By Marcus Ikechukwu
FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, makers of Peak Milk has drawn the anger of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) following an advert of its product adjudged as offensive by the Christian body.
In the said advert, the beverage company used the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as an advertorial to promote its product on Good Friday, a concept that did not go down well with CAN.
In its reaction, CAN’s general secretary, Barr. Joseph Daramola, on Easter Monday, described the advertorial message as insensitive, offensive, and unacceptable.
According to CAN, Good Friday is a solemn day for Christians all over the world, a day they commemorate the death of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was crucified on the cross for their sins.
“It is not a day to be used for crass commercial purposes. FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC’s action is not only disrespectful to the Christian faith but also an affront to the millions of Christians in Nigeria and beyond.
“We are deeply disappointed that a company of such repute would stoop so low to exploit the religious sentiments of its customers for profit. We are considering sanctions against FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, including a boycott of their products by our members and all well-meaning Nigerians who share our concerns.
“We call on the company to issue an unreserved apology to the Christian community and withdraw the offensive advert immediately. We recall a similar incident in the past when Sterling Bank Plc. used crucifixion imagery to promote their product.
“We condemned it then, and we condemn it now. We, therefore, urge all companies and organizations to be mindful of the religious and cultural sensitivities of their customers when promoting their products. We will not tolerate any attempt to trivialize or disrespect our faith. Be warned,” CAN declared.
