Franklin Peters, founder of Blockchain Vibes and co-founder of BoundlessPay, said he spent $75,000 bringing 11 international figures to Nigeria for the 2022 edition of Blockchain Vibes, recalling the investment during an X Space discussing the ongoing dispute between crypto community figures Tola Joseph and Tony Nwabishop.
Peters disclosed while explaining why he understood the emotional dimension of the disagreement between the two men, whom he said he has known since around 2017 or 2018.
Speaking during Tola’s X Space on Tuesday, Peters said his experience in the Nigerian crypto industry had included significant personal financial commitments aimed at growing the ecosystem.
“I’ve spent $75,000 flying 11 foreigners to Nigeria,” Peters said, naming crypto figures including The Moon Carl and Davinci Jeremie among those he brought to the country.
Peters said the motivation behind the spending was to expose Nigeria’s crypto community to international voices at a time when the ecosystem was considerably smaller than it is today.
He described himself as coming from a generation of industry participants who were willing to spend money to help establish blockchain and cryptocurrency as a legitimate area of opportunity.
“I came from a generation of people that wanted to make this space work, even if you have to spend,” he said.
Blockchain Vibes 2022
Peters’ account relates to the inaugural Blockchain Vibes Lagos, held in July 2022 under the theme Demystifying Decentralised Finance.
Contemporary reports confirm that the event brought a number of international crypto personalities to Lagos, including Carl Runefelt, popularly known as The Moon Carl, and Davinci Jeremie J15. Techpoint Africa reported that the two participated alongside AM Crypto and Futurist Kwame in a panel examining the cryptocurrency market downturn at the event.
The event was held at Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos on July 9, 2022, and featured speakers, founders, and other stakeholders from the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry.
Peters had previously described the event as an effort to educate Nigerian and African audiences about blockchain technology and decentralisation. His own website identifies him as the founder and convener of Blockchain Vibes, an event created around blockchain education and awareness.
In a 2022 interview with Technext, Peters said the event’s impact came partly from bringing global crypto influencers to Nigeria, describing the move as opening the door for other international players to explore the African market.
Peters’ comments came amid the Tola–Tony dispute
Peters’ recollection came during a discussion otherwise focused on the increasingly public dispute between Tola and Tony.
Peters said he had deliberately refrained from speaking during Tola’s previous Space because he wanted to hear both sides. He said he subsequently listened to Tony’s account but had not yet fully understood Tony’s side of the dispute.
Rather than taking a position, Peters called for the disagreement to be resolved.
“I don’t stand for or against someone in conversations like this,” he said, explaining that his position was one of “peace,” “equity” and “understanding.”
He also related the situation to his own experience of feeling betrayed by someone he had regarded as a close friend, saying the experience had helped him understand the emotion behind Tola’s comments.
Peters ultimately urged Tola to leave room for an offline resolution, noting that the dispute had already reached a large online audience.
Read the full Tola/Tont Allegations Story here: Tony, Tola Trade Allegations as Dispute Over Car and Longstanding Friendship Escalates Online
A snapshot of Nigeria’s early crypto-building years
Beyond the current dispute, Peters’ $75,000 disclosure offers a glimpse into the lengths some early Nigerian crypto entrepreneurs and community builders said they were willing to go to establish the country’s position in the global blockchain ecosystem.
Blockchain Vibes 2022 was one of the events that brought international crypto personalities directly into Nigeria’s growing blockchain community. Contemporary coverage described the event as attracting international influencers, venture capitalists and blockchain stakeholders.
Peters’ latest figure, however, is his own account of the amount he spent. CoinAfrica has not independently verified the $75,000 expenditure or the total number of international guests he personally financed.
The disclosure came as Peters appealed for the wider Tola–Tony dispute to be resolved privately rather than continuing to escalate across social media.
Keep reading CoinAfrica to be informed about the next edition of Franklin Peters Blockchain Vibes
