COLOGENY started off two years ago (27/06/2018) with digimarketabk (@digimarketabk), a digital marketing conference with the collaboration between The Bees Digital Agency and Lead Resources Ecosystems Ltd. It was set up to create a digital marketing meet up in Abeokuta. Mr. Hamzat reached out to me, concerning the event and since I had a similar event in mind, I agreed to do it with Lead resources. I set up a team consisting of Ibukun Kuti, Olamide Afolayan, Eniola, Solaja Samuel, and Femi.
It brought leaders from different fields, with the attendance of Mrs. Ebun (CEO NPU Events), Mr. Ayoola Olaniyi, SA on New Media to the former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and Marvin Palmer as Panelists, and Isaac Bholu as the host. The event left a great impact on attendees, having had sponsorship from Rock space, David Daudu, Orpheezarts, Damilare, Ibukun Olusola, Kayode Adebiyi, and KUTA.
It was after the event, I felt the need for me to start a community of creatives and digital marketers in Ogun state.
The community name started with “Generation Y”.
Then again, I decided to expand the group and create not just a group, but a community for digital specialists and enthusiasts(those who wanted a career in digital marketing) in Ogun state. Then came the need to re-brand – A name that would be unique, stand out, have its own origin, and still maintain its backbone from “the bees” and “digimarketing”. Leading to the birth of COLOGENY – THE COLONY (from the bees), and GENERATION Y. At first, the community was skeptical about the new name, but as time went by, everyone understood and came to terms with the new identity.
Every Community needs a structure, and so did COLOGENY, hence the need for community managers with;
Gbolahan (@unclegbolahan),
Cranium (@the.cranium),
Hadizah (@deezah_gist),
Gbolahan(@unclegbolahan) & Abike(@therealabike_),
Lamy(@lamythecreator) and
Bode (@viewsfromthebod) filling out positions for different months respectively.
As time progressed, decisions had to be made, issues trashed out without a biased view, and that birthed the advisory board with Timi (@timitibility), and Marvin Palmer (@oga_palmer).
Before all this, Ibukunoluwa (@therealibk) was already helping to run activities, soon enough Gbolahan (@unclegbolahan) and Ridwan (@the.cranium) were brought on board to guide other Community managers, due to their exemplary roles. Naima (@thewittynigerian) came on board to plan events and hangouts for the community, which is yet to hold due to the pandemic, and not forgetting our graphic designers, Ajibola (@ajibolagenius) and Elijah (@elijaholoninla) who put in their best creative skills, to produce worthy graphics for the community.
Thus making up the COLONY OF GENERATION Y TEAM (COLOGENY)
Written by: Oluwafemi Ogunsanya
