Nigeria wants an apology from Sony

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Not quite a Newb Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 64

Don't know if anyone saw this or it's been posted already but I thought it was interesting enough to make a rare log in.

"The Federal Government has demanded an unconditional apology from the Sony Corporation over an advertisement in which the company allegedly damaged Nigeria’s reputation.

The government said the advertisement was designed to portray Nigeria’s image in bad light.

The advertisement currently circulating on youtube.com and facebook.com and other international websites creates the impression that Nigerians hardly do genuine business.

The government sees Sony’s action as an attempt to undermine the country’s global business interest.

A statement by Information and Communication Minister Prof Dora Akunyili said: "It is on record that Sony Corporation has operated in Nigeria since independence and has enjoyed tremendous patronage from Nigerians at home and abroad.

"Over these years, there is no established record that the company has recorded any major fraud by Nigerians.

"While Nigeria accepts that there are few criminal-minded people within her population like any other country including Japan, the home country of Sony Corporation, the Federal Government has put in place institutions to rid the country of fraudulent practices."

The advert in question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BWdK4wqX0k&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2En4g%2Ecom%2Fps3%2FNewsCom%2D390972%2Easpx%3FCT%3D1%26Page%3D2%26Page2%3D1&feature=player_embedded

Call me insensitive but personally I think perhaps the response of the nigerian government should be to seriously crack down on the scammers, it's the lads that damage the country's reputation, not Sony.

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 9:19 am

That link didn't work. try a shorter one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BWdK4wqX0k&eurl

Hope this helps

Not quite a Newb Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 64

Sorry about that, copied it from an embedded vid.

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 9:21 am

oh okay, things you learn... Wink

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:16 pm

Hilarious.
even more hilarious is the Nigerian government claim that Nigeria is a country where business is transacted in an atmosphere of trust and reliability!

Master Baiter Joined: 27 Jun 2009 Posts: 181

Did they ask Sony to hand-write the appology? Laughing

Not quite a Newb Joined: 18 Mar 2009 Posts: 41

^^^^^

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:14 pm

Lew_Skannen wrote:

Hilarious.
even more hilarious is the Nigerian government claim that Nigeria is a country where business is transacted in an atmosphere of trust and reliability!

Presumably from the top down!!!

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:17 pm

They have a good point, this was misguided at best, and somebody at the agency will lose his 'nads over this.

However, this shows the bigger problem - Nigerian business is synonymous with 419 in many places around the world. There are a lot of very real, very valid businesses in Nigeria tainted by this reputation. Nigerian trade officials really need to sort out the problem, not the symptom. It's an affluent country with rakes of oil business (admittedly the distribution of that wealth is terrible, but that's another problem Nigeria needs to sort out for herself), so it comes down to political will to stamp out 419. It'll be a tough job, but somebody needs to do it so you don't see more advertisements like this Sony one. Nigerian trade politicians, grow some balls, sort out the core problem, and we can all play nicely together.

419Eater is my life Joined: 30 May 2009 Posts: 298

Sony hardly came up with the idea Nigerians being synonymous with scammers. "Nigerian Internet millionaires" is about as insulting as "online Viagra store".

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 1:15 pm

Quote:

"While Nigeria accepts that there are few criminal-minded people within her population like any other country including Japan, the home country of Sony Corporation, the Federal Government has put in place institutions to rid the country of fraudulent practices."

Don't tell me, let me guess? That wouldn't be the NFCC, would it? Crying or Very sad

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 1:24 pm

Nigeria is so close to being a failed state that it's not funny. Especially as the population is 100+++ million.

Apart from the fact that they don't control plenty of their territory (i.e the Muslim north and especially the Delta area), there is no single authority in the country with the inclination and the ability to impose 'acceptable' standards of law and order.

The last thing a Nigerian government really wants is a crackdown on 419 -- 419 keeps half a million of the country's best and brightest (yes, it's true) occupied in activities which generate money; if they weren't scamming in the cybercafes, they'd be in the streets burning down buildings and lynching politicians.

I'm sure Sony will apologize, which luckily will double the publicity given to this affair and save many potential victims from Internet fraud.

The ad guys are heroes; maybe there was a baiter in the team..... Very Happy

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 4:06 pm

It's hard to try to impose a clampdown on information about 419 scamming when so many Nigerian rappers release records about it in Nigeria. If it upsets the Government so much, why do they allow them to do that ?

It's more an ego issue. The rapper records praise the money to be made and how rich and clever they are, whereas the ad highlights what a dumb business it is.

Of course, the result of the advert is to make 419 awareness even more widespread. Is that what really hurts ?

It's a tough business protecting your country's reputation when stories like this are being published

http://www.ghanaian-chronicle.com/thestory.asp?id=13791&title=%3Cb%3ENigerian%20banks%20under%20siege%20-the%20inside%20story%3C/b%3E

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Posts: 582

I just saw that commercial, now it says something about ....World War I, I didn't catch the entire line change.

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:33 pm

ASEM format: 'The Sony Corporation of America has discovered that you, as a citizen of Nigeria, have not received your compensation payment yet. For more information, see http://www.blah..'

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 10:41 pm

I heard that president of Sony will hold up a sign saying that they are sorry while pouring a liter of cream on his head.

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