MTN's American Wonder

MTN’s American Wonder It is no longer news that an MTN subscriber had been declared winner of the much publicized MTN “win an aeroplane” promo but what is still news is the cash equivalent. How can an aeroplane be valued at 64million Naira. That is a mockery of the highest grade. Owing to the ineptitude of the mobile networks in Nigeria, I am an active subscriber to two of them (the Yellow and Green) but I have never been an active participant in those “dugbe” kinds of promos. It is nothing but a clear case of robbing Peter to pay paul. When I first got wind of the bogus promo, I smiled and thought to myself, the marketing manager or brand manager of MTN must be a creative genius to have branded a promo literarily, I thought “the win an aeroplane” actually meant an expenses paid trip to a ‘sweet’ country for the winner but when I heard that someone actually won it and opted for the cash equivalent I was a bit surprised but curiousity propelled me on and I asked the cash equivalent. When I heard the derisory figure of N64million, I was filled with anger and wrath, sighed and asked loudly, when would this daylight robbery and defrauding end? Some critics might be swift in branding me jealous of the ‘fortunate’ winner, the undergraduate that woke up a struggling lady but went to bed a millionaire. Well, am not. Am just been pragmatic and factual. I congratulate the lady but I opine that she was hugely defrauded, she could have earned far much more than that. Where in the world does an aeroplane go for N64million Naira? Guess only in the world of Y’ello. There are different kinds of aircrafts, there is the airbus, helicopter and airplane but am sure none of them cost that low. Let me explain how she could have made much more than the pittance she settled for. She should have demanded to see the aeroplane, call up aeronautic engineers to look it up to ascertain it’s grade and quality. Then, auction it amongst the local airlines in Nigeria. Am sure she would have gotten a handsome price for it. All those airlines with grandfather and mother aeroplanes would have jumped at it. If it was a helicopter, there would be mega rich Nigerians who are tired of riding on land with fellow Nigerians, need another way of expressing their wealth who would have bought from her and certainly not at that price. Apparently, there was no aeroplane, MTN had it worked out. Those that would be interested in the promo would be the downtrodden in the country and would certainly not want the aeroplane or demand to see it. The company would offer them good money to alleviate their poor state but cheap enough to save them the real cost of the machine. At the end, MTN would smile to the bank with their stolen profit. How they have robbed the poor of the little they had. In this country, we’ve had bogus promotions from these mobile companies. Not too long ago, Etisalat promised a million$ and delivered it, apparently MTN wanted to beat that. Instead, they succeed in ruining their already tainted reputation. A company that steals subscribers’ credit and offer annoying service, how can such give out an aeroplane? Nigerians can be so gullible. In all these, what has the NCC, the regulatory body for mobile companies done? Well, they have banned all forms of promo. Whether you are giving out an aeroplane, a ship or an “okada”, no way. Well, that was a good move but I also suggest a sledge hammer is brought on MTN for taking subscribers for granted. Nobody should call my action witch-hunting, agreed the network had stolen my credit several times under different amorphous guises but am not out for revenge. All I am saying is that they should stop taking Nigerians for a donkey ride. Citizens might have financial challenges but certainly not mental challenges. The economy might be in doldrums but the asylums are certainly not full, which means most Nigerians can still think straight. So call a spade a spade! If you promise an aeroplane, give it. An end has to come to interpretative promos.