Naira redesign: Put Arabic on all denominations – Islamic group tells CBN

By Adeleye kunle

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has supported the move by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to redesign the naira.

However, the Islamic human rights organization gave the condition that Arabic Ajami must be inscribed on all naira denominations.

MURIC stated this in a statement issued on Tuesday by the group’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads in part: “The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, announced on October 26 2022, the plan by the CBN to redesign the naira.

“MURIC hereby expresses its support for the project with the proviso that all the denominations must contain Arabic inscriptions just as they had been before Arabic Ajami was conspiratorially and unjustly removed from some denominations.”

MURIC insisted that the removal of Arabic Ajami from naira notes in the past provoked Muslims and caused division within the country, adding that only its return to all denominations can heal the wound.

According to the Islamic group, in 2005, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo fired the first salvo against the naira note during his eight-year rule as a civilian president (1999–2007). Obasanjo removed the Arabic Ajami from 5, 10, 20 and 50 naira denominations.

It added that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan also took the cue from Obasanjo by removing Arabic Ajami from the 100 naira note when he discharged the commemorative centenary banknote on December 19, 2014