Co-creators counter plagiarism claims over Nigeria at 60 logo
Following accusations and counter accusations trailing the recently launched Nigeria at 60 logo, Nigerian agencies which include Chain Reactions Nigeria, TBWA Africa and The Temple Management Company that jointly created the controversial logo have rebutted the claims that the logo was plagiarised.
The group, in a joint statement, said: “The attention of Chain Reactions Nigeria, The Temple Management and TBWA Africa has been drawn to an unfortunate conversation in some sections of the online media regarding the recently unveiled logo for the Nigerian Diamond Jubilee Celebration (Nigeria at 60) by President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR).
According to the statement, a few hours after unveiling the logo, myriads of reviews poured in from different stakeholders across the country as expected. “As envisaged, the views expressed are symbolic of our diversity as a nation. In fact, it captures what we are celebrating. The theme of the Diamond Jubilee Anniversary, TOGETHER, is all about how we have stayed together as a people despite our diversity.”
On the plagiarism, the statement said: “The primary allegation of plagiarism on the unveiled logo deserves a quick dissection. To Plagiarise, according to Oxford Language Dictionary, is to take someone else’s work or ideas and pass them off as one’s own.”
Commenting on the controversy, Mr. Israel Opayemi, chief executive officer of Chain Reactions Nigeria said: “This isn’t surprising as major brands and government initiatives have undergone barrage of condemnations and commendations in times past. Are we surprised? No.”
Opayemi reiterated that it is commendable that the Nigerian government has done the right thing by engaging the services of Nigerian professionals to develop the thematic direction, campaign strategy and the logo for the Diamond Jubilee celebration pro bono.
“In the past, you would have heard that the Nigerian government engaged the services of some foreign agencies for some nerve-cracking and ridiculous sum of money,” Opayemi emphasised.
“To meet the qualified meaning of this definition, it means the Nigerian professionals who designed the campaign picked another logo that is exactly like this or similar to this and delivered it to the Federal government. Have they shown Nigerians the logo that looks exactly like the Nigeria @ 60 logo from another jurisdiction,” Opayemi asked rhetorically.
Alleging plagiarism, Ottah Kalu, a social media commenter said: “Shame on the artist who designed that logo for directly lifting Alrosa’s 51- carat “dynasty” diamond which was unveiled three years ago. Alrosa is Russia’s mining giant. What happened to original creative thinking?”
However, Opayemi, who is equally the president of the Public Relations Consultants Association, said: “A quick check on the internet shows that there are thousands of diamonds with crystals that look alike. The images on the Internet are there in any way for creative usage and purposes. Some are backed by rights and paid for while others are free.
Reacting further to the controversy, the Chain Reactions’ boss added: “Without an announced budget or costing being declared from the Presidency, some social media commentators have hastily concluded that the logo was designed with an outrageous amount.
“This controversy is a great disservice to these Nigerian professionals who have invested their time into giving Nigeria a beautiful identity in commemoration of her 60th anniversary.”
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