Naira Scarcity: CBN’s Emefiele Committed ‘Crime Against Humanity’ – Soyinka

Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has berated the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, for the controversial naira swap policy that plunged the nation into crisis.

Recall that Emefiele had introduced redesigned N200, N500, and ₦1,000 banknotes in October 2022, announcing the phasing out of the old notes by January 31, 2023, and later extending the deadline to February 10. The policy resulted in a nationwide scarcity of banknotes.

The Supreme Court later ruled that the old currency remain legal tender until December 31, 2023.

Appearing on Channels Television’s Roadmap 2023, the Nobel Laureate condemned the CBN governor, saying he committed crimes against humanity.

Soyinka said: “Emefiele has committed a crime against humanity, over and beyond even any electoral mago mago (foul play).

“He struck at the heart of the subsisting survival principles, minimal needs and entitlements of the ordinary people in the street.”

The literary icon knocked President Muhammadu Buhari for allowing Emefiele to let Nigerians suffer.

“Don’t bully me. Don’t take my voice away. Don’t take my economic potential away, my economical entitlements. Don’t throw me on the mercy of sadists like Emefiele,” he said.

“He and his boss, Buhari, because ultimately responsibility rests with him [Buhari] to have allowed this to happen. But he [Emefiele] is the expert. He’s the one who gives the advice, he’s the one who executes the policies.”

Soyinka accused the CBN governor of reducing the country to a state of despondency, adding that he is also finding it difficult to access cash.

The playwright said, “Even a few days ago, when I sent a text to the bank, and a cheque came back, they had no cash.

“One of the bankers eventually brought me something from his own stash and explained to me what had been going on, how they would sit and wait for money to come.

“You can’t buy a newspaper. You can’t buy guguru (popcorn) and epa (grounduts), which means that you cannot pay for the plantain; which means that the farmer cannot even pay for transportation of the goods from his farm to the [markets].”