Media personality, entrepreneur and co-founder of Red Media Africa, YNaija.com, The Future Awards
Africa and StateCraft Inc, Adebola Williams, has been made a brand ambassador of national telecommunications operator, Globacom.
Globacom had released a statement in Lagos on Thursday which identified Williams as one of the new ambassadors it recently signed.
The appointment makes the personality the first non-entertainment brand ambassador for a telecoms brand in Nigeria.
The company said it decided to expand its list of ambassadors to include young, hardworking Nigerians whose achievements in entrepreneurship and other endeavours were seen as inspiring to the younger generation.
Globacom is known to have entertainers and sports stars as its brand ambassadors.
However, the firm explained that it wanted to show young Nigerians that they could be successful through hard-work and diligence in any chosen field and did not need to be in the sports or entertainment to be celebrated.
An alumnus of the London School of Journalism, London School of Marketing and the School of Media and Communications of the Pan African University, Williams recently became an Obama Mandela Washington Fellow.
Joseph Amodu, a high school student, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he saw the change as a motivation to younger individuals.
"It is nice to see someone in a different field being recognised.
"It is mainly actors and musicians I see on their posters and I had wondered why other people could not be on the billboards.
"This will definitely encourage young people from different walks of life to be hardworking and productive," Amodu said.
Chisom Ifejiofor told NAN that she was happy that the personality was noticed for his achievements and not for his social status.
"I am glad he got this position because they noticed how successful he was as a self-made entrepreneur and not just because he is famous.
"This is encouraging," Ifejiofor said.
Grace Ufot said that she was pleased with Globacom and felt it should be commended for its effort to diversify its ambassadors.
"I think we have to thank and commend GLO for their effort to diversify the ambassadors they have and focus on the reason why they are doing that.
"This move will make young ones see reason to work hard in school and focus on their career choices.
"Most people have an interest in entertainment and sports because of the money that comes with it and that is not right.
A career should be chosen because one has passion for it and not because of the money that is in the field," Ufot said.
