sustainable development.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Inaugural Lecture Committee, Professor S.S. Arogba, congratulated the Inaugural Lecturer on attaining the distinguished academic milestone and commended his immense contributions to scholarship in the field of Business Administration, particularly in the Marketing profession.
In his address, the Vice-Chancellor of Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Professor Salisu Ogbo Usman, described the 25th Inaugural Lecture as another remarkable milestone in the academic history of the University.
Prof. Usman noted that the lecture was the eighth (8th) inaugural lecture delivered since his assumption of office on 11th February, 2026, as the sixth (6) substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University, describing the sustained tempo of intellectual engagement as a testament to the vibrant research culture taking firm root in the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor congratulated Professor Ogbadu on attaining the distinguished academic milestone and commended him for presenting a lecture that connected academic knowledge with the existential concerns of society.
He noted that marketing should not be understood merely as a commercial activity concerned with advertising, branding, promotion and sales, stressing that properly conceived and ethically practised marketing goes beyond profit to connect human needs with appropriate solutions, facilitate meaningful exchanges and promote societal wellbeing.
Prof. Usman added that the lecture was particularly relevant to Nigeria’s current realities, including economic uncertainty, declining purchasing power, unemployment, production challenges, consumer distrust and the urgent need for sustainable development.
He noted that a marketing philosophy founded on genuine value creation, consumer welfare, ethical conduct and responsiveness to societal needs could contribute significantly to rebuilding public confidence and stimulating productive economic activity.
Prof. Usman commended the Chairman and members of the Inaugural Lecture Committee for their dedication, diligence and meticulous planning, which he said had continued to enhance the quality, relevance and prestige of the University’s inaugural lecture series.
He reaffirmed the University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, innovation and character development.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of the inaugural lecture certificate, plaque and medal to the Inaugural Lecturer.
The lecture attracted members of the University Governing Council, members of Management and Senate, academic and non-teaching staff members, students, scholars from other institutions, religious and traditional leaders and other distinguished guests from within and outside the University community.
Uredo Omale,
Public Relations Officer,
Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba.