The history behind how the Arabic language found its way unto the Nigerian currency notes has been explained. And this time by the person none other than controversial political commentator, Reno Omokri.
Travelling down memory lane, the former presidential spokesperson revealed what motivated the British to use the Arabic language on the then British West African Pound, according to him, the use of Arabic on the Nigerian Naira note is not an Islamic Agenda.
He writes thus on his Instagram post:
”At the time Arabic was first introduced into Nigeria’s currency, BY THE BRITISH (not by Nigerians), in 1912 (see attached photograph of the British West African Pound), it was because the number of Northerners who read and wrote Arabic was higher than the population of them who read and wrote English.
The British also added Arabic to the emblem of the Royal West African Frontier Force for the same reason.
The British West African Pound eventually became the Naira, while the Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria eventually became the Nigerian Army. The use of Arabic is not an Islamic agenda.
Those who know me, know that I would fight such an agenda tooth and nail. We must as Nigerians learn from history otherwise we will accuse history of repeating itself, when in fact we are the ones repeating history. The Black man must learn to be factual, not emotional”
At the time Arabic was first introduced into Nigeria’s currency, BY THE BRITISH (not Nigerians), in 1912 (see pic), it was because the number of Northerners who read and wrote Arabic was higher than the population of them who read and wrote English#FreeLeahSharibu #RenosNuggets pic.twitter.com/V54mJfCXIm
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) January 12, 2020
