Are Brands Shortchanging The Southeast?

We pride ourselves on having a large market in the Southeast. Numbers and statistics support this claim. When I was in the telecom industry, Onitsha was a big revenue center for the telcos.

However, we cannot say that brands benefiting from the huge Southeast market have shown enough good faith in their social investments decision-making and this is baffling.

Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt usually receive a large chunk of corporate sponsorships from major Nigerian brands, to the neglect of the Southeast market, which can be likened to the goose that lays the golden egg.

We once had MTN as the title sponsor of Enugwu-Ukwu Igu-Aro and the other associated festivals. That relationship stopped and no other brand has bothered to throw their muscle behind the rich cultural fest. Globacom sponsors the Onitsha Ofala Festival. However, other brands are yet to step in as co-sponsors to help blow the festival the same way they have done with the Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state.

These fliers are just a few examples of how other brands have helped to activate the Ojude-Oba festival.

Organizing world-class festivals requires a lot of resources which only brands can provide. We people of the Southeast are demanding more from brands that are generating tons of revenue from the Southeast. Fair is fair.

We are simply asking for a re-think of the corporate social investments (CSI) strategies of major Nigerian brands to also favour the Southeast which also generates the revenues for them.

The argument that insecurity in the Southeast is one of the reasons why brands chose to stay away from CSI investments is not completely true. Insecurity may have impacted social life but people are still making calls and using data in the Southeast so the telcos can’t complain. On the Mondays of sit-at-home, I can bet that data and call usages increase as people idle away at home. On weekends, and even weekdays, bars and nightclubs are still banging so beverage companies are smiling. The financial services sector is thriving despite the security challenges. POS operators are almost lined up inch after inch in our communities. Banks are still declaring trillions of Naira in profits.

During festive periods such as Easter, New Yam, and Christmas seasons when these festivals take place. It’s choc-a-block and bumper-to-bumper traffic in the Southeast. So a bit more CSI gaze towards the Southeast by the brands won’t be a bad idea. The tokenism approach should be discarded because it’s good business for them.

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Stop shouting that it is the "bad economy that makes ShopRite empty".

It is change and development that affect ShopRite in Nigeria

Take Ibadan for example,it is hardly you drive three kilometers that you will not see a Mall, either big or mini Mall that are being owned by individuals

For example, from the University of Ibadan main Gate to Ojoo,there are three different Malls.

So, automatically, those that reside both Ojoo and University of Ibadan may not have any reason to go to ShopRite again.

You as a person, when did you go to ShopRite last?

If you Reside in Dugbe axis, Pinnacle Mall is already satisfying people around that area,and which may reduce the number of people that would be patronizing ShopRite at Dugbe

ShopRite is empty doesn't mean economy is bad generally, but individuals are already venturing into Mall businesses, which is reducing the number of customers that would be patronizing ShopRite.

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Many people are letting emotions cloud their judgment when it comes to the recent drama surrounding Veekee James and a designer allegedly copying her work. While it’s natural to defend someone you admire, business—especially in today’s social media age—operates on strategy, not sentiment.

Here’s the truth: in fashion, smaller brands that mimic successful designers can pose a serious threat, no matter how established the original brand is. It’s not just about who came first or who is more “original.” Sometimes, the imitator uses the attention from that comparison to launch themselves into the spotlight.

That seems to be what’s happening here. The emerging designer may appear less skilled or less known, but he’s cleverly positioning himself to benefit from the controversy. He’s using Veekee’s fame as a springboard, and honestly, it’s a smart—if risky—move.

It only takes one celebrity endorsement to change everything. If a major name decides to give him a shot, and he delivers a bold, fresh design, the internet will explode. People will forget about who copied whom. Instead, they’ll say, “Wow, look what he did!” And unfortunately, Veekee could still catch criticism in the fallout.

That’s why I believe Veekee should’ve played it differently. Publicly reacting gave him the validation he needed. If she had stayed silent and let her legal team quietly handle things, he would’ve had less momentum. Instead, now he gets to be “the guy who copied Veekee”—and that alone could drive his visibility and sales.

In public relations, some individuals act like leeches. They latch onto bigger names, hoping to gain relevance by association. This designer might seem harmless now, but his entire strategy relies on the Veekee brand to boost his own.

And let’s be honest, the internet is emotional and unpredictable. The designer seems to know this—and he’s aimed his strategy squarely at a Nigerian audience that loves an underdog story. If he pulls off one standout piece for a celebrity, the same fans who supported Veekee could turn around and say, “See? He’s even better.”

Bottom line: don’t underestimate a small brand just because they look like they’re copying. Sometimes, that’s exactly the plan. In this game, staying calm, strategic, and legally smart is the best defense.

Veekee didn’t need to respond with emotion. She needed to respond with silence and strength. That alone would have disrupted his plan entirely.

The political transfer window is still open. APC dey sign top strikers, PDP gets management issues like Man Utd, and financial problems like Barcelona, they either recruit young players from their academy or rely on sponsorship deals to sign some defenders, to avoid conceding too many goals, because they seem not prepared for the 2027 PCL (political champions League)

Ever since APC signed BAT, the club has been running the street and the acquisition of Wike on loan has really proven great for the team formation. He helped them beat his former club in Edo.

All eyes are on Osun where the newly acquired defensive midfielder (Sheriff) and left winger (Okowa) will be looking forward to forming a formidable galacticos with Wike and Dapo. According to the club CEO (BAT) negotiation to sign the Osun state skillful midfielder to be backup for Sheriff is at its Zenith.

We look forward to seeing the strategy that would be deployed by the LP FC this time around as they are in serious negotiation to sign Kano state no 9 to support their attack in the upcoming 2027 PCL.

On the other side, veteran goalkeeper El Rufai is trying to recruit a formidable squad that may include the likes of veteran defender Atiku to create a new Club or acquire an old club for the 2027 PCL. While attackers like Saraki and Tambawal had been out injured, they have started personal training to be fit for the next season PCL, and PDP, LP, and APC are monitoring their progress. Stay tuned for more updates!

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Sochinwa Robert

#copied I need a husband. I will sponsor the marriage. #everyonefollowers #everyone