Nigerian athlete angry over use of her image in political campaign

Medal winning Nigerian field and track athlete, Blessing Okagbare is angry over the use of her images of her images in President Goodluck Jonathan's political jingos.

In a video advertorial by GoodHouse Nigeria, a clip of Blessing Okagbare is seen and the Delta State born athlete is angry that her image was shown without her consent and permission.

She termed it  ‘selfish and disrespectful’ for anyone to intrude into her privacy by using her image, footage for a presidential campaign without seeking  her approval.

Speaking from her base yesterday, Thursday, March 12  in Los Angeles, United States of America, Okagbare  said her attention was called to the clip about two months ago.

“Someone out there is using my image, footage and everything I have worked for to make money through advert and campaign without seeking my approval," she said in the quote gotten from This Day.

"If an advert is being made with my footage and I am not aware of it, it shows how some of my country men back home can be so selfish, disrespecting and have no regard for people's privacy,” an angry Okagbare said.

Okagbare revealed that she got to where she was without the help of the government who is now using her image for campaign purpose.

She recalled the situation two years ago, when she lamented during the All Nigerian Open Championship in Calabar that the Federal Government of Nigeria was not doing much to support her athletics career, stressing that the only support she got was from Delta State Governor, Dr  Emmanuel Uduaghan.

“Now, I am here struggling on my own to pay my coach, nutritionist, doctor and others to make sure I am in good shape for the All African Games and the IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China, later in the year, and some people back home are using my image and footage for presidential campaign advertorial without seeking my approval.

“This is fraudulent because I am totally not in support of it. We called the people (GoodHouse Nigeria) and they denied using my image and footage for PDP presidential advertorial. Who did it then? Why are they lying? Okagbare asked.

See the campaign video below