Why Nigerians melt their gold jewellery in Dubai

Dubai likes to explain itself because the town

Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> of gold - however several, together with Nigerians, do not simplyreturn here to shop for new jewelry, they additionally bring their recent necklaces and bracelets to be fusibledown and restyled.

Rows of 22-carat gold chains and bracelets twinkle within the retailers at Dubai's main airdrome, one in all the busiest within the world. Waiting by the gate for the 14:25 flight to Lagos in African country, is that the Esochaghi family, WHO square measure returning home when a searching trip.

"My favorite items square measure these necklaces," says Ugochi Esochaghi, gesturing towards alittle butterfly bobbing on a sequence around her neck. "I got one for my female offspring too, orthography out her name," she smiles, as bambino Valeria sucks her thumb.

"For ME and my family, gold may be a very precious issue. i used to be said with it, I love it."

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Media captionMeet the Esochaghi family

Esochaghi's gold butterfly sparkles beneath the brilliant airdrome lighting as she describes her latest visit to Dubai'scelebrated gold open-air marketplace. "We brought a number of our recent jewelry and it had been weighed. we have a tendency to we have a tendency tore then given some styles to decide on from and therefore the oneswe have a tendency to needed were created by melting down the gold we already had.

"It took around 2 days from begin to complete. the merchandise is sweet and it is also cheaper here than inAfrican country."

Husband Enyioha, WHO has been uneasily looking at the airdrome clock, agrees to create for a photograph with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Label liquor he bought in duty free. Esochaghi cannot hide her glee. "You do not see this all over, it is a special issue thus we're giving it to a decent friend as a present."

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As folks become more and {more} connected and more mobile, the BBC is exploring however identities square measure dynamic . The Esochaghis' story is an element of a series regarding travellers passing through urban center International - one in all the most important airports on Earth.

Learn additional regarding the BBC's Identity season or be part of the discussion on Twitter victimisation the hashtag #BBCIdentity.

But is it traditional for Nigerian families to travel urban center to shop for gold?

"Yes," says Ugochi, as she heads for the gate. "A heap of my friends return here. it is a well-liked issue to try to to." one in all seven Emirates, for years urban center has been furiously promoting itself as a traveller hub - last year it attracted quite fourteen million guests WHO stayed for a minimum of one night. And gold business enterprise has been rigorously cultivated.

Although there square measure different world centres for the gold trade - Bharat and China being 2 of the most important - consistent with the planet Gold Council (WGC) regarding 30-40% of the world's gold flows throughlittle urban center.

"Ten to fifteen years agone urban center became celebrated as a gold open-air marketplace. Since then it's developed as a commodities centre, and a mercantilism business has emerged," says John stew, the WGC's head of member capitalist relations.

Dubai gold sellerImage copyrightGetty pictures

Not having a excise tax is essential, stew says, as is that the quality of the gold on sale, that makes it a sexyinvestment. "It's typically high caratage, which suggests it's comparatively pure. If you are shopping for jewelry, the gold can have high intrinsic worth. as a result of this it'll be straightforward to figure out what proportion it'svalue."

Ugochi Akwiwu, a travel blogger, tells ME additional regarding her love of gold from her aim African country town, Nigeria. "Nigerians normally love gold and in my a part of the country it is a show of wealth," she says.

"My roots square measure with the ethnos community in south-east African country and it's ancient for mothers at hand down their gold to their daughters. Men get property and land, ladies inherit gold and Hollandais - ancientchecked cloth wraps."

Ugochi Akwiwu's tips for budding gold consumers

Rows of gold necklaces in Dubai's gold soukImage copyrightGetty pictures

Haggle, haggle, haggle - it's expected and therefore the solely thanks to get the most effective value

•Take your passport as this can be needed by gold merchants and once you have bought your jewelry, rememberto gather your receipt

•Only get from a honourable search - you may be approached within the street by men giving to sell you jewelryhowever do not be tempted

•Check the present value of gold on the day of your planned purchase

Akwiwu travels to urban center once a year, invariably coming with gold, typically within the style of earrings. These square measure only for herself and her family however others have turned searching journeys into a business. "When i used to be in school a number of my classmates created cash by shopping for gold in urban center and mercantilism it in African country.

"A few managed to place themselves through university with the profit. Gold is roughly $5 (£3.60; 4.50 euros) a gram cheaper over in urban center and WHO does not sort of a bargain?"

With unsteady exchange rates, the value inequality is even bigger and there square measure opportunities for serious consumers. Lagos-based Talutu Ahmed Olulana, as an example, may be a successful lady WHO trades in gold. "We get around 5kg of gold a year and therefore the supply depends of what it's used for," she says. "I get raw gold from continent except for finished gold i will move to Italy, Bharat and urban center.

Talutu Ahmed Olulana

"Gold may be a store of import, it's movable, divisible, it appreciates and it provides a hedge against inflation. It'svery a real live of wealth."

Yet, like Akwiwu, she doesn't solely regard gold as a trade goods to be bought and sold . "It's image of royalty.historically kings, queens and chiefs would be adorned with what we have a tendency to decision the king of metals - gold," she says.

"I'm from Kogi state in north-central African country and culturally we have a tendency to attribute lots of importance to owning it. In most elements of my state owning gold may be a necessity of wedding."

Fast cars and flashy jets could return and go, however - for Nigerians particularly - there'll forever be gold.