APCON to sanction Sterling Bank over controversial Easter message
…Says controversial content was not submitted for approval
By Uthman Salami
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.
Describing the action of the bank as a provocative Easter celebration advertisement, the advertising regulatory agency said it will ensure that the bank is sanctioned for such an offensive advertisement.
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 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.”
Recall that the Bank had shared a post with the quote, “Like Agege Bread, He Rose.”
While many Nigerians on social media demanded that the post be brought down immediately and an apology be tendered by the bank, Christian and general public had described the post as one that is insensitive and insulting to Christianity.
After the public outcry, Sterling Bank Plc apologised 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.
