CEO and Creative Director of 2A’s Events Nigeria Ltd, Mrs. Bose Abisagboola, stated that standardization is needed in the event industry, assuring her commitment to ensuring its effectiveness. In her 2017 write-up for the event industry conference magazine, she pledged to see to its institutionalization as a norm for Nigerian event professionals. As a dedicated member of the Association of Professional Party Organisers and Event Planners in Nigeria (APPOEMN), standardization is influenced by her impacts and competent expertise in the association.
The event industry has assumed the position of one of the evolving and rapidly growing industries in the Nigerian economy. Resultantly, there is an urgent need to standardize the industry as its benefits cannot be overemphasized. The cultural heritage and identity of Nigerians which has its belief in communal celebration permits celebration of almost every occasion and events in their lives in a grand style. These celebrations Range from dating proposal to marriage engagement, weddings, wedding anniversaries, baby showers, child naming ceremonies, child dedication, College graduation and many more.
Cultural and traditional styles now blend with western styles.
Nigerians celebrate everything worthy of celebration with families and friends due to its deep immersion in cultural diversities. Citizens of Nigeria are naturally happy people and have therefore been regarded as the happiest people on earth. They are prone to lightening up moods, making sure no one around them has dull moments. In today’s history, events in the country has evolved and taken a new turn as cultural and traditional styles now blend with western styles, fostering global trends in the sector.
To activate a more productive and sustainable development in the industry, there is a need for adoption of an holistic point of view on standardizing the sector. This can be done by enacting win-win ethical standards, rules, practices and proper modes of conduct that would serve as a guide to all practitioners and stakeholders serving in the event sector. With proper development and adoption, these standards are capable of addressing perennial issues such as vendors and venue sourcing, client management, staffing, costs and customer satisfaction.
Stakeholders will be beneficiaries of the standards.
Adoption of this practice ensures an enabling environment that aids consensus operations in the industry. For creation of the required standards, close attention must be paid to some contexts which include formulation and publication; implementation of rules and guidelines; and specifications for regular and repeated procedures. This would help attain the optimum level of order and uniformity in every discipline, context and field of endeavors. When implemented, stakeholders would be beneficiaries. There would likewise be a great enhancement of the integrity of event practitioners.
Inclusion of guidelines like contract terms and conditions for provision of a framework of quality and rapid service delivery would ensure availability of structural support for organizations. Likewise, it would improve continuous education through collective formulation, training and implementation of industry ethical standards and code of conduct. There would also be an encouraged industrial alignment in negotiations, refund policies and others; and formulation of efficient safety standards for vendors and guest to enable a safe and incident-free event.
There would be innovative solutions to fight challenges.
Additionally, with appropriately implemented standards, there would be an enhancement in the industry’s credibility which would in turn attract the participation and partnership of the government in formulation of policies. Professionalism would thrive in the event business with solid boost in innovative solutions to combat common challenges, idea sharing with technological instruments and evolving business trends through educative seminars and exhibitions. Every member of APPOEMN is expected to be standard-driven according to its vision statement: “Setting standards that ultimately yield profitability in Nigeria’s events industry”.
Related Link
APPOEMN: Website
