NAIRA REDESIGN, ARABIC INSCRIPTION AND 1999 CONSTITUTION

BY CHIEF MALCOLM OMIRHOBO

The Arabic inscription on the redesigned 200, 500- and 1000-Naira notes is not only a clear violation of the provisions of sections 10, 42(1)(2) and 55 of the Nigerian 1999 constitution but inimical to the unity of Nigeria.

Arabic is not one of the four official languages of Nigeria namely English, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. It is not indigenous to Nigeria and therefore to have it on our country’s currency offends the clear provisions of section 55 of the constitution.

Bearing in mind that Nigeria is a multi-religious secular state, the Arabic inscription on the redesigned Naira notes is a flagrant violation of section 10 of our constitution because it is tantamount to the Nigerian government adoption of Arabic language which is the official language of Islam as an official language of Nigeria and by so doing propagating Islam and Arabic language over and above other religions and indigenous languages in Nigeria .

The Arabic inscription on the redesigned Naira notes is a gross violates section 42 (1)(a)(b) of constitution because Nigeria is multi ethnic country with over 500 indigenous languages and so to single out only Hausa language to be written in Arabic for the benefit of the Hausa man who does not have Western education is discriminatory to Nigerians of other ethnic nationalities of other languages who are not equally educated in Western education.

The argument that the Arabic inscription on the Naira notes is to help majority of the population of Northern part of Nigeria who are not educated in Western education to accept the face value of the Naira notes cannot hold water, 62 years after Nigeria’s independence. because practically every Nigerian even the blind knows the face value of 200, 500- and 1000-Naira notes. Again, the argument is preposterous when the so-called uneducated Northerner Knows the face value of all the denominations of the British Pounds Sterling and America Dollars without the aid of Arabic inscription on them. And effectively control foreign currency black market to the exclusion of other Nigerians

To put Arabic inscription on the redesigned Naira notes for no just cause without considering national interest is inimical to the unity of Nigeria and It is about time for every Nigeria to insist on the secularity of Nigeria because it is one of the Pillars of our unity. Taking away the secularity of Nigeria simply means that we are already at the bridge to renegotiation the unity of Nigeria through a referendum.

It is about time we realise as Nigerians that no religion is superior to the other, no ethic nationality is superior to the other and no language is superior to the other and that we are all equal before the constitution and our creator.

The Arabic inscription on the Naira notes in modern day Nigeria serves no purpose other than to be placed in our museums as historical relics and artefacts no apologies to religious bigots who are fanning the embers of religious discord based on parochial sentiments aimed at promoting disunity among Nigerians.

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SANUSI, CBN AND ARABIC INSCRIPTION ON NAIRA NOTES

ARABIC INSCRIPTION ON THE REDESIGNED NAIRA: MUHAMMADU SANUSI NOT A PAN NIGERIAN

By Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo

After going through the statements credited to the deposed Emir of Kano and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammadu Sanusi, insisting that the Arabic inscription, will not be removed from the redesigned Naira notes, I came to the one and only irresistible conclusion that the man is a religious bigot and that he is not a pan Nigerian as he touts himself around as.

Without considering the fact that Nigeria is a secular state and that the religion of other Nigerians must be respect at all times and that the Nigerian government must not involve itself in religious matters Sanusi a Khalifa of the Tijaniyya Islamic sect informed his fellow Muslim brothers that he has met with Godwin Emefiele, the governor of the Nigerian Central Bank who confirmed to him that the inscription will remain in the redesigned N100, N200, N500 and N1000 notes by December 2022.

Sanusi went on this assignment because some Islamic scholars alleged a ploy by the Federal Government to remove the Arabic inscription from the redesigned notes. He authoritatively confirm to the Muslim ummah that there are no such plans to remove the Arabic inscription in the redesign Naira notes and appealed to Islamic scholars to please stop acting on unsubstantiated reports.

With all his education and exposure in life, Sanusi cannot feign ignorance to the fact that Arabic language in any form is not a language indigenous to Nigeria neither is it the official language of Nigeria.

If Sanusi who is one of the most educated Nigerian in the North can see the Arabic inscription on the Naira notes from a religious perspective instead from a secular perceptive then he is nothing but a religious bigot.

Nigerians must be wary of Sanusi because he is not a pan Nigerian as he claims. Anytime he is addressing them as a progressive and pan Nigerian they should not take him serious because he speaks from both sides of his mouth . He pretends that he wants the unity of Nigeria whereas he does not.

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