EXTRA: Naira depreciating because I was out of the country, says Odumeje

Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, the self-styled Onitsha-based pastor better known as Odumeje, says he will stop the naira from further depreciating against the dollar.

Odumeje spoke at the airport when he returned from London.

The cleric travelled to the UK earlier this month to host a comedy show. He often boasts that he possesses a plethora of spiritual powers, which he releases periodically to fix issues plaguing society.

He had boasted of being behind the naira’s appreciation with one of his powers, when the currency gained 12 percent against the dollar in early April, building on a 14 percent surge in March.

On Friday, the naira depreciated to N1,320 to the dollar at the parallel market.

At the official window, the local currency depreciated by 2.24 percent to N1,339.23 against the dollar on Friday, from N1,309.88 on April 25.

However, Odumeje said he is back to stop the naira’s slide like he has always done.

“This is Indaboski Bahose. The war and the battle. A man full of power and activities. The only man who tells you ‘I will bring down the dollar’ and gets it done. When I left the country, dollar began to rise; now, I am back, I will continue where I stopped,” Odumeje said.

On April 8, the local currency strengthened to N1,120 to the dollar at the black market and N1,230 at the official window.

Odumeje had taken credit for the naira’s appreciation at the time.