PRESS STATEMENT

MALICIOUS ADVERTISEMENT AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA BY SONY COROPORATION

The attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria has been drawn to an advertisement by Sony Corporation on the internet which from all indications is designed to portray Nigeria in bad light in an effort for Sony to market her products.

1. The advert in question currently circulating on youtube.com and facebook.com and other international websites creates the impression that Nigerians hardly do genuine business. This insinuation is in bad faith and unacceptable.

2. The Government and the good people of Nigeria reject this unwarranted attack on the reputation and image of the country. The government sees this as an attempt by Sony Corporation to undermine Nigeria’s business interest around the world.

3. It is on record that Sony Corporation has operated in Nigeria since the country’s 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 incidence of scam or fraud by Nigerians that warrants its deliberate campaign against the country’s image.

4. While Nigeria accepts or concedes that there are few criminal minded people within her population just like any other country including Japan the home country of Sony Corporation. The Federal Government of Nigeria has as a matter of policy put in place institutions and mechanisms to rid the country of any form of fraudulent practices. Nigeria therefore does not see the basis to single out the country as an example in that infamous advertisement.

5. In the light of the above, the Federal Government of Nigeria requests Sony Corporation to immediately withdraw that advertisement from circulation.

6. Nigeria also demands an unconditional apology from Sony Corporation for this deliberate negative campaign against the country’s image and reputation. The apology must be given the same measure of publicity by Sony Corporation in all channels where the unfortunate adverts were aired.

7. The Federal Government of Nigeria wishes to assure all genuine investors around the world that Nigeria remains a major investment destination and a country where most businesses thrives in trust, good faith, competition, competence and integrity.



PROF. DORA AKUNYILI
HON. MINISTER

4TH SEPTEMBER, 2009


http://www.ukpakareports.com/UreportsSony.html

Nice one!

Disgusting!! The same federal government sits back each day committing worse against Nigerians each day, now it wants to pretend SONY matters more? God have mercy on us Nigerians!!

. Una no get better things do abi. Na sony una dey pursue up and down like mother wey don loose him child.

Ibime:

Nice one!

Yea, even as a closet Biafran the sh*t didn't feel right in my stomach. We know what we go through abroad as Nigerians. So, things like these add to my pains abroad.

Onlytruth:

Yea, even as a closet Biafran the sh*t didn't feel right in my stomach. We know what we go through abroad as Nigerians. So, things like these add to my pains abroad.

True.

Disgusting!! The same federal government sits back each day committing worse against Nigerians each day, now it wants to pretend SONY matters more? God have mercy on us Nigerians!!

AMEN,
is that the best they can do?? lol I love SONY. they do not comment on such nonsense. the add means a millioin and one thing.
Madam rebranding can keep making noise, while Nigeria students remain at home for close to three months.
THEY SHOULD HAVE SAID MORE THAN THAT. LOL. then it would the whole world agianst NIGERIA.

what a situation we got here!
sweet!

Dora, from the day you assumed that position, then i knew it was  a matter of time,   but,,  but,  N8BILLION NTA UPGRADE! scandal. my hands are clean. lol
   just a matter of time.

Every fool and his dog, wants to kick some African country out of racism. What took the government so long?

i am very much in support !!! what nonsense was dat!

Ok they can say something against Sony who is foreign about Naijas image, but not to corrupted politicians?

IF they go against Sony Great but im hoping for alittle more action IN NIGERIA. Thats what counts the most Sony wouldn't have disrespected Nigerians, if Nigeria's government didn't disrespect its own citizens.

If they move against SONY,they shouldnt expect them(sony) to do business in Nigeria again.

Kobojunkie:

Disgusting!! The same federal government sits back each day committing worse against Nigerians each day, now it wants to pretend SONY matters more? God have mercy on us Nigerians!!

Why not start by asking God to have mercy on you alone first.So the FG should not have reacted to tyhe negative report   ,if they hadn't,I'm sure you'd be the first to crucify them for not reacting

We are Nigerians,we know the problems we're facing,but by Jove,we did not ask Sony to attempt to cry more than the berieved.In the nearly fifty years Sony has been doing business in Nigeria,name one foundation the idiotic company has that has addressed or sought to address one or more challenges that we face as a nation in the area of corporate social responsibility

Do they think we've forgotten so soon of their software scandals and bribes to politicians

Honestly our leaders are dumb. What is a stupid write up like this expected to achieve? Sony will probably never even see it and will continue to rake in sales in Nigeria and that will be the end. Why not shut down all Sony production plants and make it illegal to buy or sell any Sony product in Nigeria?If we want to be heard in this world its not , Read Morestupid "Nigeria Branding" cliches that will help,its desperate and definite refutal and action.When the effect of a National product ban huts them they will issue a world wide apology. If not for the kind of talented young people Nigeria has i'd be ashamed to be a Nigerian. Our leaders are a total disappointment.

Good move from Dora.

She should have given them a deadline though after which if they do not retract the ad and tender unreserved apology to Nigeria, we should stop doing business with them.

chrisical:

If they move against SONY,they shouldnt expect them(sony) to do business in Nigeria again.

That would really be a death sentence for sony africa,as Nigeria accounts for the bulk of their sales in the continent.I'm sure Samsung,LG,Panasonic,Akira and the dozen rivals competing with them for a greater share of the Nigerian market will be fasting and praying for sony to be foolish enough to discontinue business in Nigeria

They may always sing about the problem of corruption,poor infrastructure reh reh reh blah blah blah in Nigeria,but trust me,these multinationals are not ready to part with this lucrative market called Nigeria.

Remember when Abacha stood up to the Brits and impounded their aircraft? (BA),that time their sense correct as they know that the Nigerian route is not just the most lucrative for BA in Africa but ranks among one of their most lucrative globally

So I dare sony to pull out of Nigeria,dem no born dem well

Wow I am impressed
Next step for Dora should obviously be callling all the money- stealing politicians in Nigeria to account. We are on a roll o. Good one jor
Me & my family will be more than willing to sign that petition

A Tale of Two Countries

After world War 2, Japan's reputation was in the abyss at an all time low.
How did they fix it? By massive industrialization, a resolve to abstain from the horrors of war and a focus on economic improvement.

Nigeria has a not unfounded reputation for 419 scams. How do we resolve this? Why, by writing petitions of course!

texazzpete:

A Tale of Two Countries

After world War 2, Japan's reputation was in the abyss at an all time low.
How did they fix it? By massive industrialization, a resolve to abstain from the horrors of war and a focus on economic improvement.

Nigeria has a not unfounded reputation for 419 scams. How do we resolve this? Why, by writing petitions of course!

thank you but that does not STOP NIGERIA for speaking up against the barbaric advert against NIGERIANS.

The is criminal profiling by SONY. It stands condemned.

The senate should create ' Nigeria Enemy Act' and SONY should be added to the list.

We should ask Japanese ambassador to come and explain and after that throw in out of the country.

rasputinn:


That would really be a death sentence for sony africa,as Nigeria accounts for the bulk of their sales in the continent.I'm sure Samsung,LG,Panasonic,Akira and the dozen rivals competing with them for a greater share of the Nigerian market will be fasting and praying for sony to be foolish enough to discontinue business in Nigeria
They may always sing about the problem of corruption,poor infrastructure reh reh reh blah blah blah in Nigeria,but trust me,these multinationals are not ready to part with this lucrative market called Nigeria.

Remember when Abacha stood up to the Brits and impounded their aircraft? (BA),that time their sense correct as they know that the Nigerian route is not just the most lucrative for BA in Africa but ranks among one of their most lucrative globally

So I dare sony to pull out of Nigeria,dem no born dem well

They are doing that already  

I think it's brilliant that the Nigerian government is responding to the Sony ad. Spot on.

Incredible insult. About time they respond. One wishes the letter didn't read so illiterate, though. They should raise a holy stink until the ad is pulled and threaten to drag SONY to court. I don't know what having a corrupt govt has to do with a global corporation insulting an entire country.

Nice one. FG,

Let them sue SONY!! WTF

I doubt that Sony is going to issue any apology and that this case is going to be handled any more seriously than it has been handled so far.If they are serious about getting an apology, they would have done more than write a letter which Sony is probably never going to see. First District 9, now this. We all should probably expect more of such insults, untill the Nigerian Government gets up and does something that has the potential of actually stopping it.
But this act by Sony is very insultive. I don't happen to be very proud of this country, even as a citizen, but this one hurt.

I hate Sony.

GOOD! now they should apply the same measure and more to those foolish racist ''white boys' from south africa for their district 9 anti-9ja disaster!

Mad_Max:

Incredible insult. About time they respond. One wishes the letter didn't read so illiterate, though. They should raise a holy stink until the ad is pulled and threaten to drag SONY to court. I don't know what having a corrupt govt has to do with a global corporation insulting an entire country.

you can er register your displeasure by throwing out your ps3


oya o! nigerians!

enough making noise on the pages of nairaland

let the boycott begin

no the playstations
no to bravias
no tho sony ericssons
no to sony home entertainment systems
no to xplods

Why is the statement not credited to the "infamous" ministry website? Nigeria should wake up and look inwards; things are getting worse.

You know Doras public image was smeared with the NTA scam so she needs to perform this one to gain back your trust (not mine). What has she done to save Nigerians on death row abroad?

I thought the ad was funny.

Our e-mail can testify to what was said.

No where in the ad was it said that all Nigerians are scam artists. Ethnic stereotypes exist and you really can't combat them with silly petitions.

back2back:

thank you but that does not STOP NIGERIA for speaking up against the barbaric advert against NIGERIANS.

The is criminal profiling by SONY. It stands condemned.

The senate should create ' Nigeria Enemy Act' and SONY should be added to the list.

We should ask Japanese ambassador to come and explain and after that throw in out of the country.

what's barbaric about a simple joke?

did the advert specifically target Nigerians? Asians get stereotyped by the william hung's of the world but i don't see them bitching about it.