The popular Nollywood film Afamefuna has sparked debate over its historical accuracy. In a recent post, Reno Omokri challenged a major claim in the film.
According to Omokri, the story that Igbos received only £20 each after the Nigerian Civil War, regardless of their bank savings, is false.
Omokri praised the film’s quality but warned against allowing fiction to rewrite Nigerian history. “I just watched the movie Afamefuna today.
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It is beautifully written and well produced… However, the idea that the Igbos were given just £20 after the war is actually a lie,” he wrote.
He explained that the confusion started after Biafra introduced its own currency in 1968. The Federal Government declared it illegal and advised citizens to avoid it. Many Easterners withdrew their Nigerian Pounds and hid them.
One example is Evelyn Okororie, who stored her Nigerian currency during the war. Her story appeared in a 2020 CNN report marking 50 years since the war’s end.
Omokri noted that the £20 payment was not a punishment. Rather, it was a humanitarian gesture by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Nigeria’s Finance Minister at the time. For those who lost account records or held the now-worthless Biafran currency, the government gave £20 as a flat sum. It was not a blanket policy for all Igbos.
He further clarified that those who could prove they held Nigerian Pounds before the war got full refunds. This includes prominent Easterners like the late Senator Arthur Nzeribe and former Vice President Alex Ekwueme.
“There was no way to verify holders of Biafran Pounds. That money was not backed by any central bank or reserves,” Omokri said.
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He added that even Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Ojukwu fled with Nigerian and British Pounds—not Biafran currency.
Omokri urged filmmakers to avoid misleading portrayals of such sensitive events. He emphasized the importance of preserving historical truth, especially through powerful storytelling tools like film.
Source: Read more at championnews.com.ng
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
