eNaira Goes Live! π‘
Issue #9
Akwaaba!
This is a Twi word that means welcome in Ghana.
We welcome you to another issue of the Soft Pallet Newsletter. If you've not subscribed already, please do that here.
Today, we are looking at:
Coup in Sudan π₯
eNaira Goes Live π‘
Military Seize Power in Sudan
Today, the military in Sudan has seized power from the transitional government. Soldiers involved in the coup have killed at least three people and wounded 80 as people fill up the street to protest against the coup.
Dissolution of Civilian rule
The leader of the takeover, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, dissolved the military-civilian Sovereign Council that had been set up to guide the country to democracy following the overthrow of long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising two years ago.
Burhan announced a state of emergency, saying the armed forces needed to protect safety and security, but he promised to hold elections in July 2023 and hand over to an elected civilian government then.
"What the country is going through now is a real threat and danger to the dreams of the youth and the hopes of the nation," he said.
What about the Prime Minister?
According to the information ministry, Abdalla Hamdok, the Prime Minister of Sudan was detained and taken to an undisclosed location after refusing to issue a statement in support of the takeover.
The ministry, still loyal to Hamdok, urged resistance and said tens of thousands of people opposed to the takeover had taken to the streets and had faced gunfire near the military headquarters in Khartoum.
A little backstoryβ¦
Since Sudan gained independence in 1956, it has been unable to find a workable political system for the country. The country has been mired in numerous coups and coup attempts.
Military and civilian leaders have been sharing power since August 2019 after Sudan's long-term authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir was overthrown.
Bashir was toppled by the military but mass street demonstrations demanding civilian rule forced the military to negotiate a plan aimed at moving to a democratic government.
The country is now supposed to be in that transition, with civilians and military leaders running the country together on a joint committee known as the Sovereign Council.
But the two groups have been publicly at odds.
eNaira Goes Live
After postponing the October 1, 2021 launch of the eNaira β Africaβs first digital currency β the eNaira was launched today by President Mohammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.
The eNaira is a culmination of several years of research work by the Central Bank of Nigeria in advancing the boundaries of payments system in order to make financial transactions easier and seamless for every stratum of society.
The launch was described by CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, as the first in Africa and one of the earliest around the world.
Emefiele said, βMr President, today you make history, yet again, with the launch of the eNaira β the first in Africa and one of the earliest around the worldβ
In an earlier Press Release, Osita Nwanisobi, the Director for Corporate Communications at the Apex Bank said the launch marks the first step of the eNaira journey. Adding that it will continue with a series of βfurther modifications, capabilities and enhancements to the platforms.β
How to activate the eNaira wallet
To sign-up on the eNaira speed wallet, you would be required to input the following details exactly as captured during your BVN enrollment.
First Name, Last Name, Date of Birth, State of Origin, and Email
Your Banks are waiting to assist you in validating and updating your BVN details to ensure seamless enrolment to the eNaira Platform.
You can download the eNaira wallet app on Google Play Store here.
What are we reading π
From a Sale, Lace Undergarments, Never Worn - New York Times
Creativity Is a Process, Not an Event - James Clear
What are we watching π½οΈ
The Evolution of Animal Genitalia - Meno Schiltuizen
Seven ways to make a conversation with anyone - Malavika Maradan
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