Essential Ndubuisi
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has criticized FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, makers of Peak Milk, for using the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as a metaphor to promote their product on Good Friday.
CAN described the advertisement as “insensitive, offensive, and totally unacceptable,” and warned all companies and organizations to be mindful of the religious and cultural sensitivities of their customers when promoting their products.
In a statement on Monday by its General Secretary, Joseph Daramola, CAN said it was considering serious sanctions on the firm, including a boycott of their products by Christians. The Christian body said it would not tolerate any attempt to trivialize or disrespect its faith.
The advertisement in question featured a photograph of a dented tin of Peak Milk, punctured in two places, with a nail dripping milk, lying beside it. It was captioned: “Bruised and Pierced for us. #GoodFriday.”
Daramola said the advertisement was not only disrespectful to the Christian faith but also an affront to the millions of Christians in Nigeria and beyond. He stated that “Good Friday is a solemn day for Christians all over the world, a day we commemorate the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was crucified on the cross for our sins. It is not a day to be used for crass commercial purposes.”
CAN called on FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc to issue an unreserved apology to the Christian community and withdraw the offensive advert immediately. The organization also recalled a similar incident in the past when Sterling Bank Plc used a crucifixion imagery to promote their product and condemned it then and now.
Efforts to get FrieslandCampina to react were unsuccessful as the firm’s the Head of Corporate Communications and Sustainability (Sub-Saharan Africa cluster), Nkechi Ejesi, could not be reached on the phone. Several phone calls put across to the company’s Marketing Director, Chris Wulff-Caesar, were also rejected, while the firm’s media consultant, Kunle Hamilton, neither answered his calls nor responded to WhatsApp messages sent to his phone.
