Poultry Farmers at War over Bird Flu Advert

This article from the online Daily Sun newspaper of Lagos, Nigeria, describes local reaction to a public service announcement (PSA) on avian influenza and the nature of rumours that circulated about the internationally sponsored communication project. Poultry farmers in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, besieged the “Splash FM", a metropolitan private radio station, to protest the continued airing of a PSA message intended to sensitise the Nigerian public on bird flu.


Farmers protested based on claims that sales of poultry products, including chicken and eggs, had dropped significantly in the last four to six months that the message had been on the air. The PSA, broadcast in both English and Yoruba languages, is a short drama featuring a couple about to eat chicken - one wishes to eat the chicken which is partly cooked, the other insists on having the chicken well cooked to prevent falling victim of avian flu infection.


The message was reportedly commissioned by an international development agency concerned about the series of outbreaks of avian influenza in Nigeria. It is being handled for the sponsors by Initiatives Media, a Lagos-based advertising firm. The station’s general manager, Mr. Pekun Oloyede, said that the station has not stopped the campaign, even as he condemned the attack by the poultry farmers, because, he stated, the message does not intend to prevent poultry consumption, but is designed "to conscienticise people on the need to cook it properly. All we are doing is public service."

A radio station executive said management had since sent reporters out to confirm the claims of the poultry farmers and found them to be untrue. Further complicating rumours reported here include:
1) an alleged criticism by a political figure that a prominent poultry farmer sponsored the PSAs to try to ruin the small farmers who are his competition.
2) the following comment from an unidentified source: "We believe the advert is also in connivance with some government officials to corner votes to be allocated for the fight of imaginary bird flu. It is another way [of] mis-managing public funds".
3) a comment from an executive of Initiatives Media saying that officials of the international development organisation were aware of the farmer protest and would be arriving the country to address a press conference on the issue.