Coca-cola’s murals celebrate Nigeria’s tenacity, unity

By Onome Amuge

As Nigerians celebrate the onset of the New Year, the country’s leading beverage company, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, is set to unveil stunning wall murals across some parts of the country in commemoration of the unity and doggedness of the people irrespective of their personal and cultural differences.

The murals, according to the company, will be painted across key locations in Rivers, Enugu, and Oyo States, in celebration of the uniqueness within each region, with a specific focus on the people, the culture and the rich heritage of the regions, while weaving a consistent thread of togetherness and unity within the country’s diversity.

The company further disclosed that the murals will be created by artists, including Ayoola Gbolahan, an internationally acclaimed contemporary painter whose work, “Blue Woman”, has received positive appraisals for its distinctiveness; Kingsley Effiong, renowned for graffiti art in Port Harcourt; and Perpetual Cyril, a budding artist in Enugu.

Commenting on the project, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, head of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria, referred to the mural project as a brilliant initiative pointing out its celebratory, educative and unifying qualities.

She also described it as an avenue for people to cast off their differences and find a lot of common ground and wins they can celebrate together. “These murals are an exact depiction of that; they are a reminder of Nigeria’s rich history and diverse cultures, as well as the many things that bind the Nigerian people together.”

Earlier this year, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Coca-Cola Company launched a global campaign themed, “Open Like Never Before”, encouraging people to open themselves up to the ‘new normal’, make the most of every moment and share those treasured moments with those around them. In the spirit of togetherness, positivity and inclusivity, the company is extending this message even further with this wall mural project.

The company said year 2020 may have been fraught with challenges the world over, but as a nation, Nigeria and Nigerians have stayed strong and are hopeful for a better future. Coca-Cola Nigeria charges consumers to celebrate this hope as a bright spot of 2020, and to hold on to it in 2021.

The Coca-Cola Company is an international total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries and territories. In addition to the company’s Coca-Cola product, brands under the company’s franchise include; AdeS, Ayataka, Costa, Dasani, Del Valle, Fanta, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest, innocent, Minute Maid, Powerade, Simply, SmartWater, Sprite, Vitaminwater and ZICO.

The company has also projected transforming its portfolio, from reducing sugar in manufactured drinks to bringing innovative new products to the market as well as reducing environmental impact by replenishing water and promoting recycling.