Another Look At That Bokku Mart Anti-Igbo Advert And The Apologies That Followed

…As Igbos Blacklist Bokku Mart in Droves

Globally, the Igbos are known for leaving their homelands and travelling far and wide to reside and do businesses with the aims of not only bringing home fortunes, but also joining in the development of their host communities.

Today in Lagos, the bitter truth is that Igbo landlords can favourably compete with even host landlords in number of houses built in the state. That is the stark extend to which an average Igboman is developing his host community without fear or favour.

However, only recently, a content creator came up with a paid advert video for Bokku, a supermarket brand, and in the video she said, “I can get beans and Garri Ijebu at Bokku without any Omo Igbo cheating me.” Mentioning a tribe was unnecessary and there are lessons for the brand and individual here.

Already, reasonable analysts have started berating both the mart owner who incidentally is a Yorubaman and the content creator, also a Yoruba lady for the hate creation.

Experts say if you are an independent content creator, blogger, influencer, etc and a corporate brand reaches out for you to create any piece of publicity for them, please use a script. Even if you plan to make a video, write down the words you will say and practice with them. Do not freestyle and allow the Naija spirit of “anyhowness” to enter you.

For the brand, ensure that anyone you plan to use submits their ad copy or a script of the words they will say for your internal communications, media, or publicity team to approve. I will be shocked if a supermarket chain like Bokku does not have at least one person in charge of their public image and branding.

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If this lady had defamed an individual and that person sued Bokku, they would’ve been held vicariously liable.

Take the brand you are building seriously so that when companies reach out, you will be able to offer a professional service. I have managed the brand of politicians and a big pharmaceutical company and it was a fulfilling experience. Every piece of content I created and published was approved by their internal teams. Branding, influencing, and publicity are not only about opening a camera and doing a voiceover.

Only recently and after the Mart have started observing serious drop in Igbo customers and sales rates, the management of Bokku issued an unreserved apology because Nigerians and not only Igbos condemned the advert with ethnic slur.

Further to the apology, the Nigerian grocery store Bokku Mart has deleted the controversial video.

The girl in question has also apologised but many say that her apology is half-hearted because she looks like a diehard Igbo hater according to many who spoke on social media on the matter.