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APCON to penalise Sterling Bank over ‘Agege Bread’ Easter message

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The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) says it will sanction Sterling Bank over a controversial Easter ad likening the resurrection of Jesus Christ to Agege Bread.

The advertising industry regulator announced this in a statement issued by Olalekan Fadolapo, its registrar/chief executive.

In celebration of Easter, Sterling Bank had posted an Easter ad on social media platforms and also sent its customers via email.

The message contained a picture of a golden-brown bread divided into two with the caption ‘Like Agege Bread, He Rose!”

Agege bread is a popular Nigerian bread known for its soft, stretchy and chewy texture.

The post sparked public criticism from Nigerians who expressed their outrage online.

Many chided the bank for diminishing the essence of Easter, while some found the post funny.

Responding to the backlash, Sterling bank pulled down the post, replacing it with another post in which it apologised to its customers.

Quoting the Bible verse, John 8:7, the new post reads, “…let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone”.

“Forgive us in the spirit of Easter,” the bank added.

“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.”

But in its reaction, APCON said the “distasteful” advertisement was not submitted for approval by its panel.

It said Sterling Bank would be sanctioned for the advert.

“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 statement reads.

“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.”

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Nigeria’s GDP rate grew by 3.46% in Q3 2024, says NBS

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The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.46 percent in the third quarter (Q3) of 2024.

The NBS, in its GDP report published on Monday, said the growth rate is higher than the 3.19 percent recorded in Q2 2024.

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Dangote refinery reduces ex-depot price of petrol to N970 for oil marketers

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The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in its ex-depot price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, to N970 per litre for oil marketers.

This is a cut from the refinery’s N990 ex-depot price announced earlier this month, according to a statement on Sunday.

The slash would help marketers save about N20 on each litre of petrol bought from the Lekki-based plant.

Anthony Chiejina, Dangote Group’s chief branding and communications officer, said the move is the refinery’s way of appreciating Nigerians “for their unwavering support in making the refinery a dream come true”.

“In addition, this is to thank the government for their support as this will complement the measures put in place to encourage domestic enterprise for our collective well-being,” the statement reads.

“While the refinery would not compromise on the quality of its petroleum products, we assure you of best quality products that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.

“We are determined to keep ramping up production to meet and surpass our domestic fuel consumption; thus, dispelling any fear of a shortfall in supply.”

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Allegation of missing fund untrue, says Access Bank

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Access Bank Limited has dismissed as untrue allegations of missing fund and unethical behaviour.

The Bank in a statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to a video on social media wherein allegations of missing funds and unethical behaviour have been made against Access Bank PLC.

“First and foremost, we wish to emphasise that the safety and security of our customers’ funds are core priorities which we take seriously. Second, Access Bank Plc does not engage in or condone any unethical behaviour.

“In the instant case, the allegations of missing funds in the Bank are most untrue and baseless.

“There is no N500million or any other fund or amount missing from the subject customer’s account or from any other customer’s account with us.

“We and other independent stakeholders in the banking industry have thoroughly investigated these allegations and independently arrived at the same conclusions.

“Access Bank PLC operates with the highest ethical standards, and we protect our customers’ interests whilst also respecting privacy laws.

“Consequently, whilst we have engaged and will continue to engage with our customers, we must advise the public not to rely on or believe sensational and unverified claims that are designed to titillate and mislead the public.

“We remain committed to serving our customers.”

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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