A country's currency is its core currency, used to trade and transact in exchange for goods and services. We've had different faces on the currency of my country, Nigeria. Although I'm not a fan of most of those whose faces are on the note, we can't downplay the impact of some of them in our fight for independence and evolution over the years. If I were to choose a person's face to grace our currency, it's one that might raise the eyeballs of most citizens.
Looking at our currency, we've got the faces of top politicians who have ruled us in the past or played a key role in our leadership system down the years, people like Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Doctor Nnamdi Azikiwe, and several others, to mention but a few. While their impact can't be downplayed, politics in my country has revolved around corruption and self-centeredness, so I'll love to have a new face entirely and someone who isn't in politics at all. My reason is because in the present day I don't trust nor do I reference any politician as good; they are all after their pocket, and all they do is throw shades at one another or lie about the other just so the people will take sides with them, and I'm tired of seeing them on our currency, because it'll only remind me and everyone of the pains they put us through each time we thoroughly look at those money, so that's why I'm going for something entirely different, an individual that might not seem befitting, but who has the love of the people at heart and who is never afraid to question the authorities, and that even leads to his death. I'm talking about no other person but the renounced late musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a reputable individual who's vocal and always never fails to use his platform to create awareness of how bad and corrupt our government is, despite being under a military regime where there's no freedom of speech. This man's always voice is an opinion; let the citizens know what and what the government is doing wrong, and this is put in the black book of the government, who wished they could silence him forever but couldn't directly because he was a global star known to people around the globe back then.
Why Him?
Well, the reason why I'm choosing him isn't far-fetched. Like I stated above, he's a freedom fighter, a people's advocate who never shy away from facing the government, telling them point blank that they're doing things the wrong way and don't have the best interest of the people at heart. This made him end up in prison on several occasions, but each time he comes out, he'll still do the same and call out the government anytime he sees an anomaly, and it was during one of such detentions that he died.
Although he has some questionable lifestyles like smoking and being a serial polygamist, which could raise some eyebrows, I don't really think it's a big deal. Most of our politicians have a terrible history, yet their faces are all over our currencies, so his being the face of our currency isn't a big deal to me.
That's about all of my opinion on this subject matter. Thanks so much for your time. I hope you enjoyed the read. Have a wonderful day ahead.
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