Kudos to Obasanjo and his administration on this issue. Naija is a Secular State. Arabic letters should not be forced down the throat of non-adherents. Hausa is a beautiful language that one 'll love to learn, but do I need to first learn Arabic?

There are obvious flaws in the make up of the country, and its governance. And if these flaws are not corrected through Sovereign National Conference, I'll be shocked if the nation continues to exist in the next ten years.

Good Riddance, that's long overdue.


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."

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

I personally don't think we have to re-introduce coins into the Nigerian economy. Nigerians don't like carrying coins. I think it is better to keep on minting notes. And as for the re-introduced denominations, it should be in paper form too.

Soludo God bless you.
Any one that protests the removal of the arabic should move to Saudi and speak and read it all day long.
I'll rather see Efik,Ibibio and nupe on the naira than a foreign language that has nothing to do with me as a southern Christian

So this money belongs to the Yoruba's, the Igbo's and the Hausa's right? I didn't see my language in it. Is this legal tender in my country (sorry state)? Nigerians are pumping our oil free of charge. This is an outrage, it really is. When is the injustice going to stop. Did i hear you say what's in a language, or did i hear you say we can't put all the languages in Nigeria on a Naira note. No language, except English should be on my Naira note sorry. If this injustice continue, soon Nigerians will be repatriated from the Niger Delta. Am all for national unity, but not at any prise. Without Oil, the Naira will be less than Cedis. Enough is Enough.

Tornadoz has a point, but there is also a point in making our most widespread languages on the notes as well, not every single language can go on the notes, but still the three major ones is not a bad start.

Tornadoz ~ I feel your pain. Pele.

I'll prefer these three languages to an Arabic text, anytime, any day. Edo (Bini) should be the fourth major local language, since many of the delta tongues are related to it. By the way, what's your mother tongue?

Time to get rid of those arabic inscription was way overdue.

Ope O!!
Arabic ko,heiroglyphics ni.