Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) has condemned an offensive billboard advertisement portraying the people of Ilorin as drunks.

The union, an umbrella sociocultural organisation, expressed its concern in a statement issued on Friday in Ilorin.

The statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Nurudeen Ibrahim, called on relevant authorities to order those responsible for the alleged offensive advertisement to swiftly remove it.

The union said the advertisement, promoting a particular brand of alcoholic beer on a billboard along Offa Garage Road, Ilorin, deliberately portrayed the people of Ilorin as drunks.

According to Mr Ibrahim, the message contained in the advertisement, made reference to Ilorin and its people as drunkard, “to si e gege bi Omo Ilorin”.

He said that the information was clearly offensive, stressing that the advertisement is deliberately planted to provoke the people of Ilorin emirate.

Mr Ibrahim said the advertisement was a liberty taken too far, and called for its removal “to discourage a resort to self-help from the concerned members of the community”.

He noted that advertisement of products that seemed to infringe on the culture of a given community should always be discouraged.

Mr Ibrahim said that the message on the billboard attaching alcohol to the people of Ilorin, a predominantly Muslim community, was a deliberate provocative act.

The union therefore appealed to the relevant government agencies to remove the advertisement and warned advertising agencies to be meticulous in their services.

Mr Ibrahim however appealed to the people of Ilorin emirate to remain calm and peaceful while necessary actions were being taken in resolution of the matter.

(NAN)