John Ajayi, Marketing Edge Publisher and Pioneer of Brand & Marketing Reporting, Dies at 61

Nigeria’s media and marketing communications industry was thrown into mourning yesterday following the passing of Mr. John Olulope Ajayi, FNIMN – celebrated journalist, trailblazing publisher, and founder of Marketing Edge. He died in the early hours of Monday after a brief illness. He was 61.

The family of the late media icon—an illustrious son of Ijan-Ekiti in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State—announced that burial arrangements will be communicated in due course.

Ajayi, fondly known across the industry as Omo Ajayi, was widely regarded as the pioneer and torchbearer of Brand & Marketing journalism in Nigeria. Over a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, he built a reputation as a visionary journalist, a relentless news hunter, and one of the most influential voices shaping Nigeria’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) space.

Born on June 12, 1963, Ajayi graduated from the University of Lagos with a Bachelor’s degree in English Language, later obtaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and a Master’s degree in Political Science, also from UNILAG.

His journalism career began at The News magazine as a proofreader on the Sub-Desk, before moving to THISDAY Newspapers as a staff writer. There, he pioneered a groundbreaking weekly media and ombudsman column – an early sign of the innovation that would define his life’s work.

Ajayi distinguished himself across business, features and political reporting, eventually serving as THISDAY State House Correspondent in Lagos. A celebrated investigative journalist, he was known for exclusives that shaped national conversations and elevated the standards of the profession.

In 2003, Ajayi shocked colleagues and industry watchers alike when he resigned from paid employment to start his own media enterprise—Marketing Edge Publications Ltd. What many saw as a risky gamble would, over time, redefine an entire niche of Nigerian journalism.

With Marketing Edge, he created the country’s first dedicated platform for comprehensive, authoritative reporting on brands, advertising, and marketing communications. The publication grew from print into a multi-channel media organization spanning online, television, out-of-home platforms, and a 360-degree marketing consultancy arm, Media Edge.

In 2013, Ajayi launched the National Marketing Stakeholders Summit and the Brands & Advertising Excellence Awards – an annual two-in-one flagship event that has become one of the most influential gatherings of marketing leaders in Nigeria and beyond.

His contributions earned widespread recognition. He was inducted into the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in 2017, honoured as an Industry Torchbearer by the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN), and named a Media Icon by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Despite the turbulence of Nigeria’s media landscape—shifting consumer habits, declining print circulation, and digital disruption – Ajayi remained one of the few publishers who consistently innovated and adapted. His partnership-driven approach led to the birth of Marketing Edge on TV in collaboration with TVC and WAP TV, further strengthening his imprint on the industry.

But Ajayi’s story was not without trials. He often recounted how early investors withdrew support at the last minute, leaving him to build the Marketing Edge dream alone. One investor’s remark – “If Marketing Edge fails, you have failed; if it succeeds, you have succeeded”—became a lifelong source of inspiration for him.

Two decades later, Marketing Edge stands tall as a respected, evergreen brand-testament to his resilience, audacity, and unwavering belief in the power of ideas.

Colleagues describe him as tireless, deeply innovative, and a man whose wellspring of ideas never seemed to run dry. For many in the IMC community, his passing marks the end of an era.

In his tribute, Rasheed Bolarinwa, President of the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB), described Ajayi’s passing as “a devastating loss to Nigeria’s marketing communication ecosystem and an irreplaceable blow to the banking industry.” According to him, Ajayi was one of the strongest champions of the banking sector, a man whose balanced reportage, keen insights and deep understanding of brand dynamics helped elevate corporate communications and marketing practice across the financial industry. “He was a bridge-builder who understood the soul of brands, and he gave the banking industry a credible, consistent and respected voice through his platforms,” Bolarinwa noted.

Bolarinwa added that Ajayi was not just a journalist but a dependable ally, and thought leader whose ideas helped reshape the interface between financial institutions and their stakeholders. “John Ajayi was a remarkable professional – courageous, ethical and endlessly creative. He supported ACAMB, celebrated our milestones, challenged us to deepen professionalism and amplified the innovations within Nigeria’s banking sector. His transition is painful, but his legacy will remain evergreen. We have lost a friend, a brother and a titan of brand journalism,” he said.