BOKKU MART APOLOGISES OVER VIRAL “OMO IGBO” ADVERT AMID OUTCRY ON ETHNIC INSENSITIVITY
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Retail brand Bokku Mart has apologised following widespread backlash over a viral advert described by many Nigerians as ethnically insensitive and derogatory towards the Igbo ethnic group.
The controversy erupted after a promotional video, posted on the supermarket’s social media pages on Tuesday, featured a female content creator identified as Defolah saying, “No Omo Igbo can cheat me,” while advertising the affordability of products at Bokku Mart.
The phrase, widely interpreted as a slur against Nigerians of South-East origin, sparked outrage online, with many users condemning the brand for promoting ethnic prejudice.
The backlash quickly led to trending hashtags and calls for a boycott of the supermarket chain.
In a statement released on Friday via its official X handle, Bokku Mart distanced itself from the language used in the advert, describing it as “offensive and hurtful.”
“We are deeply saddened and disturbed by a video recently shared online that contained offensive and hurtful language.
The language used in the video was unacceptable and deeply misaligned with Bokku’s values,” the company said.
The supermarket explained that the content originated from an external influencer and was uploaded by a third-party media agency without internal approval.
“While the content originated from an external influencer and was published by a third-party media firm without prior review by our team, we take full responsibility for its appearance on our platforms,” the statement read.
Bokku Mart said it has now strengthened its internal content review and vendor oversight procedures to avoid a recurrence.
Reaffirming its stance on unity, the company stated:
“Bokku Mart is more than a retail brand; we are a proudly Nigerian company built on love for our people and communities.
We celebrate our nation’s rich diversity and stand firmly against all forms of discrimination.”
Meanwhile, the influencer involved has since issued an apology, posting screenshots and messages expressing remorse over the incident.
The episode has reignited national conversations on cultural sensitivity in advertising, with many Nigerians urging brands and influencers to adopt greater responsibility and awareness when producing promotional content in a multi-ethnic society like Nigeria.
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