When you step on a country’s currency, are you just dancing… or are you trampling on the very soul of a nation?
That’s the question on everyone’s lips as a viral video of ex-militant leader and Niger Delta chieftain, Chief Government Ekpemupolo—better known as Tompolo—has ignited public fury and dragged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into yet another firestorm of controversy.
The video, which has been trending on X.com, shows Tompolo celebrating his 54th birthday in true big man style—with a man lavishly spraying ₦1,000 notes as he dances joyfully.
We’ve seen it all before, haven’t we?
Except this time, Nigerians aren’t letting it slide.
The Law is Clear (When It Wants To Be)
According to Section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007, “spraying of, dancing or matching on the Naira… shall constitute an abuse and defacing of the Naira.” It’s not a suggestion; it’s the law. A criminal offence.
The EFCC itself has repeatedly warned the public against mutilating the Naira.
In fact, they’ve been on a recent “naira-abuse crackdown tour.” In April, controversial crossdresser Bobrisky was sentenced to six months in prison for the same offence.
Lagos socialite E-Money was arrested. Celebrities like Iyabo Ojo, AY the comedian, and even the Okoya brothers were grilled. The message was loud and clear: Naira no be confetti!
But here’s where the plot twists: enter Tompolo.
EFCC vs Tompolo: The Battle Of Selective Justice?
When the viral video hit the internet, Nigerians didn’t miss a beat.
The reactions were as swift as they were savage. From X.com to Facebook, users accused the EFCC of wearing blinders when it comes to “untouchables.”
One user, #NejeebBello, wrote: “Once e reach their Oga and him friends, EFCC go turn Eee Eff Blind Blind.”
Another chimed in: “I dare EFCC to go near him.” The sentiment? Tompolo is above the law—or more precisely, above EFCC jurisdiction.
After all, this is a man once declared wanted by the Nigerian government and later awarded multi-billion naira security contracts. Can the same system that handed him the country’s oil pipelines now dare to question his dance steps?
As #General\_Somto wrote: “Eagle Eye don blind.”
A Currency Worth More Than Paper
When people spray, step on, or toss naira notes like flyers at a wedding, it sends a troubling message: our currency has no value. It’s not just an act of celebration; it’s a metaphor.
The Naira isn’t merely a means of exchange—it’s a symbol of our sovereignty, our struggle, and yes, our dignity.
So when a prominent figure like Tompolo does it and the law looks away, the symbolism deepens.
It tells Nigerians watching, especially the poor and marginalised: there are two sets of rules—one for the powerful, and another for the powerless.
You May Like: AY Comedian Cautions Public After EFCC Invitation Over Naira Abuse
Let’s face it—if Tompolo were a regular roadside mechanic or pepper seller, he’d probably be cooling off in an EFCC cell by now, wearing oversized slippers and eating eba without soup.
Hypocrisy Is Not Just A Crime, It’s A National Culture
The real abuse of the Naira might not just be in parties, but in policies.
Every time a politician embezzles billions or a government office inflates contracts, isn’t that economic abuse? But try stepping on one ₦1,000 note at your cousin’s wedding and you might be on the next EFCC press release.
The Tompolo video doesn’t just raise legal questions—it strikes at the heart of Nigeria’s credibility crisis. Can the EFCC truly claim impartiality when its arrest list reads like a selection of the “easy to catch”?
Naira Abuse Or National Indifference?
The debate over Tompolo is not just about a man and some money. It’s about the larger Nigerian dilemma: the dance between power and accountability, the tension between law and selective enforcement.
When a country starts picking and choosing who its laws apply to, it’s not just the naira that’s being stepped on—it’s the very fabric of justice.
So dear EFCC, in the words of the street: “If una born well, go arrest am.”
Or shall we all just agree that in Nigeria, the law is like suya—soft when you chew it, but burns depending on who’s eating?
