Sterling Bank Plc will now face sanction by the Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria (APCON) over an offensive post it flagged which likened Jesus Christ’s resurrection to the rise of Agege bread in its Easter message.
APCON made this known in a recent press release signed by Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, the Chief Executive Officer of APCON and seen by Nairametrics.
Describing the action of the bank as provocative Easter celebration advertisement, the advertising regulatory agency said it will ensure that the bank is sanctioned for such an offensive advertisement
What APCON is saying
The statement read, “The Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria (APCON) has observed with displeasure the insensitive and provocative Easter celebration advertisement by Sterling Bank Plc which compared to the resurrection of Christ with Agege Bread.
“The distasteful advertisement was neither submitted nor approved for exposure by the advertising standard panel (ASP), the statutory Panel charge with the responsibility of ensuring that advertisement conforms with the prevailing laws of the federation as well as the code of ethics of advertising in Nigeria.
“APCON will take necessary actions to ensure that sterling bank is sanctioned for the exposure of such offensive advertisement according to law and that no religious belief or faith is ridiculed or any blasphemous advertisement exposed in any guise.”
Read: Sterling Bank needs a Heart reset
In case you missed it
- Nairametrics had earlier reported that Sterling Bank Plc has apologized to the public for putting up a post that compared the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the rise of Agege bread on its social media page and subscribers’ mail.
- In celebrating Easter, the bank had shared a post with the quote, “Like Agege Bread, He Rose” which met serious reprisal by many Christians.
- Describing the post as one that is insensitive and insulting to Christians, social media users demanded that the post be brought down immediately and an apology be tendered by the bank.
It is not enough to pull down the advert and apologize. The people involved must be punished to serve as a deterent to others. If it were to be other religion country would have been boiling by now. This carelesness should not be tolerated. Those who think they can hide under advetisment to insult another religion should no go unpolished.
This is unacceptable in its entirety. Such insensitivity is deplorable and should be maximally dealt with to circumvent recurrence of same.
RUBBISH! Don’t these supposed “professionals” have nothing better to do than engage in primitive fights over IMPORTED superstitions…er, religions?! SMH
The bank and the advertisers will not prosper. You can not mock the Lord Jesus christ.
This need to be looked into as this might be a deliberate act to tarnish the image of the bank
Oh good. I found it in bad taste too.
You all should calm down.
Sterling Bank is fortunate that Christianity is an established, peaceful and ordered faith that does not need to prove what has already been proven to anyone. If they had done half what they did to provoke some of other faiths, by now their office buildings will be burning or completely razed to the ground with many deaths in addition. Nigerians are wired at the thinnest end of their temper at present, those charged with responsibilities should be careful what they do. Who is the head of the department that pushed that commercial? There must be harsh consequences to prevent future similar occurrences…
Argh! Just remembered I have a Sterling Bank savings account I use for payment of the kids’ school fees. That account MUST be closed on Monday morning because of this stupid advertisement.
What a show of ignorance, illogicality and insensitivity from a corporate institute like Sterlings?