Heritage Bank Plc has rewarded the winners of the rendition of the October 1st National Pledge in Pidgin English in celebration of Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary.
According to a statement issued by the bank on Tuesday, the four best videos were rewarded with a total cash prize of N1m.
The bank named the winners as Idowu Ilesanmi, Christiana Chukwu, Onovo Chukwuebuka and Paul Eze, each received a cash prize of N250,000.
It said to commemorate the independence and inculcate patriotic spirit in Nigerians, it slated an online competition for customers to make video recitation of themselves presenting the ‘National Pledge’ in Pidgin English
The bank’s Divisional Head, Corporate Communications/Product Management, Fela Ibidapo, remarked that Heritage bank considered use of Pidgin English as a mark of identity and solidarity.
He noted that the competition was also as a means to promote local content use of language.
According to him, the importance of reciting the pledge in Pidgin English was to help invoke citizens’ national pride of love, devotion and sense of attachment to the country and alliance with other citizens who share the same sentiment.
Ibidapo 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 60 years, 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.”
