The Olu Owode Egba in Obafemi Owode local government area of Ogun state, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo, has tendered an apology to the federal government after he was accused of abusing the Naira.
In a viral video, Oba Sowemimo arranged N1000 notes into a garland and hung it on the neck of popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal while celebrating his wife’s birthday anniversary.
The action sparked outrage on social media with many Nigerians condemning the monarch’s action. Others pointed out that there is Naira scarcity yet the monarch was abusing the Naira.
The federal government through the National Orientation Agency (NOA) yesterday, Jan. 16, wrote a letter to the monarch, warning him about his action and consequently threatened him with a jail term for the act of Naira abuse.
In a letter addressed to the monarch, the Director General, NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said his action attracts imprisonment.
The letter partly reads, “The NOA has the mandate to preserve and promote the integrity of our national symbols and we are compelled to appeal to you and indeed all traditional rulers to see it as part of your duty to preserve these symbols as part of our national culture. These symbols are icons that define us as a sovereign nation and respect for them is also respect for our country.
“Section 21 (3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 as amended stipulates that spraying of, dancing or matching on the naira or any note issued by the bank during social occasions or otherwise, howsoever, shall constitute an abuse and defacing of the naira or such note and shall be punishable under the law by fines or imprisonment or both.”
Subsequently, Oba Sowemimo apologised and promised to desist from such acts in future.
He noted that he was carried away with the excitement of his wife’s birthday which triggered his action.
He said, “I don’t want to argue or talk about that matter with anybody again. If I did anything wrong, I’m sorry. There are more than 1,000 videos of people spraying money, even marching on the naira notes.
“I know they picked on me because I’m a royal father and I’ve apologized that I’m sorry. What they said in the letter was like an advisory because I’m a royal father, but it will not happen again. I’m not happy with the way people are talking about me on social media. I was just carried away with the celebration of my wife. For 13 years, I’ve never done any party, so I was so excited that I wanted to kill off the party, But I’m really sorry.”
