The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has strongly condemned an unapproved and ethnically offensive advertisement released by Bokku Supermarket, describing it as unlawful, divisive, and contrary to Nigeria’s national values.
Newsonspot reports that in a statement issued by its Director-General, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, ARCON said it would take disciplinary actions against all parties involved, including the advertisers, agencies, and platform owners who disseminated the controversial material.
“ARCON will take all necessary steps, including sanctions and legal redress, to enforce compliance,” the statement read.
According to the regulatory body, the controversial Bokku campaign promoted ethnic prejudice and denigrated a section of Nigeria’s population, thereby violating national unity and peaceful coexistence policies. The Council revealed that the advertisement was never vetted or approved by its Advertising Standards Panel (ASP), which is mandatory before any material is exposed to the public.
“These advertisements were neither vetted nor approved for exposure,” Dr. Fadolapo stated. “They clearly breach ethical advertising standards and pose a serious threat to social harmony.”
ARCON also announced that it has activated a special monitoring and enforcement task force to track all unapproved advertisements across print, broadcast, outdoor, and digital media. This, it said, reflects its renewed commitment to policing Nigeria’s advertising space, especially in the fast-growing digital sector.
The controversy began after a video surfaced on Bokku Mart’s social media platforms, in which an influencer promoting the store made an ethnic slur, saying:
“I can get beans and Garri Ijebu at Bokku without any Omo Igbo cheating me.”
The video immediately sparked outrage online, with Nigerians condemning the brand for promoting tribal stereotypes in its marketing content.
One X user, Pharaoh, wrote:
“Imagine a brand as big as Bokku Mart relying on ethnic stereotyping and slurs for marketing. The whole marketing team sat down, watched this video, and approved it?”
Others echoed similar sentiments, urging brands to be more sensitive in their marketing approach and avoid tribal undertones that could inflame divisions.
In response to the backlash, Bokku Mart deleted the video and issued an apology, distancing itself from the influencer’s remarks.
“We are very sorry. The influencer used words that were not approved. She has been cautioned, and we’ve taken the video down. We remain a pro-Nigerian brand and will never intentionally hurt any part of what makes us a beautiful country,” the statement read.
ARCON reiterated that every advertisement in Nigeria must undergo ASP vetting to ensure that all materials are truthful, decent, legal, and socially responsible. The Council affirmed that it would continue to enforce these standards to safeguard public harmony and uphold the integrity of the Nigerian advertising industry.
