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October 29, 2005
Igbo in Warri transact business with Biafran currency
Few days after members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) organised a market fair in Onitsha, Anambra State, many Igbo traders in Warri, Delta State have started transacting business with the Biafran currency in the oil city.
francis onooronholo
Investigation by Saturday Independent revealed that many of the traders now accept the outlawed Biafran pounds and shillings in their day-to-day transaction.
A meat seller at Igbudu market, Darlington Nwani who was seen with a heap of the currency in his shed, told Saturday Independent that the money was legal tender because in Kano where he buys cows, it was accepted from him.
According to him, he had travelled to Kano severally to buy cows and on each of the occasions, he used 500, 000 Biafran pounds for transaction and it was accepted.
He said the value of the money was higher than the Nigerian Naira in Kano, adding that one Biafran pound exchanged for over N150.
An Igbo textile trader at the Warri main market, Nwadiegu Ekeh, who was also seen accepting the money, said it is exchanged easily at the Onitsha main market.
The textile trader said the Biafran currency was becoming acceptable each passing day.
Other traders like Godwin Nwajagu, Sunday Igbomara and Chris Nnanemere were also seen doing business with the currency, which they said had been transacting business with it in Warri for the past two months.
Nwajagu who sells leather said that at the Onitsha trade fair where he participated all traders freely used the currency.
Investigation revealed that only Ibo traders accept the currency while others reject it, describing the Biafran currency as an illegal tender.
For instance Ruth Obaye from Edo State and a petty trader at Igudu market said she would never accept the money from anybody.
According to her, “politics apart I am an educated person and I know what is legal and illegal tender. Nobody can come to my shed with the Biafran money and I will accept because it is illegal.
“The Igbos are accepting it for political reasons just to create awareness among themselves about Biafra and nothing more and I wish them good luck”.
Contacted, the DPO in charge of the Warri police A-Division Mr. Olivia Amaechi said he was not aware of the circulation of the Biafran currency in Warri.
According to him, “I will dispatch my men to carry out thorough investigation into the matter and anybody found with such currency will be arrested and prosecuted.”
Correspondent, Warri
Posted by Publisher at October 29, 2005 02:00 PM
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