APCON set to sanction Sterling Bank over offensive Easter ad

Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) is set to sanction Sterling Bank over its “offensive” Easter advert.

WesternPost had reported how the bank suffered backlash on Sunday after its ‘Like Agege Bread, He Rose’ Easter message.

Nigerians who took to the social media, accused the bank of being insensitive.

In a statement on Monday, APCON Registrar, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo said the “distasteful advertisement” didn’t get approval for exposure by the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) before being published.

“The Advertising Practitioners 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 Standards Panel (ASP), the statutory Panel charged with the responsibility of ensuring that advertisements conform 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,” the statement read.