Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State has dismissed suit by human right activist, chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo which challenged the presence of Arabic inscription on Nigeria’s naira notes.
In his ruling, justice Bogoro cited the case of Chief Gani Fawehimi V. Akilu (1998) 2NWLR (part 102), 122 at 169 to rule that chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo indeed has the right to institute such a suit against the 1st Defendant, the Central of Nigeria. He however dismissed the suit on the ground that chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo was unable to prove that the 1st Defendant, the Central of Nigeria “designs” and adorns Arabic inscription on the Nigeria currency “in bad faith”.
The court further held that Nigeria is multi-ethnic, multi-religious and that no particular ethnicity or religion is superior to others.
The court thereafter advised the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria’s government of the Federation to respect the religious and cultural differences in the country and removed the Arabic inscription on the Nigeria’s currency as Arabic is not an official language in the country.
There have been concerns from a section of the Nigeria’s federation on the presence of Arabic inscription across the various notes of Nigeria’s currency. Despite the country being a secular state with English language as its official language, the Arabic inscription on Nigeria’s naira notes has remained a longstanding mystery.
Speculation has it that the Arabic inscription conveys some hidden agenda against some ethnicity in the Nigeria’s federation. Despite appeals from Nigerians for the Arabic inscription to be removed on the Nigeria’s Naira notes, different government administrations would not act on the call.