Easter Sunday is one of the most important events in Christianity. It marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ after he was killed on Good Friday.
Sterling Bank in an attempt to wish its customers a happy Easter Sunday posted a picture that generated a negative feedback from Nigerians.
Sterling bank was trying to depict that Jesus Christ rose like ‘Agege bread’ that are puffy.
Criticism
The advertorial/message, however, sparked criticisms on social media, with some Nigerians labeling the bank as being ‘shameless, insensitive, distasteful’, and describing the action as mockery and blasphemous.
Others asked the Nigerian government to punish the lender while some asked Christians to close their accounts and boycott the bank.
Some also called on the Christian associations to take up the matter with the bank.
“Christian Association of Nigeria, PFN, and other Christians should take this up. Coming from a bank that practices Islamic banking is totally unacceptable,” a Twitter user said.
A user also alleged that the bank’s action may be because its managing director is a Muslim.
“Is it because your MD, Abubakar Suleiman is a Muslim and you think you can humiliate Christians? Shameless and useless bank. All Christians must boycott this bank,” a user tweeted.
Following outcries and anger over the ‘offensive’ message, Sterling Bank, rather than show remorse, further displayed arrogance in a follow-up tweet which seems to be an apology.
The bank said: “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.” “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
We humbly celebrate His resurrection, the defeat of death and the hope of salvation.”
The tweet, however, further triggered anger with some users describing it as “a sickening apology”.
Right or wrong
While some Nigerians criticized Sterling Bank for its Easter message, a few others did not find anything wrong with the message.
APCON vows to take action
The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) has promised to take action against Sterling Bank saying that the council never approved the copy and it violated the law.
Business
Following the outcry for actions against Sterling Bank, BizWatch Nigeria reports that the bank may record a loss due to the grave error.
