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BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED - Politics (10) - Nairaland

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by Obi1kenobi(m): 8:21pm On Nov 03, 2017
Rotimik:


The Nigerian pounds was more valuable than the American dollars in 1970.

$225 was around 100pounds (Nigerian pounds) in 1970.

Your calculation is not correct!

Show me the source of your exchange rate.
Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by intruxive(m): 8:44pm On Nov 03, 2017
aribisala0:
You see there are so many lies about that time that people believe without questioning.

Some of it they believe because they WANT TO. This may sound strange but people can make a deliberate effort to believe a falsehood like the young lad who walks in and finds his mother in copulo with Pastor Koboko and persuades himself they were praying. The human capacity for self deception is astounding.

Now consider the story told about Awolowo and the indigenization policy. How he conspired as Minister of Finance to facilitate the acquisition of businesses by Yorubas.

The Fact is Awolowo left Gowon's government in 1971 in fact he sent is his resignation letter giving notice in 1970. This is public knowledge.
It is also a fact that the First indigenization decree was promulgated in 1972 With Shehu Shagari as Minister of Finance from 1971-1975. Still you will never hear Shagari's name but Awolowo.

WHY??

The reason is simple.

The civil war brought a new and profound sense of failure for these people and they remained in shock for a long time. They needed a narrative to explain their failure. For them the principal reason for their failure had to be Awo and by extension the Yoruba.Reality was irrelevant.
Well we differ. You lost out not because of Yoruba betrayal(we were not allies politically) but rather because of your tendency to act impulsively without planning or regard to consequences. Just like we have seen recently with Nnamdi Kanu

Essentially they are owned by a deep sense of self hate that is so corrosive internally it had to be externalized and Awo and the Yorubas are a ready alibi.
Till tomorrow they have not been able to confront and process or interrogate the pogroms of 66 and 67 and its perpetrators ,they cannot even look them in the eye. A case of collective Stockholm syndrome.
Well They are entitled to their hate. We are entitled to ensure the fidelity of any historical narratives.

Awolowo was VERY GOOD to them and they should make a big statue for him in Owerri
Bro, u are by far the most analytical and factual proponent of history I ve come across on this forum.
Twale for you.
I, on the other hand hv realized these particular people either lack the sense of objectivity or they love been ignorant. And people like me hv decided not to favor them with reason but to show them that even in bitterness that consumes them we are going to always be around to make it worse cool

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by whatofyou: 9:44pm On Nov 03, 2017
aribisala0:




Lies can run for 100 years but truth will crawl for one day and overtake it

HAHAHA. Sometimes I wish Igbos on these forum could help themselves not responding to every Tom, Dick and the O.P. Somebody wakes up and decides to taunt some people, and the people fall for it. The aribawhatever is a nobody to deserve your mental stress; whatever is truth to him, leave him to it. Let me keep laughing as I read further contributions. HAHAHAHAHAHHAA...
Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 9:47pm On Nov 03, 2017
youngTouch:

your a disadvantage young person
I thought you wanted to end Biafra topics like Seun claimed....now your lie I ng to yourself
bringing factory facts......
the moment when Seun would re- amend his own amended rules the better for this team cuz in my opinion....we are one family here and I refuse to believe or subject to what and d way my so called brother want me to think
never
I don't want to see any secessionist post again
related or unrelated.quoting Seun..so that I won't be held accountable when DSS plans to disappear me....
Seun is not real.Seun is a bot

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 9:58pm On Nov 03, 2017
intruxive:

Bro, u are by far the most analytical and factual proponent of history I ve come across on this forum.
Twale for you.
I, on the other hand hv realized these particular people either lack the sense of objectivity or they love been ignorant. And people like me hv decided not to favor them with reason but to show them that even in bitterness that consumes them we are going to always be around to make it worse cool
Thank you

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:12pm On Nov 03, 2017
aribisala0:
And you expect the Nigerian government to buy back Biafran pounds at 1:1

Are you not funny

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:19pm On Nov 03, 2017
Not one single newspaper article to corrborate the seizure of bank accounts .Not one!





Ajanaku koja mo ri nkan firi

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:19pm On Nov 03, 2017
aribisala0:
One day a child will realise Father Christmaa is not real.

One day you will realise the £20 story is another of the lies your elders tell you

You forget Ojukwu looted teh banks in the East and used the money to buy arms.Do you not think that some of that was YOUR MONEY?

So you were planning to come back to Nigeria after Biafra must have beeen achieved to claim your treasure.

WITH NO DOCUMENTS?


Surely even if the story were true does it not make HISTORICAL SENSE

That your parents would have preserved their bank books



Today NOT ONE person can come forward to say this is my bank book and I was denied my money


NOT ONE


THINK!!

1 Like

Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by jstbeinhonest(m): 11:15pm On Nov 03, 2017
Obi1kenobi:


Show me the source of your exchange rate.

Sucks that this phone cant post links, just google ' A Dollar To Pound In Year 1970 ' . You'll see the graph on miketodd.net.

1 Pound = 2.25 dollars

And the Nigerian Pound was at parity with the British Pound.

4 Likes

Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 11:17pm On Nov 03, 2017
jstbeinhonest:


Sucks that this phone cant post links, just google ' A Dollar To Pounds In Year 1970 ' . You'll see the graph on miketodd.net.

1 Pounds= 2.25 dollars
Don't waste time with illiterates. Peoplewill look at you and count you among their number

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by whatofyou: 3:11am On Nov 04, 2017
rlauncher:


His stories were twisted . There were too many gaps as well .

This is the price we are paying for not telling our own side of the story

The few Yorubas who wrote something were all about self glorification.

Achebe actually made reference to the 20 Pounds story in his book of short stories Girls At War. It has been long I read that book so I cant be specific with the page.
Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by PoolBuilder: 3:13am On Nov 04, 2017
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. Martin Luther King, Jr.



http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/obafemi-awolowo-archives/exclusive-chief-obafemi-awolowo-on-biafra-in-his-own-words.html

TWENTY POUNDS POLICY

That’s what I did, and the case of the money they said was not given back to them, you know during the war all the pounds were looted, they printed Biafran currency notes, which they circulated, at the close of the war some people wanted their Biafran notes to be exchanged for them. Of course I couldn’t do that, if I did that the whole country would be bankrupt. We didn’t know about Biafran notes and we didn’t know on what basis they have printed them, so we refused the Biafran note, but I laid down the principle that all those who had savings in the banks on the eve of the declaration of the Biafran war or Biafra, will get their money back if they could satisfy us that they had the savings there, or the money there. Unfortunately, all the banks’s books had been burnt, and many of the people who had savings there didn’t have their saving books or their last statement of account, so a panel had to be set up.

!.On no occasion did awo state that people fleeing pogroms transferred or took their savings back home, a person fleeing killers has no time
for such matters and the policy was predicated on the looted pounds in central bank branches,do individuals save money in Central bank branches?

2.In the sceond Bolded part , its either Awo was a dimwit or reveled in stupidity,"all the banks’s books had been burnt", All which banks, the banks in Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Maiduguri, jos etc books were burnt, the savings of Igbo Soldiers, Policemen, railway workers,teachers etc
An impossible statement, if Bank books could get burnt , how do expect people who passed through years of hell to produce passbooks or statements of account,unless someone has passed a tumbler of stupidity to you.

It is quite unfortunate that a search on this issue has Nairaland as its top source, sowing the seeds of ignorance with the confidence of
donald Trump



https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/usaafricadialogue/nzQaJ3uhoOI

THE CASE OF ENWEZOR V. CBN REVISITED.

“I write with reference to your letter (Ref – FRAW/AO/CB/11/71 of 8th October, 1971 to inform you that your client’s entitlement as a depositor was £20 ex gratia award authorized by the Federal Government”

Signed by E. N. ISONG
Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria

As applied by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the celebrated case of CHIEF J. J. ENWEOZOR V. CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (1976)1 ALL NLR PAGE 252 AT PAGE 256.

This letter, dated the 18th day of October, 1971, signed by E. N. ISONG, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, addressed to Chief F. R. A. Williams, an eminent Nigerian Lawyer, is a reply to Chief F. R. A. Williams enquiry from the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria why his Client, Chief J. J. Enweozor, described as a Nigeria citizen ordinarily resident in Onitsha, who in response to the CBN’s directive “on the 7th of April, 1970, paid to your bank the sum of £26,659 (Twenty Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty Nine pounds) as per receipt no ESOO5055 dated 7/4/70 in old Nigerian currency notes” is yet to be paid his money in the new currency.

The shameful story is a stressed fact in Nigerian History. Yet it always compels repetition. The fact is that after Chief J. J. Enweozor and his Biafran folks, having been mercilessly massacred in all parts of Nigeria, particularly, the North, a savage and barbaric genocide unleashed on them, ‘shooting of everything that moves’, applied as a doctrine against them, starvation employed to annihilate the unborn and the children, Gowon, the Nigeria head of State, the architect of their woes, was so kind and so zealous in reconciling with, and rehabilitating them that he gratuitously offered them from the milk of his Gowon – Nigerian heart, a gratuitous £20 (Twenty) pounds in exchange of any amount whatsoever they had ever earned within the Nigeria context.

Of course, neither Chief Enweozor nor his coun

sel, Chief FRA Williams of blessed memory was impressed by this Nigerian-brand of benevolence. Consequently they sought remedy from the court, the supposed last hope for the common man.

The fact of this case is mutual between the parties. It behooves emphasis even at the risk of repetition. As told by Mr. Sule Okponubi, the sole witness of the Central Bank of Nigeria:

“The Federal Government requested the people from the East central State to exchange their currencies, both Biafran and Nigerian. We sent out teams to accept the deposits. This was in 1969/70. After all the deposits had been accepted, the Government directed that the Defendant should make an ex gratia payment of £20 each to all of them. As a result of this direction, the Defendant was not able to exchange the deposited amounts, whether Biafran or Nigerian”.

The case was dismissed by Savage J. of the Lagos High Court who, after considering the Decrees and subsidiary legislation governing exchange or conversion of old currency note to new ones, held that “the action was misconceived because the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria had not exercised certain discretionary powers vested in him under the law”.

Up to the Nigeria Supreme Court went Chief Enweozor in desperate quest for justice. On hearing the case, the Supreme Court was supremely confounded by the obnoxious provisions of Decree No 11 of 1968, a draconian legislation that surpass the worst in the annals of jurisprudence.

Consequently, the Nigeria Supreme Court in sync with its Nigerian gusto found that the law applicable in this case, the Currency Conversion (South-Eastern and other states) Decree No. 11 of 1968, at all times material to this case is not applicable to the East Central States of Nigeria – The Biafran enclave. The Supreme Court placed reliance on section2 of the Decree which provides inter alia that the Decrees:-

“shall apply to all States of the Federation, so however that nothing in this Decree shall extend its application to …….East Central State……..until a direction of the Head of the Federal Military Government given in such a manner as he may think fit, and in the discretion of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria published in the Gazette at any time any such discretion is given, or at any time thereafter.

In the characteristic Nigeria swagger, the Supreme Court held that:

“there was no evidence that a discretion had either been given under section 2 or that it had been given and published in the gazette. We must therefore conclude that it has not been established by evidence that Decree No. 11 of 1968 was applicable to the …….East Central State”.

Not yet done in curtailing the effrontery of Chief Enweozor in taking Nigeria to court, the Supreme Court, although it acknowledged that it was not necessary for the determination of the appeal before it, waved a sword of Damocles from the Decree in an obvious threat against any similar effrontery by the ilk of Chief Enweozor. Accordingly, the Supreme Court reminded all of the “mischief” aimed at by the stringent provisions of the Decree. The Supreme Court emphasized that the exchange of the Nigerian old currency for new ones can take place “only where so authorized by law” as provided by section 1B of the Decree which created offences in relation to the exchange of currency. Of much significance is sub-section D which made it an offence for any person.

“by any means to move or cause to be moved from a part of Nigeria where the time or extended time for conversion of former currency under this Decree has elapsed, into any part of Nigeria where former currency has not been converted, or as the case may be, action to convert has not commenced or if commenced, has not been completed under this Decree”.

The exchange of the old Nigeria currency for new one in the East Central State of Nigeria, as the Supreme Court found, was never “authorized by law”.

Accordingly Chief Enweozor and his counsel Chief FRA Williams of the blessed memory came to the rude awakening that in Nigeria, courts are anything but the last hope for the oppressed.

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by whatofyou: 3:23am On Nov 04, 2017
Michael004:
You people keep shouting twisting history, but none of you ever counter it. Aren't you people ashamed for a moment?

Ashamed at what? Ashamed at a comedian and his silly jokes! Whoever worries about the trash made up by this baby man will only have himself or herself to blame. Actually, in this world of striving, one shouldn't always pass an opportunity to have a hearty laughter. But for those of you that are supporting him in the 're-write' of his own history, I don't know what to say.
Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by whatofyou: 3:48am On Nov 04, 2017
Ngozi123:


Let me ask you this, why are you so obsessed with Igbo people?

You should feel proud he is obsessed with your tribe, or should he be obsessed with his. People become obsessed with you because they think you are better them, because they think you have a secret, and they want to learn from it.
They find it hard to accept that the ulterior motive of the 20 Pounds on Igbos backfired. Igbos can never accept servitude. You should actually praise God that this guy is obsessed with you.

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 9:49am On Nov 04, 2017
PoolBuilder:
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. Martin Luther King, Jr.



http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/obafemi-awolowo-archives/exclusive-chief-obafemi-awolowo-on-biafra-in-his-own-words.html

TWENTY POUNDS POLICY

That’s what I did, and the case of the money they said was not given back to them, you know during the war all the pounds were looted, they printed Biafran currency notes, which they circulated, at the close of the war some people wanted their Biafran notes to be exchanged for them. Of course I couldn’t do that, if I did that the whole country would be bankrupt. We didn’t know about Biafran notes and we didn’t know on what basis they have printed them, so we refused the Biafran note, but I laid down the principle that all those who had savings in the banks on the eve of the declaration of the Biafran war or Biafra, will get their money back if they could satisfy us that they had the savings there, or the money there. Unfortunately, all the banks’s books had been burnt, and many of the people who had savings there didn’t have their saving books or their last statement of account, so a panel had to be set up.

!.On no occasion did awo state that people fleeing pogroms transferred or took their savings back home, a person fleeing killers has no time
for such matters and the policy was predicated on the looted pounds in central bank branches,do individuals save money in Central bank branches?

2.In the sceond Bolded part , its either Awo was a dimwit or reveled in stupidity,"all the banks’s books had been burnt", All which banks, the banks in Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Maiduguri, jos etc books were burnt, the savings of Igbo Soldiers, Policemen, railway workers,teachers etc
An impossible statement, if Bank books could get burnt , how do expect people who passed through years of hell to produce passbooks or statements of account,unless someone has passed a tumbler of stupidity to you.

It is quite unfortunate that a search on this issue has Nairaland as its top source, sowing the seeds of ignorance with the confidence of
donald Trump



https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/usaafricadialogue/nzQaJ3uhoOI

THE CASE OF ENWEZOR V. CBN REVISITED.

“I write with reference to your letter (Ref – FRAW/AO/CB/11/71 of 8th October, 1971 to inform you that your client’s entitlement as a depositor was £20 ex gratia award authorized by the Federal Government”

Signed by E. N. ISONG
Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria

As applied by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the celebrated case of CHIEF J. J. ENWEOZOR V. CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (1976)1 ALL NLR PAGE 252 AT PAGE 256.

This letter, dated the 18th day of October, 1971, signed by E. N. ISONG, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, addressed to Chief F. R. A. Williams, an eminent Nigerian Lawyer, is a reply to Chief F. R. A. Williams enquiry from the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria why his Client, Chief J. J. Enweozor, described as a Nigeria citizen ordinarily resident in Onitsha, who in response to the CBN’s directive “on the 7th of April, 1970, paid to your bank the sum of £26,659 (Twenty Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty Nine pounds) as per receipt no ESOO5055 dated 7/4/70 in old Nigerian currency notes” is yet to be paid his money in the new currency.

The shameful story is a stressed fact in Nigerian History. Yet it always compels repetition. The fact is that after Chief J. J. Enweozor and his Biafran folks, having been mercilessly massacred in all parts of Nigeria, particularly, the North, a savage and barbaric genocide unleashed on them, ‘shooting of everything that moves’, applied as a doctrine against them, starvation employed to annihilate the unborn and the children, Gowon, the Nigeria head of State, the architect of their woes, was so kind and so zealous in reconciling with, and rehabilitating them that he gratuitously offered them from the milk of his Gowon – Nigerian heart, a gratuitous £20 (Twenty) pounds in exchange of any amount whatsoever they had ever earned within the Nigeria context.

Of course, neither Chief Enweozor nor his coun

sel, Chief FRA Williams of blessed memory was impressed by this Nigerian-brand of benevolence. Consequently they sought remedy from the court, the supposed last hope for the common man.

The fact of this case is mutual between the parties. It behooves emphasis even at the risk of repetition. As told by Mr. Sule Okponubi, the sole witness of the Central Bank of Nigeria:

“The Federal Government requested the people from the East central State to exchange their currencies, both Biafran and Nigerian. We sent out teams to accept the deposits. This was in 1969/70. After all the deposits had been accepted, the Government directed that the Defendant should make an ex gratia payment of £20 each to all of them. As a result of this direction, the Defendant was not able to exchange the deposited amounts, whether Biafran or Nigerian”.

The case was dismissed by Savage J. of the Lagos High Court who, after considering the Decrees and subsidiary legislation governing exchange or conversion of old currency note to new ones, held that “the action was misconceived because the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria had not exercised certain discretionary powers vested in him under the law”.

Up to the Nigeria Supreme Court went Chief Enweozor in desperate quest for justice. On hearing the case, the Supreme Court was supremely confounded by the obnoxious provisions of Decree No 11 of 1968, a draconian legislation that surpass the worst in the annals of jurisprudence.

Consequently, the Nigeria Supreme Court in sync with its Nigerian gusto found that the law applicable in this case, the Currency Conversion (South-Eastern and other states) Decree No. 11 of 1968, at all times material to this case is not applicable to the East Central States of Nigeria – The Biafran enclave. The Supreme Court placed reliance on section2 of the Decree which provides inter alia that the Decrees:-

“shall apply to all States of the Federation, so however that nothing in this Decree shall extend its application to …….East Central State……..until a direction of the Head of the Federal Military Government given in such a manner as he may think fit, and in the discretion of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria published in the Gazette at any time any such discretion is given, or at any time thereafter.

In the characteristic Nigeria swagger, the Supreme Court held that:

“there was no evidence that a discretion had either been given under section 2 or that it had been given and published in the gazette. We must therefore conclude that it has not been established by evidence that Decree No. 11 of 1968 was applicable to the …….East Central State”.

Not yet done in curtailing the effrontery of Chief Enweozor in taking Nigeria to court, the Supreme Court, although it acknowledged that it was not necessary for the determination of the appeal before it, waved a sword of Damocles from the Decree in an obvious threat against any similar effrontery by the ilk of Chief Enweozor. Accordingly, the Supreme Court reminded all of the “mischief” aimed at by the stringent provisions of the Decree. The Supreme Court emphasized that the exchange of the Nigerian old currency for new ones can take place “only where so authorized by law” as provided by section 1B of the Decree which created offences in relation to the exchange of currency. Of much significance is sub-section D which made it an offence for any person.

“by any means to move or cause to be moved from a part of Nigeria where the time or extended time for conversion of former currency under this Decree has elapsed, into any part of Nigeria where former currency has not been converted, or as the case may be, action to convert has not commenced or if commenced, has not been completed under this Decree”.

The exchange of the old Nigeria currency for new one in the East Central State of Nigeria, as the Supreme Court found, was never “authorized by law”.

Accordingly Chief Enweozor and his counsel Chief FRA Williams of the blessed memory came to the rude awakening that in Nigeria, courts are anything but the last hope for the oppressed.

The long and short this PhD thesis is that a man was trying in 1970 to get New Nigerian Pound Notes in exchange for old notes that had ceased to be legal tender in 1968 as well as for some Biafran pound notes. It is nothing to do with money held in an account before the war
Some speculators were deceived that they would be allowed to exchange old notes at parity and spent fortunes buying the old notes at reduced rates.
In other to mop up the Old Nigerian pound notes the Government allowed people to pay them into the Central Bank after the war and some foolishly believed they would get exchange at parity

Paying into the Central Bank is not paying into a coercial bank account

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 9:55am On Nov 04, 2017
Right now as we speak Bank notes are being changed in England. You cannot bring the old notes in 5 years tmie and claim a right to exchange them.
Kolewerk!!

Everything that we have heard or seen proof of has to do ith bank notes and NOT bank accounts

5 Likes 1 Share

Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:05am On Nov 04, 2017
What does ex gratia mean?
E mean say Nigeria sorry dem do we dash dem £20

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:12am On Nov 04, 2017
In The Supreme Court of Nigeria
On Friday, the 19th day of March, 1976
Suit No: SC.167/74

Before Their Lordships


DARNLEY ARTHUR RAYMOND ALEXANDER

....... Justice of the Supreme Court
CHARLES OLUSOJI MADARIKAN

....... Justice of the Supreme Court
CHUKWUNWEIKE IDIGBE

....... Justice of the Supreme Court


Between

Chief J.J.Enwezor Appellants



And


Central Bank Nigeria Respondents




RATIO DECIDENDI

1
ACTION - PLEADINGS: Essentials of pleadings


"In settling pleadings, it is essential for counsel to always bear In mind that pleadings: "are not to be considered as constituting a game of skill between the advocates. They ought to be so framed as not only to assist the party in the statement of his case but the court in its investigation of the truth between the litigants". (Per Phillimore, J. in The Why Not (1868) L.R. 2A. & E. 265)." PER MADARIKAN, J.S.C. (P. 12, paras. C-F) - read in context






C. O. MADARIKAN, J.S.C. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The appellant was the plaintiff, and the respondent the defendant, in an action (suit No. LD/836/1971) in which the writ was endorsed as follows:

"The plaintiffs claim against the defendant is for the sum of 26,659 pounds being money paid by the plaintiff to the defendant in old Nigerian currency notes to be exchanged by the defendant into new Nigerian currency notes and which the defendant has failed to exchange for the plaintiff.

In the alternative, the plaintiff claims the said sum as money had and received by the defendant to the suit of the plaintiff."

Pleadings were ordered; and they were duly filed and delivered. In view of the observations we propose to make later in this judgment, it is convenient to set out the pleadings in full now.

In his statement of claim, the plaintiff averred as follows:

"STATEMENT OF CLAIM:

(1) The plaintiff is a Nigerian citizen ordinarily resident at Onitsha in the East-Central State of Nigeria and the defendants are a bank established and incorporated by and under the Central Bank of Nigeria Act.

(2) The defendants were at all times material to this action duly charged inter alia with the duty of exchanging in the East-Central State old Nigerian currency notes for new notes circulating at the present time in all parts of the country.

(3) On or about 7th April, 1970 the plaintiff deposited with the defendants the sum of 26,659pounds (sic) old Nigerian currency notes for purposes of exchange and obtained receipt No. ES005055 dated 7/4/70.

WHEREUPON the plaintiff claims as per the writ of summons."

In answer to these averments, the defendant pleaded as follows:

"STATEMENT OF DEFENCE:

(1) The defendant admits that it is a bank statutorily incorporated by and under the provisions of the central Bank of Nigeria Act but otherwise does not admit any other part of paragraph 1 of the statement of claim.

(2) The defendant admits it was charged with the duty of exchanging in the East-Central State old Nigerian currency notes into new ones circulating in the Federation of Nigeria but states that such exchanges were and are carried out only in accordance with the laws governing them whenever such exchange is operative.

(3) The said sum of 26,659 pounds old Nigerian currency notes allegedly deposited by the plaintiff on or about 7/4/70 had ceased to be legal tender in the Federation of Nigeria and had no value in Nigeria.

(4) The said old Nigerian currency notes or each of them, have no value as currency within the Federation of Nigeria and in consequence the plaintiff is not entitled to receive from the defendant any sum of money whatsoever as claimed in his writ of summons.

(5) The defendant will contend that the plaintiffs action should be dismissed. "



At the trial, the plaintiff testified on his own behalf and called no other witness. He stated that after the civil war, the defendant asked those who had not exchanged their old currency notes for new ones to come forward and exchange them. It appears that it was in response to this call that the plaintiff deposited 26,659 pounds old currency notes with the defendant on the 7th of April, 1970 and obtained a receipt- exhibit A. The plaintiff tendered in evidence a letter dated the 8th of October, 1971 addressed by his solicitor to the defendant. The letter (exhibit B) reads:

"The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Tinubu Square, Lagos.



Dear Sir,

I act for Chief J.J. Enwezor of Onitsha. My client states that on the 7th of April, 1970 he paid to your bank the sum of 26,659 pounds (twenty-six thousand six hundred and fifty'-nine pounds) as per Receipt No. ES005055 of 7/4/70 in old Nigerian currency notes.

(2) Up till this date, my client has not been paid the equivalent sum in the present currency.

(3) I shall be glad if you will kindly let me know the reasons for the delay in making payment.



Yours faithfully,

F.R.A. WILLIAMS"



He also tendered as exhibit C the defendant's reply to exhibit B. We now reproduce Exhibit C:

"20 OCT 1971 CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

Tinubu Square

Lagos.



PRIVATE MAILBAG 12194: CABLES:

CENBANK:

TELEPHONE .............................

18th October, 1971.



Chief F.R.A. Williams, 26, Moloney Street, P.O. Box 3426, Lagos.

Dear Sir,



I write with reference to your letter (Ref. FRA W/AO/CB/ll/71 of 8th October, 1971 to 20 inform you that your client's entitlement as a depositor was 20 pounds ex-gratia award authorised by the Federal Government .

Authority to pay the award to him has been given to the East Central State Government whom he had earlier been advised to contact for payment.



Yours faithfully,

(Sgd.) E.N. Isong

Governor. "



The only witness called by the defence was Sule Okponubi, an Assistant Chief of Banking Operations. He testified that:

"The Federal Government requested the people from the East Central State to exchange their currencies, both Biafran and Nigerian. We sent out teams to accept the deposits. This was in 1969/ 1970. After all the deposits [had] been accepted, the Government directed that the defendant should make an ex gratia payment of 20pounds each to all of them. As a result of this direction, the defendant was not able to exchange the deposited amounts, whether Biafran or Nigerian.



The Government has so far not given any direction to the contrary. CROSS-EXAMINED BY CHIEF WILLIAMS: The direction from the Government was in writing.

RE-EXAMINED BY DR. WILLIAM: No questions."



In a reserved judgment, the learned judge (Savage, J.) considered the Decrees and subsidiary legislatIon governing exchange or conversion of old currency notes to new ones, and came to the conclusion that the action was misconceived because the Governor of the Central Bank had not exercised certain discretionary powers vested in him under the law. The action was accordingly dismissed.

The plaintiff has appealed against the decision of the High Court on the following grounds:



"(

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:13am On Nov 04, 2017
1) The learned trial judge erred in law and on the facts in failing to give judgment in favour of the plaintiff when the material facts alleged in the statement of claim have been established and there is no valid defence or answer to the said claim.

(2) The learned trial judge misdirected himself in law in holding that by the letter exhibit C the Governor of the defendant bank has exercised some statutory discretionary power to decide how much of the plaintiff's 26,659pounds in old Nigerian currency is payable to him in the (then) new Nigerian currency.



PARTICULARS OF MISDIRECTION:

(1)There was no plea in the defence that the Governor of the defendant made any determination as alleged or at all.

(ii)The Governor of the defendant bank has not the statutory power which the learned trial judge assumed that he has.

(3)The learned trial judge erred in law in holding that the provisions of the Decrees and Regulations to which he referred in his Judgment precluded him from giving judgment in favour of the plaintiff when there is absolutely nothing in the said Decrees and Regulations capable of depriving the plaintiff of his remedy."

Before us on appeal, learned counsel for the appellant, Chief F.R.A.Williams, argued the grounds of appeal together. At the forefront of his argument, it was Chief Williams' contention that the plaintiff was entitled to succeed as the allegations in the statement of claim were either admitted in the statement of defence or not expressly denied.

Counsel further contended that, in those circumstances, the plaintiff was relieved of the burden of establishing any facts.

Chief Williams next referred to the evidence adduced by the defence to the effect that the Government had directed that each depositor of old currency notes should be given 20 pounds (N40) as ex-gratia payment and submitted that inasmuch as the direction was not pleaded, the evidence pertaining to it did not go to any issue raised in the pleadings.

The pith of Chief Williams' argument was that as there has been no dispute that the plaintiff deposited old currency notes with the defendant and as the defendant has failed to exchange them for new notes, there was, in Chief Williams' submission, no defence to the action.

Put in a nutshell, Mr. Odofin's reply was that paragraph 2 of the statement of defence which contained the kernel of the defence to the action was worded in such a manner that the defendant could, in establishing its defence, pray in aid any laws governing exchange of currency. Counsel referred to the Central Bank (Currency Conversion) Decree, 1967 (hereinafter referred to as Decree No.51 of 1967) and contended that though it charged the defendant with the duty of exchanging old currency notes for new ones, the conversion exercise under that Decree had ceased long before the transaction giving rise to the present action. Counsel further contended that the Currency Conversion (South-Eastern and Other States) Decree, 1968 (hereinafter referred to as Decree No.11 of 1968) did not alter the position as the application of that Decree had not been extended to the former East-Central State by the direction of the Head of the Federal Military Government as required by section 2 of the Decree. Summing up his submission, counsel stressed that the transaction on which the action was based was not a currency conversion or exchange under the law; that the sum of 20 pounds (N40) which the Federal Government promised to pay each depositor was in the nature of an ex-gratia award; and finally submitted that, in the circumstances, the action was rightly dismissed.

Chief Williams then sought and was granted an adjournment to enable him to find out whether there had been publication in the Gazette of any direction under section 2 of Decree No.II of 1968 which, as we have earlier indicated, was referred to and relied upon by Mr. Odofin in his reply.

When hearing was resumed, Chief Williams indicated that he was unable to find such publication. He however argued that as the law permits the Head of the Federal Military Government to give a direction under section 2 of Decree No.II of 1968 "in such manner as he may think fit", the direction need not be in writing. Further, it was his submission that where such discretion has in fact been given, the law confers a discretion on the Governor of the Central Bank to publish it in the Gazette at the time the direction was given or at any time thereafter. Whilst still dwelling on this point, Chief Williams stressed that it was within the discretion of the Governor of the Central Bank to decide whether to publish the direction in the Gazette or not; and what was more, the time of publication was also within his discretion. Regarding onus of proof of the existence or non-existence of a direction under section 2, Chief Williams argued that:

(1) the fact that it was the defendant/bank that invited the plaintiff to deposit old currency notes was sufficient to raise a presumption that a direction had been given under section 2;

(2) as it was within the peculiar knowledge of the defendant whether the Head of the Federal Military Government had given a direction under section 2 or not; and

(3) having regard to the state of the pleadings at the close of pleadings; the onus was on the defendant to establish that no direction was given under section 2 to extend the application of Decree No.II of 1968 to the former East-Central State.

Firstly, we propose to make some observations about the pleadings in this case. Paragraph.1 of the statement of claim (already reproduced in this judgment) is introductory in that it alleges that the plaintiff is a Nigerian citizen ordinarily resident at Onitsha in the former East Central State; and that the defendant/bank is established and incorporated by and under the Central Bank of Nigeria Act. The allegations in paragraphs 2 and 3 are:

(1) that the defendant/bank was charged with the duty of exchanging in the former East-Central State old Nigerian currency notes for new ones; and

(2) that the plaintiff deposited 26,659 pounds (sic) old Nigerian currency notes with the defendant on or about the 7th of April, 1970 for purposes of exchange.

The statement of defence was just as brief as the statement of claim.

Paragraph 1 admits that the defendant/bank is incorporated by and under the Central Bank of Nigeria Act but otherwise makes no further admission. Paragraphs 3 to 5 contain averments that the sum of 26,659pounds old Nigerian currency notes allegedly deposited by the plaintiff with the defendant had ceased to be legal tender; that they had no value; and the defendant contended therein that the plaintiffs action should be dismissed as he was not entitled to succeed. The bedrock of the defence appears to be the averments in paragraph 2 which, even at the risk of repetition, we shall reproduce again:

"The defendant admits it was charged with the duty of exchanging in the East-Central State of old Nigerian currency notes into new ones circulating in the Federation of Nigeria but states that such exchanges were and are carried out only in accordance with the laws governing them whenever such exchange is operative."

Due to the paucity of facts alleged by each party in the pleadings, it does not appear to us that, at the close of pleadings, the issues between the parties were clearly and precisely defined. In settling pleadings, it is essential for counsel to always bear In mind that pleadings:

"are not to be considered as constituting a game of skill between the advocates. They ought to be so framed as not only to assist the party in the statement of his case but the court in its investigation of the truth between the litigants". (Per Phillimore, J. in The Why Not (1868) L.R. 2A. & E. 265).



We shall now proceed to consider the extensive arguments skilfully canvassed before us in this appeal by counsel on both sides from whom we have derived considerable assistance. Our consideration of the appeal, in so far as the pleadings are concerned, must necessarily be on the basis that each party is assumed to have put forward the best case he has in the best way he can in his pleading.

Where a plaintiff bases his claim on currency conversion or exchange, the onus is on him to establish that the conversion or exchange is authorised by law; and in this particular case, the onus is on the plaintiff to prove that the conversion or exchange is authorised by Decree No.II of 1968 on which he relies.

The Central Bank (Currency Conversion) Decree 1967 (hereinafter referred to as Decree No.51 of 1967) came into operation on the 30th of December, 1967. It provides that when an existing currency is altered, the conversion date shall be fixed and all currency affected shall cease to be legal tender but shall be replaced by new currency to the equivalent value if presented within the dates specified in section 1(1)(a) and (b). Upon the alteration of the currency which was then in circulation, the 30th of December, 1967 was duly fixed as the conversion date (see the Currency Conversion Date Notice 1967).

The currency conversion under Decree No.51 of 1967 had long ceased before the transaction which formed the basis of the present action. We are therefore not surprised that the parties are not relying on Decree No.51 of 1967.

It is clear from the arguments of counsel on both sides that the relevant law applicable to the facts of this case is contained in the Currency Conversion (South-Eastern and Other States) Decree 1968 (hereinafter referred to as Decree No.II of 1968). We propose to start off our consideration of the arguments by examining whether, at all times material to this case, Decree No.II of 1968 was applicable to the former East-Central State. Section 2 of the Decree provides that the Decree :

"shall supply to all States of the Federation, so however that nothing in this Decree shall extend its application ....................to.........East-Central State until a direction of the Head of the Federal Military Government given in such manner as he may think fit, and in the discretion of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria published in the Gazette at any time any such direction is given, or at any time thereafter."

There was no evidence that a direction had either been given under section 2 or that it had been given and published in the Gazette. We must therefore conclude that it has not been established by evidence that Decree No.II of 1968 was applicable to the former East-Central State. We have carefully considered the nature of the claim before the court, and the pleadings. We are in no doubt that the onus was on the plaintiff, who was seeking to rely on Decree No.II of 1968 as authority for exchange of old currency at Onitsha, to prove that the Decree was applicable to the former East-Central State. This he has failed to do. His claim was therefore rightly dismissed by the lower court.

Although it is not necessary for us to base our decision on other points raised in this appeal, we feel that it is necessary to point out that the mischief aimed at by the stringent provisions of Decree No.II of 1968 as amended by Decree No.49 of 1968 and the object of the Decree which was the surrender of all former currency notes which had ceased to be legal tender in exchange (but only where so authorised by law) for new currency notes, are brought out clearly under section 1B which creates the following offences:

(IB) (1)

(a)It shall be an offence for any person-to have in his possession in Nigeria or under his apparent control, any note Issued which, immediately before the conversion date was in circulation in Nigeria as legitimate currency of Nigeria (in this section hereafter referred to as "former currency"wink, after the time or extended time, as the case may be, fixed under this Decree for its conversion in the area where the offender at the time is, elapsed; or

(b)by any means to bring into or take out of Nigeria any former currency or any new currency issued pursuant to the Central Bank (Currency Conversion) Decree 1967; or

(c)by any means or to move or cause to be moved from a part of Nigeria where currency conversion under this Decree has not been commenced or as the case may be, completed, any former currency with intent to procure its conversion under this Decree in a part of Nigeria where the time or extended time, as the case may be, for such conversion has elapsed; or

(d)by any means to move or cause to be moved from a part of Nigeria where the time or extended time for conversion of former currency under this Decree has elapsed, into any part of Nigeria where former currency has not been converted, or as the case may be, action to convert has not commenced, or if commenced, has not been completed, under this Decree; or

(e)in any other case in circumstances calculated or likely to prejudice the economic stability or welfare of Nigeria, to tender for conversion or convert or attempt to convert any former currency:"



For the foregoing reasons, this appeal must fail and it is hereby dismissed with N168 costs to the respondent.












Appearances

Chief F.R.A. Williams (Miss Okwesa with him) for the Appellant. For the Appelants

A. Odofin for the Respondent. For the Respondents

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:21am On Nov 04, 2017
This is the judgment in full.

It should be clear to any literate and rational pundit that this £20 was about exchange for those depositing Old notes and not Bank accounts

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by joeyfire(m): 10:28am On Nov 04, 2017
aribisala0:
In 1970 after the war the Nigerian government generally gave £20 of Nigerian money to every eligible adult but no one has ever done the math.

Let us assume their were one million of them =£20million Nigerian

We know that the Nigerian pound exchanged for £2 pounds sterling in 1970 so
that would be £40 million . What would that be worth today

according to this inflation calculator

https://www.moneysorter.co.uk/calculator_inflation2.html
it would be
£432612859. Sterling
Not sure what sterling is doing these days but @ 475

that is

205491108025 Naira

200 billion

Assuming it was 1 million people that received the money. No one has ever told us how many did but I think it could be double that.

For a country to pay that out immediately after a war of such devastation is a huge feat considering that Nigeria was not even a major oil exporter in1970 and in 1970 oil prices were under $4 which when adjusted for inflation in today's money is $21.

It is a testament to the prudent financial management of Papa Awo who also kept the allocation of East Central state for 3 years and paid it all after the war


But they are not grateful and feel entitled to that payment. What have we done for the NE . Imagine finding 200 billion to give them today when oil prices in real terms are 3 X what they were in 1970

The standard of living was much lower. Let me put it in Perspective our standard of living then, There was no Lagos Ibadan Expressway. No East -West Road. PH to Aba was a single carriage way.The Air assault camp was the main airport in PH Omagwa airport did not exist. There was nothing like presidential jet. Where were the airports?
The country was broke with very little compared to today but still gave generously in the spirit or sacrifice and reconciliation


What a petty, poorly researched, illogical post grin

These ppl don't care how ridiculous they sound in their attempts to re-write igbo history.

A loaf of bread was 53 pence in 1970 so it means the Igbos were compensated with equivalent of 40 loaves of bread grin Such a wonderful generous gesture by Awo. grin


https://amp.theguardian.com/uk/2004/mar/05/health.drugsandalcohol

The wickedness and dishonesty that inspired this sort of propaganda topic is deserving of scientific research walahi.

OP try harder next time

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:40am On Nov 04, 2017
joeyfire:


What a petty, poorly researched, illogical post grin

These ppl don't care how ridiculous they sound in their attempts to re-write igbo history.

A loaf of bread was 53 pence in 1970 so it means the Igbos were compensated with equivalent of 40 loaves of bread grin Such a wonderful generous gesture by Awo. grin


https://amp.theguardian.com/uk/2004/mar/05/health.drugsandalcohol

The wickedness and dishonesty that inspired this sort of propaganda topic is deserving of scientific research walahi.

OP try harder next time



Loaf of bread 53pence?in 1970?

How old are you?

FYI

when we moved from pound to Naira

One pound changed for two Naira

A small loaf of bread was 10 kobo in 1983 when Buhari took over

research
Go and listen to Fela's song
Original sufferhead 1981


This was a lament at the escalating prices at that time. It will teach you two things

The prices of food at that time

How unbearable those prices were considered then



Here is some research on historicity for YOU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX250GbUTZY

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Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by joeyfire(m): 10:42am On Nov 04, 2017
JUSTICE4Nigeria:
propaganda at it best, igbo been business men have so much money in the bank before the war, after the war, whether u have equivalent or more than the aforementioned u will be given 20pounds just like given every igbo 20naira after all they have save in Nigeria bank, awolOwo took THE balance to buy shares in different company, due to they didn't laboured for it yorubas squandered the fund,

The post no get head or tail. There are absolutely no facts to scrutinise.

Its titled 20 Pounds Lie Busted but OP has agreed there was a £20 compensation though he ludicrously claims the money was worth millions in value then grin (dirty lie)

2 Likes

Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by Obi1kenobi(m): 10:50am On Nov 04, 2017
aribisala0:
Right now as we speak Bank notes are being changed in England. You cannot bring the old notes in 5 years tmie and claim a right to exchange them.
Kolewerk!!

Everything that we have heard or seen proof of has to do ith bank notes and NOT bank accounts

You're deliberately being a cretin. Your England analogy is absurd. A 3-year war presents a peculiar situation for anyone engaging his damned brains. Ruinous policies like that should either have been postponed till the entire country was realistically and safely able to conform to it or those falling under a besieged territory unable to meet the new provisions should have been considered in the interests of re-integration.

Again, I've seen absolutely nothing you've "busted" here despite your delusions and the back-slapping among your herd. You create strawman arguments claimed by no one, or at best articulated by a few, then you ascribe it to the entire tribe and argue against the strawman you created and then beat your sunken chest for having "busted" a myth. Keep on deluding yourself.
Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by joeyfire(m): 10:51am On Nov 04, 2017
aribisala0:


Loaf of bread 53pence?in 1970?

How old are you?
A small loaf of bread was 10 kobo in 1983 when Buhari took over

research
Go and listen to Fela's song
Original sufferhead 1981


This was a lament at the escalating prices at that time. It will teach you two things

The prices of food at that time

How unbearable those prices were considered then



Here is some research on historicity for YOU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX250GbUTZY

So I should ignore authoritative price statements from the Guardian UK clearly stating prices in 1970 because Fela mentioned agege bread in a song?

Why did you not provide news clippings to prove that 20 pounds was enough to buy a house and start multimillion industries grin

SMH

1 Like

Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:53am On Nov 04, 2017
If you are interested in knowing the value of £20 in 1970 here is some homework

Check the exchange rate to USD$ 2.3-2.5 = $46 -50

We know that the Nigerian pound exchange at parity(1:1) with sterling


Check the pricee of gold per ounce in 1970about $39


Check the price of gold tooday $1280

3 Likes

Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 10:58am On Nov 04, 2017
check out

Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by Obi1kenobi(m): 11:01am On Nov 04, 2017
jstbeinhonest:


Sucks that this phone cant post links, just google ' A Dollar To Pound In Year 1970 ' . You'll see the graph on miketodd.net.

1 Pound = 2.25 dollars

And the Nigerian Pound was at parity with the British Pound.

That would still put Nigeria's GDP per capita in 1970 still at over £110. And this reflected the general poverty considering a freshly hired graduate in the Nigerian civil service was earning about £72 a month. How did the absurd claim from that previous poster come about that £20 then was the equivalent of N600,000 today?
Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by aribisala0(m): 11:04am On Nov 04, 2017
With 20 pounds in 1970 you could buy a little over an ounce(1.2) of gold
Which today is £1000 an ounce

1 Like

Re: BIAFRA TWENTY POUND LIE BUSTED by joeyfire(m): 11:06am On Nov 04, 2017
aribisala0:
If you are interested in knowing the value of £20 in 1970 here is some homework

Check the exchange rate to USD$ 2.3-2.5 = $46 -50

We know that the Nigerian pound exchange at parity(1:1) with sterling


Check the pricee of gold per ounce in 1970about $39


Check the price of gold tooday $1280




Pally leave all this galala wey you dance...Show me any authoritative statement that indicates the value of 1 Nigerian Pound in 1970.

In 1970 the common man's car was the Mini cooper. It cost about £600 then while a week's wages were about £32.

Touting Awo's 20 Pounds as an achievement is very unfortunate

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