Movie actress Funke Akindele has been stripped of her role as an NCDC and Dettol advisory video model.
This followed her arrest on Sunday night after she flouted the Social Distancing rule by hosting a birthday party for her husband in Lagos on Saturday.
A prominent advisory video in the campaign against Covid-19, urging social distancing and regular hand washing produced by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control was pulled off NCDC’s Microsite covid19.ncdc.gov.ng while the video interlude was conspicuously missing from most television programmes on Sunday.
READ ALSO: COVID- 19: Funke Akindele, Husband To Be Charged To Court For Lockdown Violation
NCDC had partnered a disinfectant manufacturing company to create a public awareness on Covid-19, of which Funke Akindele was the model.
Following her arrest on Sunday, NCDC dissociated itself from Akindele as their brand ambassador, denied signing a contract with her and urged Nigerians to continue social distancing.
“As an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, NCDC has not engaged brand ambassadors as part of our response to COVID-19. We continue to emphasise that all Nigerians maintain social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19”.
Dettol was also embarrassed by Akindele’s behavior and expressed disappointment.
Funke Akindele recently, acting in her personal capacity, had a celebration which is against the caution to the public on social distancing during the covid-19 pandemic.
“As a responsible organization and brand, Dettol does not condone any breach of the guidelines on Covid-19. As an organization we are concerned at the turn of events.”
It remains to be seen, how many more endorsements Akindele will lose because of her disobedience to government’s directive to stay at home and maintain social distancing.
While some Nigerians feel that one hundred thousand naira will be a stroll-in-the-park-fine for the rich movie star, others are of the opinion that the actress should at least be quarantined for 14 days after testing, to ensure public safety, having mingled with several other unidentified persons whose Covid-19 status is yet to be ascertained.
The world is watching to see whether the rules, especially during these health challenged times will be bent for Akindele or whether she will serve the maximum penalty for deliberately putting lives at risk of the pandemic for social clustering at her husband’s party.
Juliet Ekwebelam
