VIRAL on Twitter today is #Bankwar.
Guardian reports that Sterling Bank may not be the most popular bank in Nigeria. But on Saturday, it crept into the consciousness of many Nigerians, perhaps, potential customers, all thanks to a tweet, which has since gone viral.
The tweet is a less-than-subtle shade thrown at the banks’ rivals including Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, First Bank and Union Bank.
It contains a graphic with the logos of the four banks manipulated to show they are not worthy of customers’ attention.
Shoot for the moon, become a star – it’s the least you deserve. Welcome to #SterlingBank ? pic.twitter.com/Jt7M5AkSSb
— Sterling Bank Plc (@Sterling_Bankng) July 20, 2018
It was not long before the four banks, sans GTBank, started to respond with digs of their own.
We will travel on an imaginary rocket too, if we were a one-customer Microfinance Bank; but with ten million customers and counting, we rather bring the galaxy to you! #YouAreWorthIt #TakeTomorrow #KnowYourElders pic.twitter.com/pBGuW8JaLo
— Access Bank Plc (@myaccessbank) July 21, 2018
Access Bank’s reply has been liked and retweeted more than Sterling’s trigger tweet.
Union Bank followed suit quick. It took the bank three tweets to hit the home run.
The last tweet, however, comes a tone finality and with allusion to the beefs between Nas and Jay-Z (Ether) and Pusha T and Drake (Story of Adidion). And if you are familiar with hip-hop, you will know that ‘Ether’ by Nas and ‘Story of Adidion’ are among the stop knock-them-dead diss tracks.
Heading to the moon without a spacesuit…journey mercies??♂️??♂️#simplersmarterSAFERbanking
— UNION BANK (@UNIONBANK_NG) July 21, 2018
When the elders speak… #SimplerSmarterSAFERBank pic.twitter.com/xCgYbcniDm
— UNION BANK (@UNIONBANK_NG) July 21, 2018
There’s no coming back after “Ether” or “Story of Adidon”…settle down now, take a deep breath. Back to counting this Naira, Dollars and Pounds… #SimplerSmarterSAFERBank pic.twitter.com/LGSRSsOPtw
— UNION BANK (@UNIONBANK_NG) July 21, 2018
The oldest bank among the lot also fired its own two-tweet salvo.
What an elder sees while sitting, a child cannot see even if he travels to the moon. #RespectYourElders #YouFirst
— FirstBank Nigeria (@FirstBankngr) July 21, 2018
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— FirstBank Nigeria (@FirstBankngr) July 21, 2018
Guaranty Trust Bank has refused to be drawn into the catfight. Silence is golden?