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Sterling Bank Apologises, Withdraws Easter Message That Compared Jesus To ‘Agege Bread’

Sterling Bank Plc has apologised to Christians for its Easter message that linked the resurrection of Jesus Christ to ‘Agege Bread.’

The Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, Abubakar Suleiman made the apology in a statement.

Suleiman said the message which had no ‘malicious intent’ has also been withdrawn with Immediate effect.

Sterling Bank had on April 17, posted an Easter message which reads “Like Agege Bread, He Rose.”

The bank was largely criticised for being ‘provocative and insensitive.’

The Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria (APCON) through its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, said the bank will face sanction for the “provocative Easter celebration advertisement”. “

But Abubakar who apologised on behalf of the bank and members of staff admitted that the content failed to fully account for the feelings of billions of Christians all over the world during.

He said, “On behalf of the management and staff of Sterling Bank Plc, I write to tender our unreserved apology to you and members of our nation’s Christian community for our Easter message of 17 April 2022.

“The content of infographics and the message it contained was insensitive and failed to consider the very sober nature of the event being commemorated, being the death of Jesus Christ.

“While the message had no malicious intent, there is no place for content that fails to fully account for the feelings of billions of people all over the world.

“Our honest intent was to join our millions of customers in Nigeria and worldwide to celebrate this solemn event., but our execution fell short on this occasion.

“Our policies are clear on what constitutes acceptable customer communication, and this message should not have been released to our customers. On this occasion, our editorial processes fell short of our policy standards.

“As a responsible institution, we immediately withdraw the offensive material and initiate a review of the circumstances that led to this failure. We will further sensitise our workforce to ensure this unfortunate lapse in judgement never repeats itself.”

Sterling Bank To Face Sanction Over Controversial Easter Message

One of Nigeria’s commercial banks, Sterling Bank will be sanctioned for a controversial Easter advertisement likening the resurrection of Jesus Christ to Agege Bread.

The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) made this known in a statement issued by its Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Olalekan Fadolapo.

In the statement, the council said it observed with displeasure the insensitive and provocative Easter celebration advertisement posted on social media.

The council said the advertisement was not submitted for approval by its panel and would be sanctioned for the “distasteful” message.

The statement reads: “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.”

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Naija News reports that the bank in celebrating Easter posted an Easter message on social media platforms and also sent its customers via email.

The message, which has now been deleted and replaced with an apology post, contained a picture of a golden-brown bread divided into two with the caption ‘Like Agege Bread, He Rose!”

Following the development, the Easter message sparked public outrage on Twitter with most Nigerians condemning the bank for diminishing the essence of Easter, while some found the post amusing and catchy.

Bricklayer Declared Missing After Visiting Alfa For Spiritual Help

A bricklayer, Samond Akeju Ogunrinde has reportedly gone missing after visiting an Islamic cleric, Olaitan Apelu for spiritual consultation at Iyara in Ijumu LGA of Kogi State.

According to Daily Trust, the 36-year-old who hails from Iwoye-Ketu in Ogun State lives in Ekiti with his wife and two children.

Akeju’s elder brother, Muideen told the publication that he informed his family when he arrived at the Alfa’s residence on March 25 with the intention of returning home the same day. However, not only did the father of two refuse to return home that same day, he became unreachable on phone for hours which later rolled into days and weeks.

According to the elder brother: “When we contacted alfa to ask about our brother’s whereabouts, we were surprised to hear him say that our brother did not come to his house. The matter was immediately reported to the police at Iyara Division.”

Muideeen explained further that when the police stormed the cleric’s residence he had taken to his heels but his father was apprehended. The suspect was later arrested and the bricklayer’s mobile phone was found on him. However, the suspect denied knowing the bricklayer’s whereabouts.

The family’s lawyer, Amos Oghinan, said that the suspect had been transferred to the state headquarters in Lokoja, saying the suspect remained adamant.

Oghinan complained about the delay in charging the suspect to court.

He said: “Already, the alfa is overstaying his visit to the police headquarters, any human rights organization can complain about unlawful and long detention. To avoid this, the police should charge the case to court.”

The state police spokesman, William Aya, said he had not been briefed on the matter.

BREAKING: Amid death rumours, Governor Akeredolu arrives Nigeria from Germany

Following rumours of his death, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has arrived Nigeria from Germany where he had gone for ‘vacation’.

On his 41st wedding anniversary, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) landed at a Nigerian airport at around 7am on Monday.

Recall that the Ondo State Government had dismissed as untrue the purported death of Governor Akeredolu, attributing the rumour to some political adversaries of the present administration in the state.

Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Richard Olatunde, on his social media handles last weekend dispelled the rumour by a blogger, Gistlover, that the governor gave up the ghost after an unsuccessful procedure abroad.

On Monday morning, Betty Akeredolu posted a 52-seconds clip on her known Facebook page with the caption: “The eagle has landed! Happy wedding anniversary, Darlin’me.”

Earlier, she had slammed Gistlover for the ‘untrue’ claim about her husband.

JUST IN: Outrage over Chrisland students group sex scandal

Many social media users are upset at the news coming out of Chrisland School in Victoria Island Garden City (VGC), Lagos State.

A 10-year-old girl student was on April 14 suspended by the school authorities after she engaged in sexual intercourse with her co-learners. The incident happened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), during the World School Games in March.

As of the time of publishing this report on Monday, it is not yet clear if the school also suspended the other culpable learners. We cannot also verify the age of the girl’s co-students. However, they are all believed to be teenagers.

While the school said the children involved in the act did it “willfully”, some accounts on social media claim otherwise, saying the girl was “raped by fellow pupils”.

The pupils videotaped the sex romp and posted on the social networking service, Instagram.

Friends of the father of the 10-year-old said a pregnancy test had been conducted.

A daughter of Nollywood Actress, Mercy Johnson Okojie, also participated at the 2022 World School Games in Dubai.

Five Commissioners, DG Hisbah Resign In Kano State (Full List)

Five Commissioners have resigned their positions in Kano State in preparation for contesting various political offices in the 2023 general elections.

The Director-General of the Kano Hisbah board has also resigned from his position.

Naija News understands their resignations are based on the deadline issued by the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje for all political appointees interested in contesting elective offices in 2023 to turn in their resignation letters latest by Monday, 18th April, 2022.

According to Ganduje, the directive is in compliance with Section 84 (12) of the newly amended Electoral Act.

Following the Governor’s directive, six commissioners have so far resigned while some other appointees may still submit their resignation letters before the deadline.

Those who have resigned so far are; the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mustapha Sule Garo; Commissioner for Rural Development, Musa Iliyasu Kwankwaso; Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ibrahim Karaye; and Commissioner for Budget Planning, Nura Dankadai, Commissioner of Education, Sanusi Saidu Kiru and DG Hisbah, Aliyu Musa Kibiya.

Meanwhile, former Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, has ahead of the 2023 general elections, dumped the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The opposition party also received the membership of Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa in Gusau on Sunday, Naija News understands.

The development was confirmed to newsmen in an announcement by PDP Chairman in the State, Rt Colonel Bala Mande.

Speaking briefly after a stakeholders’ meeting in Gusau, the state capital today, Col. Bala Mande said they had sat down and finalized the issue of the defection of the duo.

According to him, Yari and Marafa have agreed to work for the development of the party at all levels.

BREAKING: Ex-Gov Yari, Marafa Dump APC For PDP Ahead Of 2023

After failing to emerge as chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari, has dumped the ruling party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Yari defected on Sunday alongside a factional leader of the APC in Zamfara, Senator Kabiru Marafa.

The spokesperson of the Yari and Marafa faction of the APC, Ibrahim Muhammad Birnin Magaji, confirmed the development to Daily Trust.

Yari had defied APC’s zoning arrangement ahead of the party’s national convention by contesting the chairmanship despite the zoning of the position to the North Central.

More details to follow…

You’re Playing ‘Bolekaja Politics’ — Presidency Hits Wike For Criticising Dariye, Nyame’s Pardon

The Presidency has responded to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, over his criticism of the presidential pardon granted to former governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame who were jailed for corruption.

Nyame and Dariye, who were serving 12 and 10 years’ jail terms respectively, were granted pardon alongside 157 others at a Council of State meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

Governor Wike, in reaction, said the president made a mockery of the judiciary and the nation at large before the international community.

“You have big big people, you jail them after all the court proceedings and waste of money, then you ridicule the judiciary by granting them pardon.

“How will the international community look at us with these types of things we do? Look at the amount spent in the prosecutions and you wake up one morning and mess it up all because of politics.

“He (Buhari) obviously wants them to help him during the electionshe wants Dariye to help with Plateau while Nyame will work for Taraba.

“If it is not for election purposes, why did he not grant pardon to the likes of James Ibori and Atuche?” Wike queried during his visit to the Peoples Democratic Party delegates in Minna, Niger State, on Saturday.

But reacting, President Buhari’s senior media assistant, Garba Shehu, advised the Rivers State Governor to stop playing ‘bolekaja politics’ which is a Yoruba term that means ‘come down, let’s fight’ and derives from the mass transit system commonly found in Lagos.

Shehu wrote in a Facebook post: “I do not see the moral justification for Governor Wike’s criticism of the decision of the government to pardon Governors Dariye and Nyame at a meeting to which he was duly invited but did not attend.

“The Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo who joined the Council of State meeting virtually switched off her camera so it was difficult to determine whether she sat behind the dark screen or just walked away after first joining.

“If the Governor felt so strongly about the pardons, the right was for him or his representative to sit through the meeting and assert views. This did not do. A press release after the meeting is bolekaja politics.”

2023: Adamu Garba To Join Presidential Race

Former presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba has disclosed his intentions to join the 2023 presidential race.

The CEO of Crowee, via his Facebook page on April 15, noted that he will be making his intentions of presidential ambition known to the general public on the 16th, April 2022.

Notifying the public about his declaration, Garba wrote; “I will be declaring to aspire for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria tomorrow 16 April 2022 insha Allahu. Let’s do this for our country, guys. May Allah, the Guarantor, Guardian and Grantor of Power and Authority see us through.”

He also shared photos of the stage for declaration with the caption; “Declaration stage getting ready. At a very symbolic location. May Allah see us through.”

Recall, Garba was a Presidential aspirant in 2019 under the All Progressives Congress (APC). He, however, stepped down for President Muhammadu Buhari who later clinched the party’s ticket.

Three Youths Arrested With Human Heart Near OAU Campus

Police in Osun have arrested three young men on the Osogbo/Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife Campus Road, Ile-Ife, for being in possession of a human heart.

Police spokesperson in Osun, SP Yemisi Opalola, said two of the suspects are 21 years old, while the third suspect is 25 years of age.

“The Osun Police Command, in its efforts to sanitise the state of incessant ritual killings and other vices, has arrested three young men.

“On April 7, at about 11a.m., detectives on `Stop-and-Search’ duty accosted three men on a motorcycle on the Osogbo/OAU Ife Campus Road.

“They were flagged down, but rather than stop, they sped off and were pursued by the police team.

“They were eventually arrested at Safejo Area of Ile-Ife, and a human heart, which they claimed belonged to one of their friends, and various charms were found on them.

“As investigation was going on, one of the suspects took ill and died while on hospital admission. The corpse has been deposited at the state hospital for autopsy.

“The two other suspects will be charged in court upon conclusion of investigation,’’ Opalola stated.