Derogatory Easter advert: Sterling Bank’s penalty will serve as deterrent to others – APCON

THE Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria has said that it is currently reviewing relevant laws with a view to dispensing the stipulated punishment to Sterling Bank over its provocative and insensitive Easter Celebration advert.

The PUNCH had reported earlier how the apex advertising regulatory body called out the commercial bank for demeaning the resurrection of Jesus Christ by comparing it to the rising of Agege bread.

It was also reported that the Christian Association of Nigeria, in response to the provoking advert, had demanded the immediate sack of Sterling Bank CEO, Abubakar Suleiman.

CAN, in a statement signed on Wednesday by the National Secretary, Joseph Daramola, stated that the advert was “wicked and insensitive” towards Christians.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, APCON CEO/Registrar, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, said the Advertising Council was still weighing up the relevant laws in order to determine the stipulated punishment to the bank for breaching the laid down advertising canons in the country.

He said, “We have a law guiding advertising in Nigeria: the APCON law and the Code of Advertising. What we are going to do is look at the code and the sections that have been violated, as stipulated by the law. We will apply the sanction as stipulated by the law.” Punch