A professor of marketing has urged government and citizens to embrace ethical marketing and social responsibility as practical tools for tackling poverty, insecurity, unemployment and other social ills plaguing Nigeria.
Professor Elijah Ebenehi Ogbadu made the call on Tuesday while delivering the 25th Inaugural Lecture of Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, titled “Marketing, A Societal Saviour: Charting the Course for Future Nigeria,” at the university auditorium.
Prof. Ogbadu argued that marketing has outgrown its old image as a sales-and-distribution function and has become a broader philosophy centred on quality of life and long-term societal wellbeing. He said marketing practitioners are not only expected to identify what consumers need, but to shape how businesses operate so that both consumers and society benefit.
While profit remains a key measure of success in business, the professor insisted it should be treated as a by-product of doing business responsibly rather than the ultimate goal. He called on marketing organisations to earn public trust by keeping customers and society, not just shareholders, at the centre of their operations.
Listing Nigeria’s major social problems, Prof. Ogbadu cited poverty, corruption, bad governance, insecurity, drug abuse, poor healthcare, cultism, ethno-religious conflict, unemployment, examination malpractice, election rigging and unethical business conduct. He said these have fuelled loss of lives and property, hunger, inflation, eroding social values and a decline in public confidence in both government and private institutions.
He proposed that “social marketing” — using marketing techniques to change behaviour for public benefit rather than commercial gain — could be applied to encourage self-employment, discourage drug abuse, promote road safety and public health, and push back against gambling, cybercrime and prostitution.
On ethics, the don described honesty, transparency, fairness and accountability as non-negotiable standards for marketers, warning against deceptive advertising, product adulteration, unfair pricing and false claims. He also called for a rebranding of Nigeria’s national image around discipline and positive moral conduct.
National development, he said, is a shared duty between government and citizens. Government must provide a stable and inclusive governing environment, while citizens must obey laws, promote harmony and invest in their own development. He tied this to what he called transformational leadership and followership — leaders acting with integrity and accountability, and citizens engaging constructively in civic life.
Among his recommendations, Prof. Ogbadu urged that marketing principles be adopted nationwide to improve customer satisfaction and social wellbeing, that ethical standards be enforced across government agencies, schools, banks, hospitals and religious bodies, and that business grants be extended to young graduates to fight poverty and unemployment. He also advocated “countermarketing” strategies against kidnapping, banditry, insurgency and terrorism, and called for quality to be prioritised in everything from road construction to healthcare delivery.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Inaugural Lecture Committee, Professor S.S. Arogba, congratulated Prof. Ogbadu on the milestone and praised his contributions to marketing scholarship.
In his remarks, PAAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Salisu Ogbo Usman described the event as the eighth inaugural lecture held since he took office in February 2026, calling it evidence of a growing research culture at the university. He said the lecture spoke directly to Nigeria’s current economic troubles — including declining purchasing power, unemployment and consumer distrust — and could help rebuild public confidence through ethical, value-driven marketing.
The event, which climaxed with the presentation of a lecture certificate, plaque and medal to Prof. Ogbadu, was attended by members of the university’s Governing Council, Management and Senate, staff, students, and guests from within and outside the institution.
