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Why spraying of naira should not be banned – Reno Omokri

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Media personality Reno Omokri has stated why naira spraying should not be banned.

He posted this on his X-handle on Sunday, April 21, 2024.

Reno believed that watering of Naira, our money, is part of our culture and should not be stopped. Saying: It’s like how other cultures break plates or spray champagne.

He stated that banning them is not fair or right, but rather focuses on stopping harmful practices such as marking children’s faces with tribal marks.

He wrote: ‘Spraying money is our beloved culture. It has been with our ancestors for centuries. Yes, centuries. It’s like the Greek culture of breaking expensive plates at parties, or the Formula 1 tradition of spraying expensive French champagne at parties, and even the Jewish culture of smashing expensive crystal drinking glasses at weddings.

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Spraying of Naira is NOT an obnoxious custom nor is it contrary to natural justice or morals. We have people disfiguring their children’s faces with tribal marks. If we want to tackle a backward practice, we have to start there. No spraying of the Naira.”

He added that while recognizing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) concerns over the cost of maintaining the currency, Omokri proposes a more pragmatic solution: licensing. Rather than an outright ban, licensing could provide a regulated framework that benefits both the CBN and adherents of the Yoruba spray tradition, ensuring the sustainability of our currency while preserving cultural expression.

he wrote: “I can understand that the Central Bank of Nigeria has issued an edict prohibiting this. But isn’t there a better way to go about this? Yes, it cost the CBN money to maintain and keep printing new Naira notes. But what if, instead of criminalizing our culture, the CBN sells licenses to anyone who wants to spray Naira? This way, they can raise the extra money needed to maintain the Naira and even make a profit.

They can charge a flat rate of ₦25,000 per license, subject to an annual increase, to accommodate inflation. That will be a win-win solution for the CBN and the people of Nigeria who have embraced the Olukumi Yoruba spray culture. But an outright ban will not only be a setback for our culture, it will also affect our economy. Especially the entertainment industry.”

Reno further added that stopping Naira spraying could hurt our economy. Musicians may not want to perform in places where spraying is banned, and this could mean fewer parties and less money for businesses.

Omokri wants us to find a balance. He believes our money should help us celebrate our culture, rather than stop us from doing so.

“If musicians don’t get sprayed, they probably won’t be as hardworking as they would have been. Why is King Sunny Ade going to perform in Kano if he is not going to be sprayed? It would be like what church was like during the COVID lockdown. Very boring.

There would be fewer parties. Band boys, equipment rental companies, caterers, restaurateurs, hoteliers and others will experience a reduction in patronage. The end result is that our GDP may shrink. All work and no play makes GDP smaller. The Naira was made for Nigerians.

Nigerians are not made for the Naira. We need to make the Naira work for us, instead of just making us work for the Naira. The Naira should not be more important than our cultures. Rather, it should help us celebrate our different cultures.”

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