A crypto enthusiast and organizer of the Binance-sponsored
Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Awareness Tour (BCAT) recently held in
Nigeria, has rejected reports he was arrested by security agents
reportedly spooked by large crowds that were following the campaign. The
enthusiast said the high number of people that attended the BCAT tour
proves that Nigerians “want to continue to explore blockchain and
cryptocurrency and improve their lives.”
Nigerian Interest in Crypto and Blockchain Growing
A Nigerian blockchain and crypto educator, Tony Emeka, has clarified
that the security agents that made an appearance at a Binance-sponsored
educational event, which he organized, did not arrest him as per
reports. He suggested that the massive crowds that attended the
Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Awareness Tour (BCAT) Africa function, in
volatile Southeast Nigeria, had unnerved security agents which prompted
their search for the event’s organizer.
According to Emeka, who is also the founder of crypto publication
Cryptotvplus, he explained to the security agents the purpose of the
event and why Nigerians had attended the tour in such large numbers.
“We made them understand what we were doing. The BCAT Africa event
was to show Nigerians the opportunities in the digital space,
specifically in the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. They were
excited about what we were doing. I wouldn’t say I was arrested,”
explained Emeka.
Emeka also told Bitcoin.com News that the unexpectedly high number of people attending
the BCAT Africa tour — over 7,000 people according to some estimates —
showed that despite the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s directive of
February 5, 2021, Nigerians are still very much interested in
cryptocurrencies and their underlying technology, the blockchain. He
said:
People are hungry for knowledge, they want to continue to
explore blockchain and cryptocurrency and improve their lives. The CBN
directive of Feb. 5th, 2021 came as a shock to a lot of people, and it
affected a lot of crypto businesses, and for individual investors, it
made it difficult to convert crypto to fiat, but that was where P2P came
to the rescue, and since then, this has been the means for converting
crypto to fiat and vice-versa.
Although he concedes that CBN restrictions had initially made it
tough for individual investors, Emeka asserts many Nigerians have since
adjusted well to the new reality. Still, Emeka said the Nigerian
government must “remove the limitation.”
Interest Beyond Cryptocurrencies
When asked if the BCAT Africa educational tour had been a success,
Emeka said: “Yes! I believe 100%. In fact, after the event, we were
doing a ticking of our lists to see if we achieved everything we
planned. The result was beyond our imagination. We wanted to show
Nigerians the things that are possible and within their reach, and we
did.”
Meanwhile, Chiagozie Iwu, the CEO of Naijacrypto, a local
cryptocurrency exchange, told Bitcoin.com News that the huge crowds seen
in Enugu are evidence that interest in digital currencies remains
strong.
“The crowd I saw at the recently concluded Enugu BCAT shows that
there is a strong enthusiasm among youths in the southeastern part of
Nigeria to learn about blockchain. We have seen that the interest goes
beyond cryptocurrencies but understanding how to build a career in the
blockchain sector,” Iwu said.
source link : https://news.bitcoin.com/organizer-of-binance-sponsored-crypto-tour-says-campaign-was-successful-denies-reports-of-arrest/
