As part of its efforts to reward its customers during the national Independence Day celebrations, Heritage Bank Plc has announced an online competition for its customers to make videos recitation of them presenting the “National Pledge” in Pidgin English and the four best videos will be rewarded with total cash prize of N1million.
A statement by the bank’s Divisional Head, Corporate Communications, Fela Ibidapo, indicated that the gesture was part of the lender’s activities to commemorate the independence and inculcate patriotic spirit in the citizens on the importance to reflect on the past, what led them here and the bright future that awaits Nigerians.
The activities also requires the staff of the bank to recite the pledge in all their different units and Experience Centres, doing it in front of the national flag, whilst they wear clothes with touch of green to office for certain period of time.
Ibidapo maintained that as a bank that placed much importance and value on national heritage, “we want to remind Nigerians of their loyalty and commitment to the nation; thereby imbibe the patriotic spirit in citizens that despite the challenges, it has been 60years of dignity and pride as individuals, who together, make up this great country called Nigeria.”
According to him, reciting the National Pledge in pidgin language will help invoke in every individual their national pride of love, devotion and sense of attachment to our fathers’ land and alliance with every citizen who share same sentiment. This attachment could be combination of different feelings relating to the country in terms of socio-cultural, ethnic, political and historical interests.
He said: “We are not just excited, but we are also reflecting on what our commitment as
individuals has been to our great country Nigeria. Looking inwards at our journey over the last 60years, we believe as an institution that this is the best time to reflect on the National Pledge and what it means to us as a Nation.
“To this end, Heritage Bank is championing the movement to keep our commitment as a nation by reciting the National Pledge.
“In a bid to achieve this, we require Nigerians, including customers and non-customers to make one-minute videos for cash rewards, whilst staff to make a one-minute video of their teams reciting the National Pledge in either English language or any of the Nigerian languages”, he added
