Ebonyi APC Threatens to Sue Globacom over Portrayal of Abakaliki in Advert

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State has threatened to sue Nigerian telecoms operator, Globacom, and its Chief Executive Officer, Mike Adenuga, for portraying Abakaliki, the state capital, as a village pathway where roads are deplorable and dusty.

In a statement signed by the APC spokesman, Chika Nwoba, the party alleged that Globacom, in one of its advert videos, trending on TV channels and social media, captured Abakaliki, in a state of countryside.

In the ‘Glo Oga Sim’ advert featuring popular musician, Lagbaja, the APC spokesman claimed that the telecoms company highlighted good sites of other cities in Nigeria but showed a dusty road depicting the developmental status of Abakaliki.

Nwoba, who said he was concerned as an indigene and resident of the state, regretted that while the company captured other state capitals in their true look, that of Ebonyi State was presented to look like a village pathway.

According to him, "In the light of this derogatory presentation of the state by Glo, I as the Publicity Secretary of APC in state and a concerned citizen, is appalled by the embarrassment meted out on my dear state capital, Abakaliki, and want to use this to charge Globacom and its Chief Executive, Adenuga, to as a matter of urgency withdraw that scene in the video presenting Abakaliki in the mien of a countryside and replace it with the true look of the city which without mincing words, strongly competes with other developed cities in Nigeria."

APC, therefore, warned that Globacom was given a one-week ultimatum to withdraw the advert and apologise to Ebonyi people whose emotions have been terribly hurt or face litigations and other lawful actions.

He noted that Ebonyi is one of the states in Nigeria patronising the Globacom in the spirit of promoting and encouraging local contents, “but to now deride such people in the manner it has done is the height of ingratitude and an invitation to anarchy.”

Nwoba further stressed that "I am on behalf of other concerned citizens condemning in strong words the humiliation meted out on Ebonyi State by this deliberate false presentation of the state capital, and tender heartfelt apologies without which the people of the state who now are reeling in the pain of great humiliation could decide to express their dissatisfaction by any means."

In another petition addressed to Adenuga, which was signed by one Chris Nnanna Ogba and two other Ebonyi people on behalf of the people, the group noted that Abakaliki capital city under the present leadership of Governor David Umahi is one of the fastest growing state capitals in the country, and wondered why the company couldn't avail itself with the current reality in the state rather than portraying the Abakaliki in such bad light.

They said: "Let us quickly point out that the manner in which parts of your advert portrayed the city of Abakaliki, the state capital, is disrespectful, humiliating and deeply offensive, and does not in any way represent what the city is or looks like. No matter the message your advert was designed to convey, we believe it has been marred by its dangerous message which clearly promotes the usual fallacy that had stereotyped Abakaliki as a city of poverty-stricken, downtrodden, timid and helpless people living in undeveloped, unhealthy and shabby environment."