Why new coins, notes bear no Arabic inscriptions, by Soludo

From Adamu Abuh, Kano

WITH the stage set for the re-introduction of lower denominations of coins and notes, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has given an insight into the rationale for using local languages instead of Arabic inscriptions on the new denominations.
The redesigned notes and coins will be in circulation from February 28.
At a grassroots sensitisation forum on the new notes held at the Kano branch of the CBN yesterday, Soludo said the quest to promote national literacy in Nigeria's major languages informed the decision to drop Arabic inscriptions from the denominations.
He also said that the choice of the three major local languages on the redesigned notes and coins was aimed at strengthening national unity.
The repackaged notes of N5, N10, N20 and N50 have their values translated into Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba languages.
Also, the redesigned coins of N2, N1, and 50 kobo denominations which are more convenient to carry will be introduced through the commercial banks on the same day.
The decision by the CBN to remove the Arabic inscription, which was conspicuous on the existing denominations, has attracted harsh comments from a section of Nigerian Moslems, who deemed the action an affront to the Islam.
But the CBN chief, who discountenanced the notion, said government's decision was not informed by any religious sentiment. The Federal Government, he added, has no disdain for the Arabic Language, in which the Holy Quran is written.
Soludo said: "It is not eliminating Arabic inscriptions; it is re-writing the Hausa language in a form that everybody will be able to read. What is written in Hausa can be read by every other Nigerian who is not Hausa.
"The Hausa inscription has not been scrapped. It is only that it has been written out, the Igbo one is also written out, the Yoruba one is equally written out. That is the only change and it is part of the promotion of national unity and national literacy in our various languages."
The CBN chief said the new notes, made of polymer, and coins would ease business transactions among Nigerians.
On the benefits of introducing the new coins to the economy, Soludo said: "Prices move in multiples of N5, now you could have a price of something for N57.50 kobo, N58.50 kobo and you get your balance back. But before, you could only have N67, N65. All Nigerians should go back to the use of coins."
He said that the change of the national currency 23 years after the last exercise was in line with international practice, which aims to check counterfeiting of the country's medium of exchange.
Though Soludo declined to reveal the cost of producing the fresh notes and coins, he noted that the measure would save the country at least 60 per cent of the cost of minting coins.
He added that the nation would enjoy a cost reduction of between 42 to 58 per cent in the amount spent on currency production.


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i strongly support the removal of islamic insciptions from the naira notes. At least nigeria is not an islamic nation!!!!

Good thot.We are a nation of ethnic diversities.if it is possible to ve other ethnic languges inscribed in the note n coins let it be done

They are removing the dominance of the northern protectorate gradually.

A good development I will say.

.

Does any one have any pictures of these new notes and coins

Good riddance to bad rubbish!

demmy:

The decision by the CBN to remove the Arabic inscription, which was conspicuous on the existing denominations, has attracted harsh comments from a section of Nigerian Moslems, who deemed the action an affront to the Islam.

Someone should tell these moslems that this is not the Islamic republic of Nigeria!

This is one of the problems with contemporary Islam.Islam is inextricably linked with Arabism.

What is ostensibly potrayed as religious issues is often a smokescreen for Arab interests.This is mainly down to the insidious effects of Saudi money in the Muslim world.

When muslims are hurt in Chechnya,Xinjiang Province,Darfur,the muslim world is silent but when it comes to Palestine,Iraq,e.t.c, the muslim world is whipped into an unruly frenzy

What has inscriptions in the Arab language on money got to do with Islam.Surely muslims in Nigeria should prefer inscriptions to be in their own indigenous languages.U don't see Saudis trying to write in Hausa

4 Play:

U don't see Saudis trying to write in Hausa

What of other minorities Tiv,birom, Nupe,Igbirra,Ate aren't they Nigerians too!Politics of exclusion!Or economics

lewa:

What of other minorities Tiv,birom, Nupe,Igbirra,Ate aren't they Nigerians too!Politics of exclusion!Or economics

They should write in a neutral language then-Igbo

Seriously,they should only write in English.We don't want them writing in 250 languages

How about Latin for the Catholics,if Muslims get their Arabic we should get Latin for Catholics.Besides,isn't English discrimination in favor of Anglicans?Ok,what about Japanese?

Let the inscriptions be in Japanese then,that way no one will feel discriminated against

This is why I think I should be President of this country,who else can stay up at 3am wondering about his country?

4 Play:

They should write in a neutral language then-Igbo

Seriously,they should only write in English.We don't want them writing in 250 languages

How about Latin for the Catholics,if Muslims get their Arabic we should get Latin for Catholics.Besides,isn't English discrimination in favor of Anglicans?Ok,what about Japanese?

Let the inscriptions be in Japanese then,that way no one will feel discriminated against

This is why I think I should be President of this country,who else can stay up at 3am wondering about his country?

4play u r soo funny

The decision by the CBN to remove the Arabic inscription, which was conspicuous on the existing denominations, has attracted harsh comments from a section of Nigerian Moslems, who deemed the action an affront to the Islam.

Sometimes it baffles me when i read something like this. Any small thing in Nigeria is believed to be a conspiracy against ISLAM as if there are no other religions in a multicomplex society such as Nigeria. I know it's not all Moslems that are crying about the non inclussion of arabic signs on the new notes but those crying should be lectured by their folks that not all Nigerians are muslims.

The decision by the CBN to remove the Arabic inscription, which was conspicuous on the existing denominations, has attracted harsh comments from a section of Nigerian Moslems, who deemed the action an affront to the Islam.

Are they making up stories?
It'll be interesting to see these harsh comments from these section of Nigerian moslems

The decision by the British government to scrutinize documents has attracted harsh comments from Nigerian travellers who deemed the action blah blah blah

[b][/b] the removal of the arabic inscription on nigeria's money will portriat to the muslims the hatred of the christan for them, because the governor is a christan. but the issue to dress is does nigeria has her own language? and those local language if we don't forget are the work of the british that colonised nigeria.

the removal can prompt a religious war in the seen that the muslims have noticed that they usually sideline when it comes to national issue, for example no south-west muslim was invited to participate in the confab and many more, all these sreve as evidence that the muslims will right to express that this is against them.

the govenor should not forget that the use of local language is developement that should disturb the existing peace among nigerians.

as a matter of urgency, l will advise that the governor should retain the arabic inscription and add any innovativity input that will booast the value of naria not cahnging the face of the naria and it is reducing in value every day.,

bcosu blac:

as a matter of urgency, l will advise that the governor should retain the arabic inscription and add any innovativity input that will booast the value of naria not cahnging the face of the naria and it is reducing in value every day.,

Your post though long on words is rather short on objective reasoning.
1. if you want to see arabic inscriptions on your own currency, please be adviced to proceed to the islamic republic of Iran.
2. Is arabic a Nigerian language? Why is it on the naira?
3. Would CBN be fair if it decides to inscribe the hebrew language on the naira in order to "balance things"?
4. How does a mere inscription on the naira boost its value?

bcosu blac:

1. the removal of the arabic inscription on nigeria's money will portriat to the muslims the hatred of the christan for them, because the governor is a christan. but the issue to dress is does nigeria has her own language? and 2. those local language if we don't forget are the work of the british that colonised nigeria.

1. What does the religion of the CBN governor have to do with inscriptions on the naira note? So going by your warped ideas, the fact that no hebrew inscription has ever been on the naira should portray to the christians the hatred the muslims have for them?

2. Pray how are the yoruba, igbo, hausa, ibibio, fulani, benin e.t.c languages the work of the British?

bcosu blac:

the removal can prompt a religious war in the seen that the muslims have noticed that they usually sideline when it comes to national issue, for example no south-west muslim was invited to participate in the confab and many more, all these sreve as evidence that the muslims will right to express that this is against them.

Only fools and illiterates go to war over mere inscriptions on the naira. Like i have reiterated earilier, why have the christians not been clamoring for hebrew inscriptions on the naira? Is arabic the mother tongue of Nigerian muslims?
How have muslims been "sidelined" when it comes to "national issues"? Since when did Nigeria fall in to the grips of islamic fundamentalists who are ready to shout foul at every percieved instance of marginalisation?

can anyone provide a link to these comments at all. . .

"The decision by the CBN to remove the Arabic inscription, which was conspicuous on the existing denominations, has attracted harsh comments from a section of Nigerian Moslems, who deemed the action an affront to the Islam. "

seems people are always playing devils advocate

y is arabic on our money we are not an arabic nation

link: http://odili.net/news/source/2007/feb/16/56.html

I meant a link to those harsh comment. I don't really understand why some journalists can't put a face/name to their stories; it is a bit repulsive really

The decision by the CBN to remove the Arabic inscription, which was conspicuous on the existing denominations, has attracted harsh comments from a section of Nigerian Moslems, who deemed the action an affront to the Islam.

Visit the link that was provided. The story was published by the Guardian on February 16, 2007. Journalist is Adamu Abuh writing from Kano.

At last !!!!

ALL these islamist should do is to shut the hell up!!!

If this will start a religious riot so be it.

I trust my Onitsha brothers

Please, i think its just a sad assumption that Muslims object to the removal of arabic on the notes. I doubt they noticed it in the first place.

Why did we have Arabic Inscriptions there in the first place??

Good riddance to the atrocious garbage that has no place in our currency in the first place. I believe we should go ahead and remove every Arabic inscription in our military insignia. . .

I applaud Soludo.