Nollywood star Deyemi Okanlawon has criticized the EFCC’s recent crackdown on naira abuse, arguing that while promoting respect for national symbols is important, targeting entertainers appears selective and disproportionate given Nigeria’s wider corruption challenges.
Key Points from Okanlawon’s interview on Nollywood on radio:
🔹 Respecting the Naira is valid, but not enough
Okanlawon acknowledged that encouraging respect for the naira could signal a larger cultural shift. “They are saying have respect for the naira, have respect for your country, maybe that is the way to do it.”
🔹 Cultural practices don’t always justify bad behavior
He emphasized that while money-spraying may be cultural, not all traditions are beyond reproach: “Because something is cultural does not make it right.”
🔹 EFCC should focus on bigger fish
The actor voiced frustration with what he sees as performative enforcement, particularly when politicians and powerful figures allegedly evade scrutiny: “So many issues with corruption and crime are going on across different segments… this move against entertainers is a bit too much.”
🔹 Trust is earned through fairness
He argued that Nigerians would be more likely to follow rules if they saw consistent, fair application of the law: “If every day we hear about corrupt officials being brought down… we’d trust they’re acting in our best interest… and likely obey without question.”
