The controversy that has trailed the management of Sterling Bank, especially after the huge flop made by the Corporate Communications unit of the bank with the approval of the Managing Director, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, who seem not in tune with goings around the bank has really put them up for public ridicule and disgrace, especially with the call by the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN for him to resigned, coupled with the alleged sanction by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON.
According to a recent report, it has become evident that the leadership of the bank under Abubakar Suleiman is not up to par, and there are a number of incidences that back this up, with the 48-year-old Nigerian banker and acclaimed economic professional, whose leadership has seen Sterling Bank’s finances wither away, is currently fighting to keep his job as more concerned individuals, corporate bodies, religious leaders, and organizations demand that he be removed as MD following the bank’s latest blunder, an Easter advertorial days ago..
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Sterling Bank, headed by Abubakar Suleiman who is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, ran an Easter advertisement that inadvertently compared Jesus Christ’s resurrection to Agege Bread’s rising, even as people say that the advert had Sterling Bank comparing Agege Bread to Jesus Christ rising from the dead on Esther day.
In the advertisement, the bank had written “Like Agege Bread, He Rose,” referring to Jesus Christ’ historical resurrection. Many thought Sterling Bank should have known better with a Chief Executive Officer who is a Muslim, a religion which would never have tolerated if their religious leader, which Jesus Christ wasn’t anyways, if compared with Agege Bread the way and manner Sterling Bank did with that very advert.
Of course, the advertorial, which has been regarded as a premeditated display of insensitivity and rascality on Sterling Bank’s side, did not sit well with many Nigerians, both at home and abroad, who are now angry and asking for a boycott of the struggling lender, even as many people are perplexed as to how a supposedly corporate entity like Sterling Bank could be complicit in such a horrible conduct capable of inciting tension between one religious group over another, while others opined that it borders on poor leadership on the part of the Managing Director, Abubakar Suleiman, who till today, seem not to know exactly what to do with the financial institution..
Nigeria is a volatile society and every spark that looks like a slight against one religious belief or another heralds the beginning of a ‘hurricane’, especially across social media platforms, but due to a faulty leadership, Sterling Bank whether deliberately or by error failed to harness a season such as Easter to promote, but to bring its brand to disrepute, which had had the former Executive Chairman of the AG Leventis Plc, Chief JB Oke speak, asking the Managing Director of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman to resign or step down, whichever way, but that would be after putting up apologies in atleast, 10 national newspapers and through the platforms used by the bank to ridicule Christianity on Esther Sunday.
Chief JB Oke says. “I hope the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN will pursue this Sterling Bank case to a logical conclusion. On my part, I have commenced a campaign to stop Christians using a Jihadist Bank, as Our College is also planning its own strategy.
This is just outrageous! Journalism shouldn’t be about talking trash to generate traffic. How do you judge one’s entire leadership by a single act? Demand for his removal, even though it wasn’t his doing…just like that. This isn’t what Christianity is about.
This write up is worse than whatever the MD of Sterling Bank plc is being accused of. First what is the essence of CHRISTianity, if not forgiveness. Secondly, the writer/publisher is a hungry, armchair journalist seeking attention at the detriment of other people’s career. There is no single data to support the headline. The content is as weak as the faculty of the writer. The storyline doesn’t show thoroughness nor the value of the gospel of Christ, the presumed victim, instead it seems like a reminder that no one has been crucified when Christ has rising and forsaking all wrong done to Him. In case you don’t know, Sterling Bank plc is a profitable, innovative institution, setting pace beyond the banking sector in Nigeria.
This blogger is really clueless. Ofcourae I was shocked too by the insensitive ad from the bank but u failed to buttress the alleged incompetence on the part of the CEO as regards the general running of the bank. Should we judge his performance solely on ill-handled commercial ad? That is a baseless write-up.
So with all the unemployment, economic and security issues in this country, you people have jothjng meaningful to contribute except chasing a stupid advert . Better get yourselves properly engaged. Joblessness and idiocy both have grave consequences.
You just wasted your time addressing a baseless issue. I wish Nigerians can do better for themselves and stop being religiously blindfolded and stop being hypocritical. If you were paid for this write up I would advise you go get a life! It’s a waste of your time and effort
This is an article that wasn’t well thought through from someone that doesn’t understand how the corporate world works or someone that has a religious agenda.
Things like ads and posters are not things the managing director of the bank deals with this solely rest for the corporate communication team and the head of the communication team, i.e head Comms or at most the ed communication.
with that said go to the sterling Bank website and check with other corporate communication is there a corporate communication is a pastor, with years of experience from the UK US and all over the world.
Most of the articles I see about this about sensationalism, making me go back to the believe that journalism in Nigeria isn’t about doing due diligence but about writing click bait stories that will fuel religious anarchist, political extremist and the far right or left of any topic.
Finally calling the bank a jihadist bank because the managing director’s name is a Muslim name speaks to the insensitivity and toxic will tribalism and intolerant religioulism (not a real word), that we have in Nigeria, Look before calling the bank a jihadist or a Muslim bank please look at the board of the bank and count how many Christians you have in the board vs Muslims, have a look at the major shareholders of the bank see where they are form and what tribe / religion they belong too.
This in my opinion is a SAD PIECE OF JOURNALISM
This right up so flawed that I knew from the beginning the intent was to slander his character but u didn’t even succeed a pinch. I taught you mention anyway is hasn’t succeeded in making sterling a number one bank or financially crumble the bank which we obviously know would be a lie because it’s doing so well that you are looking for an effort to bring them down by asking the brain of the operation to leave. Smart move but not smart enough. He remains on that sit, Accept the apology or not.
They hv a fantastic marketing team. No one is above mistake but u see, in stead of calling for the marketing team, u went straight to the jugular, and that’s far too reaching in which in any case it just won’t work. So stop this slander and write sumtin meaningful please like how u can get ur site to earn u money without pointing false accusations
Who wrote this? Please work on your grammar if you must continue blogging.
Poorly written. Take some time to do some proofreading before posting.
There are so many typos and grammatical errors. The write up also reeks of intentional smear.
You need to make your articles objective and believe able
Mallam Suleiman’s affront must not come as merely outrageous. The simple fact remains that the Muslim Ummah abhor the idea of a crucified/risen Christ. That the MD/CEO of a popular brand such as Sterling could exhibit such crass insensitivity for sure is proof of the superiority complex of religious bigotry at the extreme. Talk of the sky bursting open, it is easy to imagine what could have happened were the shoe to have been on the other foot.
The bank has apologised. Allow this news to rest abeg.
I want for how long U guys will continue to spread propaganda like Ukraine, The MD/CEO by His grace will retain his post till the appointed time… Please tried to reduce this bigotry…! Nigeria is for all of US whether Muslim, Christian or Pagan e.t.c. CAN and its followers should avoid fighting the war that is not hers… The satanic Country want to see Nigeria disintegrated but on daily busy U are helping them…!
There was an error and a very sensitive one at that. The narrative of this columnist does not match international standards due to its one sided approach. An apology in the dailies is very much okay to atone for the error. Those calling for heads are certainly acting under duress.
What I hate most in this write up is how the writer try to portray Muslims as haters to Jesus Christ. (Peace be upon him) by saying he isn’t their leader. It’s very wrong. Every Muslim must revered Jesus and respect his sacred position in history.
If the CEO of sterling bank committed the said blunder of degrading Jesus Christ so openly, let him bear the repercussion through the right way. But that shouldn’t be a reason to fuel religious hatred among the adherents of two religions in the country.
This is bad journalism.
Make una go rest abeg…he has apologized since but you just got the time to do your own article seeking relevance and clicks. Even Jesus was forgiving.
Very terrible reporting. You will just write rubbish and post. Please cite your evidences next time instead of writing bedtime stories. This is not tales by moonlight
The man I know has changed the fucos of the bank to a more tech friendly and s
He looks like an actor.
For me, I never have anything to do with such a bank again.
You Suleiman wouldn’t take it if your religion was ridiculed in such manager.
Since you cannot tolerate Christians, it better they withdraw their money and have nothing to do with such bank.
And we never mustered this energy to agitate for good governance. Hypocrite everywhere
THE IDIOT M.D IS A BASTARD TERRORIST AND HIS BACKWARD RELIGION IS THE SOURCE OF ALL PROBLEMS .
This is a very terrible write up… Seem like you have something personal against this man… Abu is one of the greatest leaders in Nigeria today, not just the banking sector….
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How Christian is Mr JB Oke? I don’t like hypocrisy one bit!!!
This article is a poor attempt at ridicule of a Distinguished Gentleman whose capacity, acumen and position, the writer will never be able to fill. It is an utter aberration and is at best, a litter of perfunctory jargon. From badly spelt words to incorrect tenses, I could barely read beyond the first two lines of the text.
While I do not expect the writer to understand the demands of corporate communication and how the gamble between on-edge corporate communication can either yield the best returns or backfire, it would have served him better, if he made any attempt at asking relevant questions, more so, about the philosophy behind each of the campaigns initiated by Sterling Bank’s corporate communications department.
The writer needs to do better, if not for the reading public, for themself, at the barest minimum. Atleast so that their friends can give them a pat at the back, for trying.
They bank has since apologized. They bank also has been sanctioned and fines paid. Christianity preach on forgiveness no one is above mistake. Let’s forgive and forget. May I use this medium to still preach forgiveness as a Christian.
Stephen Ekoja (KSJI).