NIGERIANS TO BOYCOTT SONY IF.....

Nigeria opposition seeks boycott of Sony products over advert


News - Africa news
Lagos, Nigeria - Expressing anger at what it called the rising spate of Nigeria bashing around the world, the country's opposition Action Congress (AC) party Sunday called for a boycott of Sony products to show their displeasure against the Japanese firm's derogatory advert on Nigeria.

In a statement issued in Lagos and obtained by PANA here Sunday, the party said boycotting Sony products would ''send a strong signal to other companies out there that may be inclined to copy Sony''.

AC said the offensive part of the advert, on Sony's popular Play Station 3 Console, which says ''You can't believe everything you read on the internet, otherwise I will be a Nigerian millionnaire by now'', was aimed at sho wing that Nigerians are not capable of conducting a decent business.''
``Yet, Sony, which is behind this advert, has been doing good business in Nigeria for decades. We are appalled at the companyâ?s audacity, and we believe that its belated and half-hearted apology has not diminished the damage done to our people by the advert. Even if the advert has been pulled, the version posted on various sites around the world, including youtube, continue to run,'' the party said.

Following complaints by Nigeria's Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili, Sony has applogised over the advert, in addition to withdrawing it from circulation.

In a related development, AC has also joined the growing list of individuals and organisations complaining about a sci-fi movie, District Nine, which the government said portrays Nigerians as cannibals, criminals and prostitutes.

The movie was set in South Africa and produced by a South African, a situation that prompted the AC to say it was shocked that a fellow African nation could make itself available as a platform to attack Nigeria.
``The fact that the movie 'District Nine'...was set in South Africa and produced by a South African is a great shock to us, considering the long-standing good r e lations between our two countries, and Nigeria's sacrifice in helping to liberate the co untry from the throes of apartheid,'' it said.

But the party blamed the disrespect being shown to Nigeria on its government, saying: ``It does not matter how good the ordinary Nigerian is, the world cannot r e spect a country that cannot freely and fairly elect its leaders, a country where votes are stolen with impunity and unelected leaders are holding sway.''

Lagos - 27/09/2009

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