The Facebook page I Stand with Buhari has made a surprising claim: football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari’s bid for a second term in Nigeria’s upcoming elections.
The post reads: “JUST IN: Ronaldo adopts NEXT LEVEL” – the theme of Buhari’s re-election campaign. Then a quote: “‘The world leaders adores PMB, He must be a good man’ - Ronaldo.”
It includes a photo of Ronaldo wearing the traditional dress of the Hausa people of northern Nigeria, with the inscription #iStandwithBuhari2019.
The post was published on 2 February 2019 and within two days had been shared over 1,400 times. It has also attracted more than 1,000 reactions and 130 comments.
But the photo of Ronaldo has been manipulated. It was produced by FYB Craft, a Lagos-based graphics design firm, as part of its marketing strategy. One of FYB Craft’s recent graphics is a photo of FC Barcelona captain Lionel Messi wearing Yoruba attire.
“It was all created for fun and to explore our graphics work,” Olawale Ezekiel, admin manager at FYB Craft, told Africa Check. “We do not know about it” – the fake post – “and of course it is a false rumour.”
He is a favourite: four years ago, Ronaldo was also used in a fake endorsement of former president Goodluck Jonathan’s bid for re-election. – Allwell Okpi (05/02/19)
The post reads: “JUST IN: Ronaldo adopts NEXT LEVEL” – the theme of Buhari’s re-election campaign. Then a quote: “‘The world leaders adores PMB, He must be a good man’ - Ronaldo.”
It includes a photo of Ronaldo wearing the traditional dress of the Hausa people of northern Nigeria, with the inscription #iStandwithBuhari2019.
The post was published on 2 February 2019 and within two days had been shared over 1,400 times. It has also attracted more than 1,000 reactions and 130 comments.
Ronaldo photo altered by graphics firm
But the photo of Ronaldo has been manipulated. It was produced by FYB Craft, a Lagos-based graphics design firm, as part of its marketing strategy. One of FYB Craft’s recent graphics is a photo of FC Barcelona captain Lionel Messi wearing Yoruba attire.
“It was all created for fun and to explore our graphics work,” Olawale Ezekiel, admin manager at FYB Craft, told Africa Check. “We do not know about it” – the fake post – “and of course it is a false rumour.”
He is a favourite: four years ago, Ronaldo was also used in a fake endorsement of former president Goodluck Jonathan’s bid for re-election. – Allwell Okpi (05/02/19)
Republish our content for free
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
Add new comment