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Nigerian authorities try to tackle dirty money

In Nigeria, where officials are keen to clean up a reputation for massive corruption, authorities insist that humble citizens show more respect for the country’s currency, the naira.

At weddings any self-respecting guest will stick banknotes onto the forehead of the dancers, musicians or the bride. Flamboyant types throw them by the handful to be sure their generosity gets captured on video.

But such behavior theoretically now attracts a fine of 50,000 naira (US$426), six months in prison or both.

With the exception of some new plastified low-denomination notes, naira bills are normally grubby, torn and smelly. Fear of thieves prompts many people to store the notes in their underwear or their socks.

In the meantime, one multi-million graft scandal follows another, while the officials caught red-handed almost invariably deny any wrongdoing and refuse to quit what is after all a highly lucrative public office.

In a full-page color advertisement, which given the number of pictures it contains, appears to be aimed at the illiterate, the Central Bank tries to educate Nigerians on “How not to handle the naira.”

The Central Bank’s five commandments are as follows:

“Do not store the naira indecently.” The photo shows a young woman stuffing a wad of notes inside her bra. The bank instead bids “Neatly arrange your money in pouches” and shows the same girl slipping those very notes into a backpacker-style money-belt.

Other commandmants are: “Do not squeeze the naira, do not stain the naira, do not deface the naira.”

But the point that has most amused or outraged Nigerians is “Do not spray the naira.”

A picture of a wealthy Nigerian woman throwing handfuls of naira over the bride and groom amid great merriment at a wedding is juxtaposed with a photo of the right way to do things — hand the money over in an envelope.

The naira, in the words of Central Bank governor Charles Soludo, is “a window on Nigeria, our people, heritage and culture, and portrays our national character.”

King Sunny Ade, Nigeria’s leading juju musician, recently got involved in the debate, to the amusement of some newspaper columnists who noted that he is one of the performers who most benefits from being showered with naira.

Sunny Ade argued that “spraying” naira is part of Nigeria’s traditional culture.

“Of all the critical national issues begging for an Act, is ‘spraying’ of naira notes at parties the most urgent?” asked a Sunday Tribune editorialist.

Two years ago when the bill with the “respect the naira” clause was brought before parliament, the senator presenting it had barely finished speaking when several senators started ripping up copies of the draft bill in protest.

Just before leaving office in May last year Olusegun Obasanjo signed the bill into law. But Nigerians have carried on just as before, using naira bills to note down phone numbers or clean their ears and nails, wrote Reuben Abati of the Guardian.

And as for parties, the law makes no mention of dollars or euros, Abati concluded.
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