Title: Economic implications of superstition and the defacement of the currency notes: Nigeria experience

Authors: Essien D. Essien

Addresses: Department of Religious and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Uyo, P.O. Box 4308, Uyo, Nigeria

Abstract: Nearly half the currency notes in circulation in Nigeria today has lost its wholeness to one form of mutilation or another due to superstitious beliefs. Statistics have shown that 98.0% of the disfigurement of the naira is (deliberately) caused by superstitious belief, while only 0.2% is due to inadvertent mistakes. This paper examines the correlation between superstitious beliefs, magical thinking and judgements or choices regarding currency notes exchange among Nigerian. Drawing upon an extensive contemporary research and existing literature on the culture of superstition, and supported with qualitative methodology, this paper scrutinises the role of superstitious beliefs on our decisions, preference, and actions that affects the use, exchange and mutilation of currency notes with its resultant fiscal connotation. The result shows that majority of the mutilation is deliberately carried out due to superstitious beliefs which exerts a causal influence on people and a serious economic implications on the society.

Keywords: superstition; cultural beliefs; currency mutilation; social construction; indigenous resources; judgement; choices; economic implications; causal influence; Naira; Nigeria; currency notes; superstitious beliefs; magical thinking; currency disfigurement; currency defacement.

DOI: 10.1504/AJESD.2014.061635

African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.3 No.1, pp.65 - 75

Published online: 21 Jun 2014 *

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