– Artists claim the demolition is a vendetta
– There has been calls for punishment of policeman that shot an artist during protests at the theatre
L-R: Poet Odia Ofeimum, Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, filmmaker Mamood Alli- Balogun
Professor Wole Soyinka has called for a holistic investigation, compensation and punishment where appropriate over the demolition of the Artists’ Village located on the expanse of land of the National Arts Theatre Iganmu.
The Nobel laureate, who was visibly furious, asked for an enquiry into the demolition and shooting of an artist by armed policemen in the presence of the director general of the National Arts Theatre, Mallam Yusuf Kabiru Yar’dua.
The Artists Village was demolished on Saturday, January 23, allegedly on the orders of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
The artists, carrying placards, protested the demolition and their eviction from the Artists’ Village without any prior notice.
Mr. Mohammed met with the artists at the National Theatre on the day of the demolition. The minister said, contrary to what the Mr. Yar’adua allegedly told the artists, he had ordered the demolition of slums and shanties around the National Theatre, not the artists’ workshops and village.
Mufu Onifade, one of the artists lucky to be at his studio at the time of the demolition, said as early as 6 a.m., when he approached the the director general to give them time to pack their artworks and properties, Mr. Yar’adua gave them just 15 minutes and they were unable to salvage much.
The artists believe the demolition is a vendetta on the part of the Mr. Yar’adua. They claimed, when the concession of the National Arts Theatre was moved, the professional body of the artists, National Council for Arts and Culture, had kicked against it vehemently, hence why Mr. Yar’adua picked on them instead of demolishing the shanties as ordered by the minister.
During the demolition, a sculptor, Smart Ovie, was allegedly shot by the divisional police officer of
Oyingbo Police Station. The artists said the same officer denied the victim a police report as required by hospitals before treating gunshot wounds.
Shot artist, Smart Ovie
Calming frayed nerves, Soyinka said it was ironic that those who should strengthen democracy were the ones who often deployed “military mentality” in handling civil cases.
He said: “To me, democracy means a humane approach to governance. Relate with other people as human beings and not as rodents, that you can do away with. At the moment I am not apportioning blames. I am addressing what happened on Saturday. This I hope will lead to enquiry as to who did what? Who gave the order? Who brought arms? The police, army? Who authorised the police? This time, we don’t want to hear about the usual order from above? We must get down to the nitty, gritty.”
Soyinka said though he was with the minister a few days to the demolition, he was never hinted of the demolition.
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