Main content

Was Bobrisky jailed because of her transgender identity?

The Nigerian internet personality was sentenced to 6 months in a male prison for "spraying" bank notes at social events. It鈥檚 more usual for offenders to get a fine.

鈥淏efore pronouncing sentence on Bobrisky, the judge asked, 鈥榓re you male or female?鈥. For me this was a red flag. Bobrisky鈥檚 gender has nothing to do with whether he (or she) abused the Naira.鈥

Money spraying is part of Nigerian culture: throwing bank notes or putting them on a person鈥檚 forehead to congratulate them at weddings, birthdays or other big social events.

But since 2007, it鈥檚 technically been illegal 鈥 as those bank notes can fall to the ground and be trodden on - and the maximum punishment is six months in jail.

But until recently, prosecutions were rare.

So there was much consternation earlier this month when Nigerian internet personality and transgender woman, Bobrisky - who has 5 million followers on Instagram - was sentenced to spend 6 months in a male prison for 鈥楴aira abuse鈥 after spraying banknotes at a film premier.

The government says it鈥檚 just clamping down on the practice. But others argue that Bobrisky has been targeted because of her gender identity.

Release date:

Available now

20 minutes

Podcast