Steve Babaeko

Steve Babaeko (Born June 1, 1971, Kaduna) is a Nigerian advertising and music executive, public advocate, founder of X3M Ideas, a Lagos-based digital advertising agency that was listed in 2017 as "one of Nigeria’s fastest growing communication agencies.[1][2] He is also the founder/CEO of X3M Music, a record label that has as its marquee act, among others, Nigerian singer-songwriter Simi.[3][4][5] He was on the 2018 jury of the New York Advertising Festival.[6][7]

Steve Babaeko
Born
Steve Babaeko

(1971-06-01)1 June 1971
Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
Alma materAhmadu Bello University
OccupationEntrepreneur, CEO, Advertising executive
Partner(s)Yetunde Ayeni Babaeko

Biography and work

Babaeko attended the Federal School of Arts and Science in Suleja, Niger State for his A-levels, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for his first degree in Theatre Arts[8] though he said he had always wanted to be in advertising. He did his mandatory National Youth Service (NYSC) at NTA Kaduna.[9]

He began his career in 1995 with MC&A Saatchi & Saatchi where he worked for five years;[10] then to Prima Garnet Ogilvy (agency), where he also worked for another five years; and 141 Worldwide, where he worked for seven years as creative director.[2] He left in 2012 to set up X3M Ideas.

Babaeko is currently the Publicity Secretary of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Associate member of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), and current Chairman of the Lagos Advertising & Ideas Festival (LAIF).[11][12]

In August 2012, Babaeko founded X3M Ideas as "a full fledged advertising company"[2][13][14] He also founded X3M Music, a record label, which has Praiz and Simi as its prominent stars. He says he founded X3M Ideas with "a pretty small team of about 8 persons" after he turned 40 and "started seeing the world from a totally different perspective."[2] The company, which now has a staff of over a hundred people,[9] moved to its purpose-built office complex in Lagos in 2016.[15][16]

Juror on Advertising Festivals

In 2016 and 2017, Babaeko was a jury member of the New York Advertising Festival, described as "one of the oldest advertising festivals in the world." [17][18][19] He has also been invited as a Jury member to the 2018 event.[7]

He was also a judge on the 2017 The Loerie Awards[20][21][22][23]

Advocacy for Obangogo Hills for UNESCO Heritage

Babaeko is involved in a couple of social advocacy activities, including pushing for the recognition of Obangogo Hills, a symbolic cultural and tourist location in Kogi State of Nigeria,[24][25][26] standing over 700 metres high, as a UNESCO Heritage Site.[27][28][29]

Meaning of last name

His last name, Babaeko, was given to his grandfather by his great-grandfather to honour a Lagos-based lawyer whose presence in Kabba at an auspicious time helped him win an important court case.[30] Babaeko means "father from Lagos".

Personal life

Since 2006, Babaeko has been married to photographer Yetunde Ayeni Babaeko.[8]

References
  1. Editor, Online (2017-06-16). "Nigerian Top Agencies that Have Changed the Game of Marketing Communications". THISDAYLIVE. Retrieved 2017-11-29.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  2. "'Life Changed For Me When I Turned 40' - Steve Babaeko - Tush Magazine". Tush Magazine. 2017-06-05. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  3. "X3M Music". Music In Africa. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  4. "We are at home at X3M Music, say singers Simi, Sammy - Premium Times Nigeria". Premium Times Nigeria. 2014-04-27. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  5. "Simi out with sophomore album — three years after joining X3M Music". TheCable Lifestyle. 2017-09-08. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  6. "HOME". NYF Advertising Awards. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  7. "Steve Babaeko invited back to judge entries for New York Advertising Festival – Marketing Edge Magazine Online". www.marketingedge.com.ng. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  8. Odumade, Omotolani. "Celebrity Birthday: Steve Babaeko is a year older today". Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  9. "My dad expected me to be tough but… – Steve Babaeko | The Sun News". sunnewsonline.com. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  10. "How STEVE BABA EKO Runs X3M Ideas, The Story of His Top Notch Advertising Agency | City People Magazine". City People Magazine. 2016-12-26. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  11. "Running advertising without APCON Chair is like a plane flying without control tower – Babaeko - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. 2017-02-05. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  12. "STEVE BABAEKO, Efficiently meeting needs of rising advertising demands - BusinessDay : News you can trust". BusinessDay : News you can trust. 2016-06-10. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  13. "X3M Ideas offers 'shoulder to cry on' for depressed persons in new campaign". Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  14. "STEVE BABAEKO:THE FEARLESS CREATIVE DISRUPTING NIGERIA'S $500M ADVERTISING INDUSTRY | gbam.tv". www.gbam.tv. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  15. "PHOTOS: Nigerian advertising agency, X3M Ideas moves into its own purpose-built office complex". Nigerian Entertainment Today. 2016-03-23. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  16. BrandsMart. "X3M Ideas Relocates to New office | BrandsMart". www.brandsmartng.com. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  17. Editor, Online (2016-06-25). "'Creative People Should Think Like Businessmen to Avoid Being Dominated'". THISDAYLIVE. Retrieved 2017-11-29.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  18. "Steve Babaeko Appointed Into New York Advertising Festival Jury – Marketing Edge Magazine Online". www.marketingedge.com.ng. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  19. "Nigeria's Uzoma Okoye among 90-man grand jury at New York Festival Advertising award". The Nerve Africa. 2017-11-15. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  20. "Loerie Awards announces 11 regional judges for 2017". www.bizcommunity.com. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  21. "Babaeko, Alausa, Adheke Make List of Loeries' Regional Jury | BrandCrunch Nigeria". BrandCrunch Nigeria. 2017-07-11. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  22. communications, Chris Verrijdt Lingo. "LOERIES announces regional heavyweights for 2017 juries". www.adcomm.co.za. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  23. "African creative community gears up for keen contest at Loeries - BusinessDay : News you can trust". BusinessDay : News you can trust. 2017-08-18. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  24. "Obangogo hill: Protector of Kabba people". Tribune. 2017-11-15. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  25. "Obangogo Hill: Behold! World's Newest Tourist Site in Kogi | Savid News, Sports, Politics". www.savidnews.com. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  26. Sanloaded (November 15, 2017). "Obangogo Hill: Protector of Kabba People". SanLoaded.
  27. Editor, Online (2017-12-02). "Obangogo Holds Promise for Music, Dance". THISDAYLIVE. Retrieved 2017-12-08.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  28. "Obangogo Hill: Colourful cultural feast beckons on December 26". Newtelegraph. 2017-12-16. Retrieved 2017-12-18.
  29. "Obangogo Hills… Rich Kabba Heritage Yearning For Government's Attention". Retrieved 2017-12-18.
  30. "I am afraid of how I'll look like if I cut my dreads —Steve Babaeko". Tribune. 2017-06-18. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
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