Stars, others celebrate Babaeko’s ADWeek recognition in Lagos

It was a gathering of who-is-who in the creative industry, as celebrities, friends, and colleagues of Steve Babaeko, the CEO/CCO of Nigeria’s leading advertising and media production company, X3M Ideas, converged at The George Lagos Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, to celebrate Babaeko’s recent recognition by Adweek as one of the top 100 creatives in 2019. 

Notable among guests at the event that lasted into the night are leading actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde, Media Entrepreneur, Fade Ogunro, Singer, Praiz, DJ Spinall, On-Air Personality, Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi, media personality Lamide Akintobi, Comedian and MC, Tee A and other friends, family, and close associates.

Other guests included; Publisher YES Magazine, Azuh Arinze, CEO Red Media, Debola Williams, Publisher, Brand Crunch, Lekan Babatunde, Chief Strategy Officer, EbonyLife Films, Eunice Omole, CEO Plaqad, Gbenga Sogbaike, Creative Director, STB McCann Lagos, Samson Adeoye and Assistant General Manager Operations, Channels Television, Kingsley Uranta. Others include CEO ID Africa, Femi Falodun, CEO Smooth Promotions, Ayo Animashaun, Ace Producer & Director, Femi Odugbemi, Supervising Producer, CNN Africa, Stephanie Busari and CEO Daria Media Ltd, Kadaria Ahmed, and others.

The yearly honorary list was created by Adweek to celebrate trendsetters and innovators in creative industries across the globe whose ideas are advancing advertising worldwide.

Babaeko’s wife and ace photographer, Yetunde Babaeko, their three sons and other members of his family also graced the occasion to honour Steve for his distinctive contribution to the Nigerian advertising and creative industry.

Speaking at the event, the celebrant expressed his joy on the Adweek recognition and other accomplishments by him saying,

“I’m glad that Nigerian creatives and companies are rising up to change the African narrative and tell original stories. We are not erasing our history, we are simply redefining the future and this is birth from a place of passion, as well as hard work.” 

He added, “I feel honoured to be celebrated today. We will keep pushing boundaries and changing the way Africa is perceived. We will continue inspiring younger generations and challenge practicing creatives because this is how we can move Africa forward.” 

Other international accomplishments by Babaeko include being on the jury of the New York Advertising Festival in 2016, 2017 and 2018; serving as a judge at The Loerie Awards in 2017; and recently sitting on a panel at the Cannes Lion International Festival this June. 

Babaeko is the Vice President of the Association of Advertising Agencies in Nigeria (AAAN), and an associate member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). His company, X3M Ideas, has also won numerous awards including the Marketing World Awards, Cristal Awards, and Lagos Advertising and Festival Awards.

He founded X3M Ideas, a digital advertising agency, in 2012 after an amazing advertising career that spanned over 15 years. The agency, today, is present in over four African countries, catering to some of Africa’s biggest brands such as Globacom, Dangote and Multichoice.